Marist’s dual-threat cross country and track superstar Morgan Ilse is the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Girls Athlete of the Week. Since her freshman year, Ilse has continued to excel in both cross country and track.
“Even when she runs with the boys, she is the first to push the last repetition and challenge herself and those around her,” said Marist head cross country and track coach Eric Heintz. “She has been able to stay healthy for the better part of four years and such consistency in her training has strengthened her.”
“Morgan has been the top girl I have ever coached. She has already won six state championships and has set multiple school records. She will go down in history as one of the best runners Georgia has seen,” said Heintz. “Beyond performance, she is a very committed young lady who has no problem training with the boys to get a better workout or doing extra mileage on her own. She really models exemplary behavior.”
She holds state titles in the track and field 1600- and the 3200-meter runs. She has owned the 1600-meter run and 3200-meter run over her career, after finishing first place 10 straight times and eight out of nine times, respectively.
Ilse exemplifies what it means to work as a team, as she works with her teammates everyday to help them improve too.
“Competition brings out the best in her week in and week out,” said Heintz. “Morgan is always willing to try a workout and doesn’t usually second guess what is planned. She is a great teammate always willing to help another runner or to lead a group.”
Heintz’s most memorable moment coaching the now senior came when Ilse finished second in the 3200-meter run at the state meet in Albany.
“She was accidentally (and temporarily) on the front page of Flotrack.org, one of the largest running websites in the country with a headline that was intended just for our team page,” said Heintz. “It was hysterical and certainly one of the best races I have ever seen, but to have it be a ‘national headline’ was just remarkable. That, and of course watching her win all of her individual state championships as part of a team state championships.”
The senior finished ninth amongst the best runners in the nation at Great American Race of Champions on Oct. 4 with a time of 18:06. Over the course of four years, she has 14 career wins in cross country, including the Coach Benson Double Dip Invitational this season in which she broke the course record at 18:43. After setting her career best time in cross country at the Warpath Invitational on Sept. 13 with a time of 17:28, the Marist runner is only improving and, thus, leaving her opponents in the dust.
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