“Addy Ritzenhein raced smarter and achieved more than any prep girl in the country last fall. She beat the best national race field of the year and led her team to the podium. She also exhibited poise beyond her years by erasing a considerable mid-race deficit to reel in the co-favorites over the final mile at the NXN Final.”

Rich Gonzalez

Head Coach - PrepCalTrack Coach

Athletic Excellence

The 5-foot-3 sophomore won her first national title this past season, breaking the tape at the Nike Cross Nationals Final with a time of 17:10.40 and leading the Cougars to a runner-up finish as a team. Ritzenhein also won the Class 4A state crown in a state class-record time of 17:08.2, crossing the line 29.8 seconds ahead of her next-closest competitor and pacing her squad to the team title. The daughter of two-time Gatorade Michigan Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year (1999-01) and three-time Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein, she clocked a personal-best 16:44.9 for 5K and ranked No. 1 in the national MileSplit 50 for 2023.

Academic Achievement

Ritzenhein has maintained a 4.33 weighted GPA in the classroom. She will begin her junior year of high school this fall.

Exemplary Character

A member of the Niwot High School Leadership Academy and a Student Aide at her school, Ritzenhein is also a member of her school’s choir. She has volunteered locally on behalf of REAL Training youth running club and in the concessions booth for NHS boosters.