The state’s returning Gatorade Runner of the Year, the 5-foot-7 junior distance talent won the NCHSAA Class 4A state title this past season, breaking the tape in 17:58.84—26.3 seconds ahead of her next-closest competitor—and leading the Patriots to a fourth-place finish as a team. Alder also won the adidas XC Challenge Girls Championship race in 17:36.10, and was the top North Carolina performer at the prestigious Great American XC Festival’s Race of Champions, crossing the line sixth in 17:39.30. She capped her season by winning the AAU National Championship with a time of 18:34.35 and was victorious in 11 of 13 races she entered last fall.
Alder has maintained a 3.63 weighted GPA in the classroom. She will begin her senior year of high school this fall.
Alder has volunteered locally for a youth running team and has donated her time to the Special Olympics of Moore County.
