Suburban Life Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year: York’s Michaela Quinn

For a fleeting moment entering the girls cross country postseason, York senior Michaela Quinn feared her season was over.

Ten days before the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet, Quinn severely injured her left ankle in a club soccer match. Fortunately, it was only a bad sprain.

“It was the scariest part of my senior season for sure,” Quinn said. “I was actually in a (protective) boot that entire week. It was definitely a hard week for me, not being able to run or train at all.”

Quinn not only competed at the Silver Meet Oct. 14. She won by 1.9 seconds with sophomore sister Maggie Quinn second.

“I knew I’d be with (my teammates) and especially having my sister there to push me was a huge part of it, too,” Michaela Quinn said. “That was one of my biggest confidence boosts going into the rest of the season.”

Michaela Quinn typified the effort the Dukes displayed in winning the Class 3A state championship. Quinn, the Suburban Life Newspapers Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year, helped a phenomenal senior class contribute to two state titles over the past three seasons and finish second in 2022. As freshmen, they won the 2020 unofficial state ShaZam Championships with no IHSA state meet because of COVID 19 restrictions. Quinn will compete at Indiana University.

“(Her strengths are) her dedication to her teammates. It’s her hard work and a lot of the sacrifices she’s made to be part of this team,” York coach Lauren D’Angelis said. “She’s definitely a leader within the group. She believed this team could do great things as long as we stayed focused and she was a big part of that. She also is pretty mentally tough. Once that gun goes off, she is locked in and goes after it.”

At state, Quinn (16th) and fellow four-year varsity seniors Katherine Klimek (11th) and Maggie Owens (12th) finished just 6.04 seconds apart and were top-25 all-staters with senior Anna McGrail (21st). Maggie Quinn was 28th. Michaela Quinn was York’s top finisher at the Lake Park Sectional (3rd) and fifth at the Oak Park-River Forest Regional. She was among the top six overall times in six races.

“Coming into June, this team had almost a different drive. We had a lot of fire in us (being second in 2022),” Quinn said. “I’m really happy that we stepped up when we needed to in those (important) meets, especially state. Everything we wanted to accomplish we did.”

Following state, Quinn was the top finisher (66th) for the Kroy team comprised of York runners at the Nike Cross Nationals Dec. 2 in Portland, Ore. Kroy (12th) was the top finisher among Illinois’ three national-qualifying teams.

“That was honestly one of my best feeling races besides conference,” Quinn said. “I could not be happier with 66th. I really moved up the second part of the race.”

Quinn was IHSA all-state three times, finishing seventh in 2022, and sixth at ShaZam. She was 27th as a sophomore. All four seasons Quinn was top-10 all-sectional, top-five all-regional and top-16 all-conference. Besides her Silver title, she was second twice in the state’s toughest conference.

“I honestly have to owe everything to our program at York, especially Coach D’Angelis. She’s always instilled so much confidence in me,” Quinn said. “The last three years especially I would second guess all of my race habits, and I would just freak out before I’d go to the line. This year I never had a single doubt. We incorporated a lot more of the mental side this year.”

Quinn is completing another impressive personal goal – a three-sport athlete all four years. Quinn rejoined girls basketball after one week off following NXN. She’s a standout in girls soccer yet was always going to run cross country during fall club soccer.

“Freshman year I knew right away I was in the right place (with cross country),” Quinn said. “I’ve never had bonds like I do with this sport and especially this team.”

At Indiana, Quinn will major in nursing and joins Kaitlyn Winton from York’s 2021 state title lineup. Quinn’s soccer options were mid-range Division I programs.

“(Cross country has taught) lots of lessons but just realizing never to set limits on yourself. I would have never seen myself committing to a Big 10 school,” Quinn said. “I think that just comes with having so many people believe in you in one program and the coaches.”

Girls cross country All-Area team

* -- Previous All-Area selections Kyla Babb, sophomore, Westmont Lily Eddington, sophomore, Downers Grove North* Sophia Galiano-Sanchez, sophomore, York Juliana Gamboa, freshman, Fenwick Sydney Gertsen, sophomore, Montini Catholic Ava Gilley, junior, Downers Grove North GiGi Hill, sophomore, York Holly Johnson, junior Downers Grove South* Katherine Klimek, senior, York*** Anna McGrail, senior, York Amelie Ojeda, junior, Willowbrook Maggie Owens, senior, York* Sarah Paul, senior, Downers Grove North Nicole Poglitsch, junior, Wheaton Warrenville South** Maggie Quinn, sophomore, York* Michaela Quinn, Senior, York*** Maddie Romaine, junior, Wheaton North Alayna Todnem, junior, Downers Grove North Niki Tselios, junior, Lemont McKenzie Willard, junior, Downers Grove North