-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla St. Edmond Riley Mayer (right) and Audrey Kolacia compete during the girls 5k run on Monday at Sheldon Park

For the fourth consecutive year, Audrey Kolacia will compete at the state cross country meet for St. Edmond.

While Kolacia and the Gaels have advanced each of her four seasons as a team to the final meet of the year, the SEHS senior actually went a step further.

Kolacia is the first girl to qualify for state by placing in the Top-15 at the regional qualifier four times.

St. Edmond runs at 2 p.m. at Lakeside Golf Course, entering the Class 1A field as the 13th-ranked squad.

“Competing at the state meet for four years has been an honor,” Kolacia said. “State is supposed to be where the best of the best run, and to be included in that group for four years is indescribable.

“The state meet has an atmosphere different from anything else I’ve been a part of. I’ve had the honor of running with great athletes my entire high school career.

As a freshman, Kolacia placed 16th overall, helping the Gaels earn ninth as a team. Her following year, she finished 29th and St. Edmond moved up to fifth.

Last season, the Gaels were sixth overall and Kolacia placed 44th.

“Making state was never an option for us — it’s something we knew we were going to do and we were willing to put in the work for it,” Kolacia said. “Running cross country has involved a lot of time and commitment. Running can be a love-hate relationship with me, however, being able to do so with my teammates and friends every day has been an honor.

“I love practicing and competing with them, but most importantly, I love the memories I’ve made with them. Coach (Mike) Szalat and Coach (Monica) Shelly have been great mentors and have provided us with a lot of great encouragement. They all help make the team feel more like a family.”

With her cross country career coming to a close this weekend, Kolacia wants to leave her mark on both the school history books personal one.

“My goal for state as an individual is to finish with a personal-record on the year and I am hoping to beat my time at state last year by going under 21 minutes,” Kolacia said. “As a team, we are hoping to become the highest-placing girls cross country team in school history. We set the record my sophomore year at fifth. The Top-3 teams at state get a trophy and we want to add something to the trophy case this year.”

This coming summer, Kolacia will return to the softball diamond for the Gaels, as they look to improve upon a 12-18 season that resulted in a run to the regional finals.

As a the leadoff hitter for Nick Clark’s squad, Kolacia hit .308 with 21 runs scored, six doubles, six RBI and was 16-for-17 on stolen base attempts. She also drew 17 walks and struck out just 10 times in 91 official plate appearances.

“I have high expectations for this softball season and I know our coaches and teammates do as well,” Kolacia said. “We were a completely different team at the end of last season compared to the beginning and all of that is owed to Coach Clark and Coach (Tara) Scanlan and my incredibly talented teammates.

“Hopefully, we can pick up where we left off and just keep improving from there.”

Kolacia also competes in track in the spring and is a cheerleader for both football and basketball. She was her class vice president and a member of National Honor Society.

After high school, Kolacia plans to attend the University of Iowa and enter the school of nursing.

Vacation destination: Italy.

People I would like to have dinner with: I love to get together with all of my family, including aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents.

My sports role model: assistant coach Monica Shelly.

My everyday role model: my parents, Keith and Jayne.

I can’t go a day without: oxygen.

Nickname: Drey.

Superstition: I wear the same sports bra for every cross country meet.

Most heated rivalry: for cross country: Alta/Aurelia; for softball: Newell-Fonda and Humboldt.

Favorite road trip: CYO cross country meet while blaring music from the back of the bus.

What are you listening to right now?

Favorites…

Team: Boston Red Sox.

Class: Anatomy and Physiology.

Movie: Can’t By Me Love.

Book or Magazine: The Nightingale.

Phone app: Snapchat.