[Cross Country, Track & Field] Althoff continues tradition, will join Mustangs

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- Competing at Mount Mercy is a tradition in the Althoff family, and this fall, Katerina will become the third member of her family to run cross country and track & field for the Mustangs.

Cross country and track & field coaches Ryan Scheckel and Jamie Jimison have announced the addition of Katerina to both programs. She was a four-time, first-team all-state standout at Cascade High School. Katerina finished second in the Iowa Class 2A state meet as a freshman, then took fifth as a sophomore, eighth as a junior and sixth as a senior. She has also been a state qualifier on the track, qualifying in the 3,000 meters as a freshman and junior and in the 1,500 meters as a freshman and sophomore.

"Katerina will be an outstanding addition to our cross country and track & field teams for the next four years," said Scheckel. "She is a dedicated runner and has high goals for herself and the team. Looking at what she has done in previous competition, we see her contributing to our top five in cross country, possibly as our number one runner. There is no doubt that she will make this team better and that the team will make her better."

Katerina joins her brother, Bryce, a sophomore, on the Mustang cross country and track & field teams. Her cousin, Joel, was a two-time all-Midwest Classic Conference performer in cross country and also competed in track for the Mustangs. Joel's wife, Leslie Marshall Althoff, was a two-time MCC Harrier of the Year and four-time all-conference cross country athlete who was inducted into the Mount Mercy Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010.