Aug. 21—GRAND FORKS — Nicole Kopff has been coaching with the Grand Forks Red River girls cross country program for 11 years. After becoming the program's lone head coach in 2023, Kopff will guide her largest roster yet this season.
The Roughriders currently have 40 runners. It's the largest group since 2021, when the program had 42 athletes.
This year's number could grow after other fall sports cut their rosters.
"I really think we've found an identity," Kopff said. "We had two runner-up finishes at state (in 2021 and 2022), we were very, very close. ... I think that set our momentum, that we can have more girls. Girls want to work hard too, and I think the word got out.
"Because our atmosphere is so open and welcoming, we've had a lot of girls who have joined running late that have fallen in love with it and stayed. The reason we're built as big as we are is the foundation of our core values."
#kopff
The Roughriders currently have 40 runners. It's the largest group since 2021, when the program had 42 athletes.
This year's number could grow after other fall sports cut their rosters.
"I really think we've found an identity," Kopff said. "We had two runner-up finishes at state (in 2021 and 2022), we were very, very close. ... I think that set our momentum, that we can have more girls. Girls want to work hard too, and I think the word got out.
"Because our atmosphere is so open and welcoming, we've had a lot of girls who have joined running late that have fallen in love with it and stayed. The reason we're built as big as we are is the foundation of our core values."
#kopff
2 months ago
