College of St. Benedict Women's Cross Country

Balder-Lanoue begins her 19th season as head coach for the College of Saint track and field team in 2016-17. Balder-Lanoue looks to continue the Blazers recent success and help CSB maintain its status as one of the top contenders in the MIAC. In 2016, Saint Benedict finished second at the MIAC Indoor Championships for the second time in the past three seasons, and Balder-Lanoue earned MIAC Coach of the Year honors for the fourth time in her career. Of the 33 athletes who competed at the conference indoor meet, 20 different people scored. CSB finished the weekend with 38 season-best times or marks and 22 lifetime bests to help Saint Benedict score 101.2 points CSBs third-best score at the indoor meet. Eight athletes earned All-MIAC honors during the indoor season, including junior London Stelten, who won the MIAC title in the pole vault. CSB also had 14 individuals earn honorable mention accolades in 11 events. Senior Kiley Green set the school record in the 3,000 at the conference meet. In the outdoor season, CSB set six school records three by Green, two by junior Allison Kosobud and one by senior Valerie Clintsman and finished sixth at the conference meet. Green set records in the 3K, 5K and 10K, Clintsman set the javelin record in her fourth time competing in the event and Kosobud set records in the 800 and 1,500. Kosobud also qualified for the NCAA Outdoor National Championships in the 1,500. She went into the national meet seeded 22nd, but finished 17th. Saint Benedict hosted the MIAC Outdoor Championships, and finished the weekend with five All-MIAC honorees and six athletes earned All-MIAC Honorable Mention accolades in six different events. Stelten completed the season sweep in the pole vault by winning the conference outdoor title, marking her third straight conference title after also winning in the 2015 outdoor season. During the indoor season, CSB recorded 21 times or marks in the top 10 in school history, and added 19 times or marks in the outdoor season. Stelten moved up to second in school history in the outdoor pole vault and third in the indoor season. Niki Fokken recorded the third-best javelin toss in school history, and during the indoor season Green ran the second-best 5K time in CSB history and Natalie Frier recorded the second-best 55 hurdle time. Saint Benedict finished third at the 2015 MIAC Outdoor Championships and sixth at the indoor championships. In 2014, CSB finished second at the indoor meet and fourth during the outdoor season to help CSB finish runner-up in the MIAC All-Sports Competition. Balder-Lanoue has led the Blazers to a top-four finish at the MIAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships in six of the last eight seasons. CSB took second at the indoor meet in both 2014 and 2011, and Balder-Lanoue was named the MIAC Indoor Coach of the Year in 2011. Balder-Lanoue also earned coach of the year honors in the 2010 outdoor season and the 2009 indoor season. In her 18 years, Balder-Lanoue has coached 220 All-MIAC Honorable Mention athletes, 113 All-MIAC First Team selections and 37 conference champions. She has coached six NCAA Division III All-Americans and 41 national qualifiers. Twenty-three of the current outdoor records and 24 of the schools indoor records have been set under Balder-Lanoues watch. As well as being successful on the course, CSBs track and field teams have had plenty of success in the classroom as well. The Blazers have won 10 straight USTFCCCA All-Academic Team awards, and 38 individuals have been honored in that time. Balder-Lanoue is a 1991 graduate of the College of Saint Benedict and participated in both track and field and cross country for four years. She still has one of the top-50 5K times in CSB history, and earned All-MIAC in track and field in 1990 and 1991. She earned a bachelors degree in mathematics and secondary education from CSB in 1991, and graduated with a masters degree in education from Hamline in 1998. From 1991-96, Balder-Lanoue taught and was the head Nordic ski coach and assistant cross country and track and field coach at Monticello High School in nearby Monticello, Minn. She came to CSB as the head cross country coach in 1997, and served as an assistant track coach before taking over the program in 1999. Balder-Lanoue still actively competes in road races. She took 15th at the Twin Cities Marathon in 1996, and competes in the Hood to Coast Relay or the Ragnar Northwest Passage which both span nearly 200 miles every year. Her relay team, Baba Yaga, was the first womens team to cross the finish line at the Ragnar Northwest Passage in 2015 and 2016. Balder-Lanoue and her husband, Bruce, live in Monticello with their daughter. Additional Coaching Experience: 2005: USA Track and Field Level II coaching - throws 1997-1999: Assistant track and field coach at CSB 1991-1996: Assistant cross country and track and field coach at Monticello High School 1991-1996: Head Nordic ski coach at Monticello High School College Education: 1998: Master's degree in education from Hamline University 1991: Bachelor's degree in mathematics and secondary education from St. Ben's Athletic Career: 1984-Present: Competes in the Hood to Coast Relay or Ragnar Northwest Passage every August in Oregon 1991-Present: Actively competing in road races 1996: Finished 15th in the Twin Cities Marathon 1987-1991: Competed in cross country and track and field at St. Ben's (All-MIAC) Coaching Honors: 2016: MIAC Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year 2011: MIAC Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year 2010: MIAC Outdoor Track and Field Co-Coach of the Year 2009: MIAC Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year Robin Balder-Lanoue Head Track and Field Coach Years at CSB: 20 as head cross-country coach, 18 as head track & field coach Robin Balder-Lanoue begins her 19th season as head coach for the College of Saint track and field team in 2016-17. Balder-Lanoue looks to continue the Blazers recent success and help CSB maintain its status as one of the top contenders in the MIAC. In 2016, Saint Benedict finished second at the MIAC Indoor Championships for the second time in the past three seasons, and Balder-Lanoue earned MIAC Coach of the Year honors for the fourth time in her career. Of the 33 athletes who competed at the conference indoor meet, 20 different people scored. CSB finished the weekend with 38 season-best times or marks and 22 lifetime bests to help Saint Benedict score 101.2 points CSBs third-best score at the indoor meet. Eight athletes earned All-MIAC honors during the indoor season, including junior London Stelten, who won the MIAC title in the pole vault. CSB also had 14 individuals earn honorable mention accolades in 11 events. Senior Kiley Green set the school record in the 3,000 at the conference meet. In the outdoor season, CSB set six school records three by Green, two by junior Allison Kosobud and one by senior Valerie Clintsman and finished sixth at the conference meet. Green set records in the 3K, 5K and 10K, Clintsman set the javelin record in her fourth time competing in the event and Kosobud set records in the 800 and 1,500. Kosobud also qualified for the NCAA Outdoor National Championships in the 1,500. She went into the national meet seeded 22nd, but finished 17th. Saint Benedict hosted the MIAC Outdoor Championships, and finished the weekend with five All-MIAC honorees and six athletes earned All-MIAC Honorable Mention accolades in six different events. Stelten completed the season sweep in the pole vault by winning the conference outdoor title, marking her third straight conference title after also winning in the 2015 outdoor season. During the indoor season, CSB recorded 21 times or marks in the top 10 in school history, and added 19 times or marks in the outdoor season. Stelten moved up to second in school history in the outdoor pole vault and third in the indoor season. Niki Fokken recorded the third-best javelin toss in school history, and during the indoor season Green ran the second-best 5K time in CSB history and Natalie Frier recorded the second-best 55 hurdle time. Saint Benedict finished third at the 2015 MIAC Outdoor Championships and sixth at the indoor championships. In 2014, CSB finished second at the indoor meet and fourth during the outdoor season to help CSB finish runner-up in the MIAC All-Sports Competition. Balder-Lanoue has led the Blazers to a top-four finish at the MIAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships in six of the last eight seasons. CSB took second at the indoor meet in both 2014 and 2011, and Balder-Lanoue was named the MIAC Indoor Coach of the Year in 2011. Balder-Lanoue also earned coach of the year honors in the 2010 outdoor season and the 2009 indoor season. In her 18 years, Balder-Lanoue has coached 220 All-MIAC Honorable Mention athletes, 113 All-MIAC First Team selections and 37 conference champions. She has coached six NCAA Division III All-Americans and 41 national qualifiers. Twenty-three of the current outdoor records and 24 of the schools indoor records have been set under Balder-Lanoues watch. As well as being successful on the course, CSBs track and field teams have had plenty of success in the classroom as well. The Blazers have won 10 straight USTFCCCA All-Academic Team awards, and 38 individuals have been honored in that time. Balder-Lanoue is a 1991 graduate of the College of Saint Benedict and participated in both track and field and cross country for four years. She still has one of the top-50 5K times in CSB history, and earned All-MIAC in track and field in 1990 and 1991. She earned a bachelors degree in mathematics and secondary education from CSB in 1991, and graduated with a masters degree in education from Hamline in 1998. From 1991-96, Balder-Lanoue taught and was the head Nordic ski coach and assistant cross country and track and field coach at Monticello High School in nearby Monticello, Minn. She came to CSB as the head cross country coach in 1997, and served as an assistant track coach before taking over the program in 1999. Balder-Lanoue still actively competes in road races. She took 15th at the Twin Cities Marathon in 1996, and competes in the Hood to Coast Relay or the Ragnar Northwest Passage which both span nearly 200 miles every year. Her relay team, Baba Yaga, was the first womens team to cross the finish line at the Ragnar Northwest Passage in 2015 and 2016. Balder-Lanoue and her husband, Bruce, live in Monticello with their daughter. Additional Coaching Experience: 2005: USA Track and Field Level II coaching - throws 1997-1999: Assistant track and field coach at CSB 1991-1996: Assistant cross country and track and field coach at Monticello High School 1991-1996: Head Nordic ski coach at Monticello High School College Education: 1998: Master's degree in education from Hamline University 1991: Bachelor's degree in mathematics and secondary education from St. Ben's Athletic Career: 1984-Present: Competes in the Hood to Coast Relay or Ragnar Northwest Passage every August in Oregon 1991-Present: Actively competing in road races 1996: Finished 15th in the Twin Cities Marathon 1987-1991: Competed in cross country and track and field at St. Ben's (All-MIAC) Coaching Honors: 2016: MIAC Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year 2011: MIAC Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year 2010: MIAC Outdoor Track and Field Co-Coach of the Year 2009: MIAC Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year