These Six Wisconsin Runners Are Off To A Hot Start

Photo: Nate Unger/MileSplit Minnesota

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The Badger State already has a few standout runners sitting atop the state leaderboard, with Whitefish Bay's Karstin McCabe and Eau Claire Memorial's Will Pongonis posting particularly fast results across the season's first two weekends of competition.

Check out six of the fastest runners in Wisconsin so far this year!

Karstin McCabe, Whitefish Bay

Fresh off a national postseason that included a top-five finish at Nike Outdoor Nationals in the 3200m, the sophomore picked up right where she left off, winning the Milwaukee River CC Invite in 17:44.30 to open her cross country season atop the Wisconsin girls rankings. McCabe was a state runner-up a season ago and made it to Nike Cross Nationals, and her track resume suggests she has plenty more room to run this fall, especially now that she's top dog.

Raina Pergande, Holmen

Not much is known yet about the true freshman, but her debut spoke for itself. Pergande ran 18:03.20 at the Husky Invitational to slot in at No. 2 in the state through the first few weekends, making a statement in the first race of her high school career. The freshman took down a field full of experienced upperclassmen, and held off Madelynn Schmidt (Chippewa Falls) by two seconds. Pergande is already the 13th-fastest freshman in state history, and can be the 10th to ever break 18:00 if she can take off just a few seconds.

Ciara Hartman, Bloomer

The senior has been one of the most consistent distance runners in the state over the past year, and she carried that form into her fall opener with a big win at the Prescott Invitational, crossing in 18:03.73. Hartman, a state champion in the 1600m last spring, has now added a third-in-state cross country ranking to her resume as she enters what figures to be a loaded senior season. Already 2-0 on the season, Hartman will look to continue her hot streak as the weeks go by.

Will Pongonis, Eau Claire Memorial

The senior's final cross country season was met with another statement performance last weekend, as Pongonis clocked 15:12.72 at the Augustana Twilight XC Meet to lead all Wisconsin runners. He was also a state finalist in the 3200m last spring and competed at New Balance Outdoor Nationals, and his debut win at the Husky Invitational along with his big run in South Dakota, he's looking like the man to beat this fall. 

Nolan Johnson, Shorewood

After a strong 2025 cross country season that included a 13th-place finish at the WIAA State Championships, Johnson has come back sharper this fall. The junior won the Milwaukee River CC Invite in 15:24.00 and followed it up with another victory at the Cedar Grove-Belgium Rocket Invitational a week ago, establishing himself as one of the early frontrunners in the state boys race. The junior is due for a big campaign over the next few months.

Kaleb Mroz, Somerset

Mroz announced himself as one of the top boys in the state with a runner-up finish at the Husky Invitational in 15:34.21, a significant step forward from a 2025 cross country season that saw him place 22nd at state. Mroz finished fourth in the 1600m at the WIAA Outdoor Championships last spring, and an early PR and win at the Somerset Invitational put him in a great spot with a whole lot of confidence heading into the rest of the season.