From her early days on the middle school track team to leading her high school cross country squad, Wayzata High School’s Maddie Gullickson has built a career defined by determination and a love for running. Over the past few years, she’s grown from following in the footsteps of older runners to guiding her own team, inspiring younger athletes, and establishing herself as one of the top competitors heading into NXN this weekend.

This season has been a standout one for Maddie. She won NXR Heartland as the only girl in the race to break 17 minutes and won the Minnesota cross country state title after finishing runner-up last year. Along the way, she’s learned the value of consistency, perseverance, and belief in herself.

In our interview, Maddie reflects on the experiences, challenges, and breakthroughs that have shaped her as an athlete and a leader. She also shares about what drives her, how she approaches races, her excitement for joining NC State next fall, and the moments that have made her journey so memorable.

This interview has been edited lightly for clarity and length.

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Jasmine Fehr: When did you get your start in the sport and how would you describe your journey to this point?

Maddie Gullickson: I first started running when I was in seventh grade. I joined the track team in middle school. It was just something fun for me to do since I was always a basketball player growing up. Basketball is a huge part of my life! My brother was in a gym class with our old high school cross country coach. She heard that he had a little sister who did track and said I should come out for cross country. My older brother Josh told my parents, so I went out for cross country. I ran on the varsity team in eighth grade. It was really fun and I just progressed from there.

Over the past couple of years, it’s been super fun. When I was a freshman in high school, there were four really strong seniors who led the way for me. They showed me how to be a good leader and runner and they all ended up running collegiately. It was cool to have people to look up to when I was a younger runner and then learning from them to eventually lead the team, which has some younger runners on it now. I started as just a runner following in the footsteps of my seniors and now I get to be a leader myself, enjoy the sport, have fun with it, and push my limits.

You won NXR Heartland a few weeks ago and were the only girl to run under 17 minutes. What are some of your reflections looking back on the race?

That race was surreal! I knew I was going to be in contention to win, but I never had any expectations for myself to actually do it. I just wanted to get out in the front pack. It was a competitive race with a lot of really good girls, and it was pretty icy and cold, but nothing I hadn’t seen before. In Minnesota, we get cold and icy weather sometimes, so I was definitely prepared for that. The moments in the race when it got hard, I thought about doing it for my team so that we could hopefully qualify. One of my teammates a few years ago won the race, so she was a really great inspiration leading up to it.

I broke away from the pack about a mile into the race. I knew it was a risk, but it felt right. I focused on staying light on my feet, staying quick, pushing into the finish, and keeping up my pace for the last mile.

What was it like leading your team to the team title?

It was a huge part of my motivation. This will be my team’s fourth year going to NXN together. Especially my senior year, it was something we really wanted to do: qualify together. That was definitely in the back of my mind throughout the race: do it for them, do it for my team. Six of us are seniors and we’ve been running with each other for the past four years. Seeing it come together and have success was really awesome.

How would you describe your team and how do you think they would describe you?

I would describe my team as really determined and hardworking, but also really fun and grateful. Everybody is there for a reason. They all love running and want to be there. We’ve seen each other at our best and our worst, so we’re all just there to support one another. I would hope my team would say that I’m a good leader, that I’m fun, that I love running, that I’m ready to work hard, that I have big goals, and that I support the team in the end.

NXN is this weekend! What’s your mindset and some of your goals heading into it?

I’m really looking forward to representing Minnesota and Wayzata. I know it’s going to be a tough race with a bunch of really good competitors. I want to get gritty, stay strong, and race my best race that I can on that day. That’s all I can ask for. I want to race for my team, represent my state, and have fun.

Before NXR, you won your first Minnesota state title. How did that experience compare to previous seasons?

It was super fun! Going into the race this year, I definitely wanted to win the title. I knew I was fully capable. It was thrilling to do, but not a surprise just knowing where my training is at. Last year, I was runner-up. The girl who won deserved it and is an amazing runner. That motivated me to push really hard this year to get the state title. When I was a sophomore, I was injured all cross country season. That gave me a new perspective: seeing the sport from the side and being grateful for every opportunity. Even just stepping up to the state meet line is really cool. Winning it this year was really fun!

What’s been the biggest difference for you going from last season to this season that’s led to your improvement?

Just focusing on being consistent in my training and believing in what I can do. Last year, I would step up to the line without specific goals. This year, I know what I want to do and how I want to execute my races. I also had an injury this summer and another during my sophomore year. Focusing on what works for me in training and staying consistent without setbacks has really helped. Putting in the work week after week makes a big difference!

You’re heading to NC State next fall. What led to your decision?

It was a really long journey. I reached out to NC State a few times and kind of heard back, kind of didn’t. It was back and forth. But it was the school I really wanted to go to. I look up to their runners and they have a super strong program. I want to go into engineering and they also have that. I went on a visit unofficially over spring break, met Coach Henes and Coach Geiger, and saw the campus. That’s when I really fell in love with the school, even before meeting the team.

After my track season, I went officially and met the team. They’re all super talented, supportive, and fun. It felt a lot like my high school team, so it felt like home. That’s when I knew NC State was where I belonged.

NC State just won the NCAA Cross Country team title and most of the women are returning next year. How excited does that get you for next fall?

It’s super cool! Having such a strong group of girls to look up to and train with is inspiring. Training with athletes who are better than you helps you reach your potential. I’m excited to see how I grow and learn from them. Hopefully I’ll run in the top group one day. It’ll be fun to be part of that environment.

Do you have any favorite quotes for training or racing?

Every year my coach has a team acronym. We’ve had YGT (You Got This), PMA (Positive Mental Attitude), and TTE (Total Team Effort). They help me remember our team values. One of my favorites is: “You can do hard things.” It seems simple, but it’s really powerful. Believing in yourself and knowing you can push through tough moments is huge.

What’s the best piece of advice your coach has given you?

It sounds simple, but to have fun and believe in yourself. In Minnesota, our head coach can’t coach us past the regular season, so her husband coaches us postseason. He’s really shown me how to believe in myself and my abilities. That belief has been super helpful.

If you could go for a run with anyone, who would it be and why?

I would probably say three people: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, since she’s somebody I’ve looked up to forever. She’s talented, driven, humble, and kind. Elle St. Pierre is another person I’ve really looked up to and is also amazing. Cole Hocker is my third. It would be so cool to run with any of them!

Thanks for reading! This interview is part of our 2025 Nike Cross Nationals Series, where we’re catching up with some of the top high school athletes in the country as they prepare for the biggest meet of the fall. Stay tuned for more Q&As with the rising stars of high school distance running.