SIOUX FALLS — For the second year in a row, Northwestern’s Ella Boekelheide is a three-time individual state champion.

The senior Wildcat captured the 3,200-meter (11:29.60) and 800-meter (2:13.41) titles on Friday before winning the 1,600-meter run (5:08.05) on the final day of the 2026 state track and field meet. 

Boekelheide also helped the Wildcats win the 1,600-meter sprint medley relay on Thursday as the anchor leg of a meet record time of 4:13.02, along with Brenna Halvorsen, Rachel Melius and Elexis Kramp.

“It feels so good,” Boekelheide said. “I haven’t won four state titles at a single meet, so I think this was just a perfect way to conclude it and wrap it up.”

Boekelheide, who also swept the distance races at the state meet a year ago, captured her 10th individual track championship on Saturday.

“It means so much,” Boekleheide said. “I love this sport with my whole heart so it just means that much more when I can also perform and make my community proud.”

Ella Boekelheide, of Northwestern, runs in the Class B girls 3,200-meter run on day two of the SDHSAA state track and field championships at Howard Wood in Sioux Falls. (Matt Gade / 605 Sports)

Boekelheide says the key to her success has been more mental than physical as she’s learned to trust her training throughout her career.

“Just staying focused,” Boekelheide said of the distance races. “The longer the race, the more focused you have to be. Just staying focused and being mentally tough because most of the time your fitness is there, your training has prepared you for it, you just have to go out there and actually do the race.”

The future South Dakota State Jackrabbit wrapped up her prep career with 13 combined individual championships, adding three Class B state cross-country championships during her 8th grade, junior and senior seasons.

She’s also a standout setter in volleyball, helping Northwestern to a 37-3 record and a third-place finish at the state tournament last fall.

“It’s a lot to sum up,” Boekelheide said of her prep career. “I’m just very grateful, that’s just one word that comes to mind when I think of these years running.”

Boekelheide will major in exercise science in the fall as she continues her running career at the collegiate level.

“You can be chasing the gold medals but I think more importantly chasing times and try and always better yourself, I think that’s what motivates me,” Boekelheide said.