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CROOKSTON — Crookston senior Breanna Kressin knows she's disappointed some track and field coaches by her college decision.
She's opting to figure skate at the University of Minnesota, rather than focusing on a college track and field career.
"Personally, I find more of a passion in figure skating," Kressin said. "I'll be sad once (track and field) is over, but I feel like it's a chapter in my life where it's okay to be done with. If I were to continue for four years, I wouldn't have the same passion I have for it now. I want to think back about it and have a good memory of it."
That memory will add one more big event this weekend as Kressin enters the Minnesota state meet at St. Michael-Albertville High School as the area's top-ranked athlete.
Kressin ranks fourth in the 100 hurdles in Minnesota Class A, third in the 300 hurdles and sixth in the 200 meters.
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"She has intrinsic self-discipline and desire," Crookston track and field coach Amy Boll said. "She's highly competitive and coachable ... a natural athlete."
At the Section 8A meet, Kressin won the 100 and 300 hurdles and finished second in the 200.
Kressin's time of 15.43 seconds in the 100 hurdles was just 0.19 seconds away from the section record, which was set by Crookston's Kayla Wahlin in 2003.
At last year's state meet, Kressin finished just two-tenths of a second away from Wahlin's record.
"I hope to possibly get it at state but if I don't I know I was very close," Kressin said. "The Wahlins were extremely talented in sports. To know I'm close to her and what she was running is really cool."
After having her sophomore season wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic, Kressin finished fourth at state as a junior.
Kressin stayed in shaped during the pandemic-altered seasons with the help of her dad, who was a high school runner in Larimore, N.D. He built makeshift hurdles out of PVC piping and Kressin was able to work out in her yard.
Kressin also credits her hurdles coach at Crookston, Harley Stahlecker, who is retiring this year after 62 years of coaching.
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"He's definitely made me the runner I am today," Kressin said. "He's taught me to never really settle. I can always do better. He's hard on me, but I appreciate it. He's open and honest and tells me how it is."
Kressin's goal for state is to make the finals in all three events. Despite her high ranking in the 300 hurdles, Kressin knows she's a significant underdog to the No. 1 seed.
Shaina Zinter of Concordia Academy-Roseville has a top time of 42.38 seconds, while Kressin's top time is 45.66 seconds.
"I know where I'm ranked, and I'd like to finish around where I'm ranked and run those times," Kressin said.
According to athletic.net, a track and field results website, Kressin is the only athlete, male or female, from the Herald coverage area ranked in the top five in any event at the state meet.
