A summer tradition returns.
Hard to fathom that I’ve been penning these Summer Previews for now, 7 years. Just as in the past, I’ll have the 50 best returners, then as time rolls on, the Regional Previews and Top Ten Teams.
Differing from the past is the format. Individual posts for each region and ticket are a TON OF WORK. Instead, I’ll be knocking off the 50 Tickets with sets of 10 and Regional Previews by their division and gender. Hopefully with these methods, I’ll be finishing on time and actually spending effort detailing what could be some great regional battles.
Anyhow, starting with the girls (they run first this year), your 50 Tickets to Brooklyn. These celebrate our top-50 returners – based on the 2024 XC season, 2025 track season, projected improvement, and a tiny bit of my own opinions.
Enjoy!
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
(Also, first time ever that I’ve included Upper Peninsula folks in these! I know they’re not running at MIS, but they’re still representatives of Michigan)
Name: Natasza Dudek
School: Ann Arbor Pioneer
Grade: 10th
Personal Records
5k (XC) – 17:04
800m – 2:15
1600m – 4:48
3200m – 10:03
5000m – 16:18
| Grade | Name | Time | Team | Rating | Meet | Date | Year |
| 9 | Natasza Dudek | 17:04.1 | Ann Arbor Pioneer | 172.3 | Division 1 State | 2-Nov | 2024 |
| 9 | Natasza Dudek | 17:28.0 | Ann Arbor Pioneer | 166.0 | Region 5 | 26-Oct | 2024 |
| 9 | Natasza Dudek | 17:50.0 | Ann Arbor Pioneer | 161.7 | SEC Championship | 17-Oct | 2024 |
| 9 | Natasza Dudek | 17:46.6 | Ann Arbor Pioneer | 163.1 | Portage | 5-Oct | 2024 |
| 9 | Natasza Dudek | 17:24.1 | Ann Arbor Pioneer | 167.3 | Otsego Bulldog | 28-Sep | 2024 |
| 9 | Natasza Dudek | 18:04.2 | Ann Arbor Pioneer | 164.3 | SEC Red 2 | 24-Sep | 2024 |
| 9 | Natasza Dudek | 17:27.4 | Ann Arbor Pioneer | 168.5 | Jackson | 21-Sep | 2024 |
| 9 | Natasza Dudek | 18:06.3 | Ann Arbor Pioneer | 168.2 | Spartan | 13-Sep | 2024 |
| 9 | Natasza Dudek | 18:27.3 | Ann Arbor Pioneer | 159.6 | SEC 1 | 10-Sep | 2024 |
| 9 | Natasza Dudek | 18:22.4 | Ann Arbor Pioneer | 157.5 | John Bruder Classic | 4-Sep | 2024 |
Accolades
XC
3rd Place – 2024 Division 1 State
Region 5 & SEC Red Champion
Track
2nd Place – 2025 Division 1 State 3200m
4th Place – 2025 Division 1 State 1600m
2nd Place – 2025 New Balance Nationals 5000m
4th Place – 2025 Division 1 State 4×8
2025 SEC Red 1600m Champion
2nd Place – 2025 MITS 1600m & 3200m
Her Specialty
Endurance.
It’s amazing to me that with the longer the distance, the more Dudek seems to excel and endure.
The greatest piece of evidence for that is on the track, where Natasza raced to times that aren’t necessarily suggested by her bests at lower distances. Her 1600m personal best is a 4:48, 72 seconds a lap. Four laps more, she’s run as fast as 10:03, only slowing down 13 sec. per mile, now at 75 seconds per lap. Moving up to the 5000m, she hung in there with the nation’s best in Philly, covering the distance in 16:18. The mile pace on that – 5:13, 78 seconds every 400m, once again barely even slowing down.
In order to redline for so long, one must have a tremendous amount of self-confidence and stubbornness, and those two traits undoubtedly helped Dudek navigate a freshman campaign at Pioneer. Top-5 finishes in all Michigan championship races on the track and grass. The top freshman time in 1600m, the best overall mark in the 3200m.
Natasza will be testing the limits of endurance for three more years we’re blessed to be witnesses.
Michigan XC Speed Ratings 