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: Emma Hoffman
School: Otsego
Grade: 12th
Personal Records
5k (XC) – 17:22
1600m – 4:52
3200m – 10:17
5000m – 16:42
| Grade | Name | Time | Team | Rating | Meet | Date | Year |
| 11 | Emma Hoffman | 17:31.0 | Otsego | 163.3 | Division 2 State | 2-Nov | 2024 |
| 11 | Emma Hoffman | 17:51.7 | Otsego | 159.1 | Region 13 | 26-Oct | 2024 |
| 11 | Emma Hoffman | 19:22.7 | Otsego | 130.8 | Allegan County | 18-Oct | 2024 |
| 11 | Emma Hoffman | 17:25.3 | Otsego | 165.9 | Wolverine Conference | 15-Oct | 2024 |
| 11 | Emma Hoffman | 17:22.5 | Otsego | 167.8 | Otsego Bulldog | 28-Sep | 2024 |
| 11 | Emma Hoffman | 18:11.5 | Otsego | 166.5 | Spartan | 13-Sep | 2024 |
| 11 | Emma Hoffman | 17:45.0 | Otsego | 166.7 | Shamrock | 3-Sep | 2024 |
| 11 | Emma Hoffman | 17:53.4 | Otsego | 170.2 | SW Rustbuster | 28-Aug | 2024 |
| 11 | Emma Hoffman | 18:18.8 | Otsego | 166.7 | St. Joseph | 20-Aug | 2024 |
| Grade | Name | Time | Team | Rating | Meet | Date | Year |
| 10 | Emma Hoffman | 18:31.3 | Otsego | 143.9 | Division 2 State | 4-Nov | 2023 |
| 10 | Emma Hoffman | 18:56.6 | Otsego | 135.8 | Region 13 | 28-Oct | 2023 |
| 10 | Emma Hoffman | 19:42.3 | Otsego | 125.9 | Allegan County | 20-Oct | 2023 |
| 10 | Emma Hoffman | 18:18.9 | Otsego | 138.7 | Wolverine Conference | 17-Oct | 2023 |
| 10 | Emma Hoffman | 18:48.5 | Otsego | 141.8 | Portage | 7-Oct | 2023 |
| 10 | Emma Hoffman | 18:03.8 | Otsego | 154.1 | Otsego Bulldog | 30-Sep | 2023 |
| 10 | Emma Hoffman | 18:33.7 | Otsego | 144.8 | Jackson | 23-Sep | 2023 |
| 10 | Emma Hoffman | 19:12.9 | Otsego | 146.0 | BS Shamrock | 5-Sep | 2023 |
| 10 | Emma Hoffman | 18:31.0 | Otsego | 144.0 | SW Rustbuster | 30-Aug | 2023 |
| Grade | Name | Time | Team | Rating | Meet | Date | Year |
| 9 | Emma Hoffman | 18:27.8 | Otsego | 149.1 | D2 State | 5-Nov | 2022 |
| 9 | Emma Hoffman | 18:38.9 | Otsego | 141.4 | Region 13 | 29-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Emma Hoffman | 19:11.2 | Otsego | 138.9 | Wolverine Conference | 18-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Emma Hoffman | 18:48.0 | Otsego | 140.3 | Portage | 8-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Emma Hoffman | 18:34.9 | Otsego | 144.4 | Otsego Bulldog | 1-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Emma Hoffman | 18:34.7 | Otsego | 142.1 | Cougar Falcon | 24-Sep | 2022 |
| 9 | Emma Hoffman | 19:08.4 | Otsego | 143.5 | Spartan | 16-Sep | 2022 |
| 9 | Emma Hoffman | 19:09.6 | Otsego | 137.5 | SW Rustbuster | 31-Aug | 2022 |
| 9 | Emma Hoffman | 20:18.9 | Otsego | 127.7 | St. Joseph | 23-Aug | 2022 |
Accolades
XC
2nd Place – 2023 & 2025 Division 2 State
17th Place – 2024 Division 2 State
2023 & 2024 Allegan County Champion
2024 Wolverine Conference Champion
2024 Region 13 Champion
Track
2025 Division 2 State 1600m & 3200m Champion
Unbeaten Outdoor Season
3rd Place – 2025 MITS 3200m
4th Place – 2025 MITS 1600m
6th Place – 2024 Division 2 State 1600m
You Know I Dig Her Improvement
And between her sophomore and junior years, the improvement was out of this world. Between the track and the grass, she left hardly a stone unturned, setting PRs and winning titles.
Embracing an uptick in training during her junior summer, Hoffman sped out of the gate with a win at St. Joseph, her fastest opener yet. The next race was another first, a sub-18, one of many she’d put together over the course of the year. More wins throughout September paved the path towards her biggest breakthrough, 17:22 at her home invite, a massive 20+ second personal best. She’d match that level a few more times over the course of the year – most notably a 17:31 finish at State, a venue where she’s always performed her best.
Digging into the nitty gritty of the times, the track is where we can objectively see the development. Concentrating mainly on the longer distances, Hoffman was able to slip under 5 min. for the first time ever (5:02 to 4:52) and rip through her 3200m best (10:50 to 10:17). Both led to a new, rarely seen, level of competition, a season where Emma didn’t face a single defeat. Not at the GR Elite Challenge, Distance Night, regional or conference, and lastly, not at D2 State.
Your defending D2 1600m and 3200m champion, improving by leaps and bounds, seeking more.
Michigan XC Speed Ratings 