Wasilla senior standouts sign to run at college level

WASILLA — Jenna Ford and Mandi Ringgenberg have been following the same path since they were in the seventh grade. Even though the Wasilla High seniors will be taking different routes next year, the longtime teammates recently had a chance to celebrate the latest achievements of their illustrious prep running careers.

During a ceremony at Wasilla High School late last month, surrounded by friends, teammates, coaches and their families, Ford and Rinngenberg each signed a National Letter of Intent to run at the collegiate level next fall. Ford signed with Division I Gardner-Webb and Rinngenberg inked her intent to run at Division II Central Washington.

“It’s a dream come true,” Rinngenberg said of her chance to run in college, and celebrate her moment with Ford. “We’ve been together since the seventh grade.”

Ford and Rinngenberg have been central to the success of the Wasilla High girls’ cross-country running program, helping the Warriors win three straight 4A state titles.

“It’s kind of cool to see it come to fruition,” said Gary Howell, who coached Ford and Rinngenberg during their four-year careers at WHS. “Both came in as freshmen and made themselves established right off the bat.”

Ford and Rinngenberg become the third and fourth Wasilla runners to ink their intents during the last two years. Former WHS standouts Jessica Pahkala (Division II UAA) and Morgan Dampier (Division I Sacramento State) are currently running on the college level.

Ford joins Dampier on the list of Wasilla athletes moving on to the Division I level, and will compete for the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs of the Big South Conference.

Ford will also join her older brother, Drew, at Gardner-Webb. Drew Ford is a member of the Gardner-Webb men’s cross-country running and track and field teams.

Ford is excited about having the chance to run with her older brother for another year, but said it was not the main reason behind her choice.

“It’s a perk,” she said.

A list of schools were interested in Ford, and she narrowed the field down to her final two — Gardner-Webb and UAA. In the end, Ford said Gardner-Webb offered a better scholarship package and she’s excited about the chance to run in a different climate.

“A big deal was being able to run all year long,” Ford said.

Ford finished in the top 20 of the state meet during each of her four years at WHS and placed a career-best fifth as a sophomore.

Ford won a Region III title as a freshman and followed that with three more top-8 finishes at the region meet during her high school career.

Next fall, Ford is expected to run on Gardner-Webb’s varsity squad.

“I think Jenna’s potential is really untapped, especially coming from Alaska,” Howell said of Ford, a multisport athlete at WHS. “We really don’t get the chance to put the miles in, and she’s never really focused on one sport. Her potential is tremendous.”

Ford is also a member of a Wasilla girls’ basketball squad that has won two straight state titles. As a senior, she’s a starting guard for an undefeated Warrior team gunning for their third straight state title. Ford has also helped the Warriors win two straight girls’ state track and field titles. Last year, Ford was part of a pair of state title-winning relay teams during the Alaska championships.

Ford said she’ll also run track at Gardner-Webb.

While Ford will be running in the Big South, Rinngenberg found her home in the Division II Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

“I think Central’s a great pick for her,” Howell said of Rinngenberg, who will enter the program as the Wildcats’ No. 4 runner. “That division, they run. That whole northwest division, they run a lot, they run year-round. She’s somebody who just benefits from that constant training. It’s going to be a perfect fit for her. I couldn’t have found a better school for her myself.”

Central Washington rose to the top of a long list of schools interested in Rinngenberg.

Metro State (Colo.), Colorado State-Pueblo, Western Washington and a handful of schools from the Kansas area were among those considered by Rinngenberg.

“I definitely had a lot of schools, but Central, it’s kind of like another home for me,” Rinngenberg said. “It felt like home to me.”

Rinngenberg — a member of the varsity cross-country running, track and field, and softball teams during her time at WHS — is excited about her opportunity to run at the varsity level right away.

As the team’s No. 4 runner, Rinngenberg said she’ll have a role similar to the role she had on her teams at Wasilla.

“She should walk on and score points for them right away,” Howell said of Rinngenberg.

Rinngenberg played softball during the spring last year, but as a junior, she helped the Warriors place second in the 1,600 and 3,200-meter relays during the 2011 state track and field championships. She also helped WHS win Region III titles in those events.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.