Runners from Michigan and Minnesota
Michigan Tech cross country and track & field head coach Robert Young has announced the addition of 15 student-athletes for the 2025 signing class. The recruiting class comes to Michigan Tech from Michigan and Minnesota.
“We are really excited about the quality of this recruiting class. Among this group are some of the fastest Huskies we’ve ever added to the program and we expect their impact on our competitive outcomes to be significant,” head coach Robert Young said. “It is likely we will find some of this group on varsity rosters right away this fall, and certainly within a couple years. We know from our recruiting conversations that this group is hungry to find out how good they can become and are excited to get to work on finding out.”
Evan Balko | Marquette, Michigan | Marquette HS
High School: Balko is a 2025 graduate of Marquette Senior High School where he was a seven-time UP finals medalist in track & field while also being a part of the 4x400m and 4x800m school record relay teams. He is also a two-time UP finals medalist and a part of the UP cross country dream team in 2023. He holds personal bests of 1:58.69 in the 800m, 4:24.03 in the 1,600m, 9:56.17 in the 3,200m and 16:09 for 5,000m in cross country.
Personal: Evan is the son of Lori and Scott. At Michigan Tech, he plans to earn a degree in mechanical engineering.
Hannah Dupuis | Caledonia, Michigan | Caledonia HS
High School: Dupuis is a graduate of 2025 Caledonia High School where she was a two-time academic all-state selection graduating Summa Cum Laude. She was all-conference and all-region in cross country in 2024 and track & field in 2025 being named the school’s MVP in cross country and most improved in track & field. Dupuis holds personal-bests of 5:18 for 1,600m, 10:54 for 3,200m and 19:05 for 5,000m.
Personal: Hannah is the daughter of Lisa and Tristan. At Michigan Tech, she plans to earn a degree in biomedical engineering.
Caden Karcher | Rockford, Michigan | Rockford HS
High School: Karcher is a 2025 graduate of Rockford High School where he was the OK Red Conference 800m Champion, also earning all-conference and all-state distinctions. Academically, he graduated Summa Cum Laude and was a four-year academic award recipient. He holds personal-bests of 1:54.79 for 800m and 4:18.14 for 1,600m with a 50.5 split on a 4x400m relay and a 1:55 800m split on a 4x800m relay.
Personal: Caden is the son of Jenn and Derek. At Michigan Tech, he plans to earn a degree in mechanical engineering.
Kalvin Kytta | Chassell, Michigan, Chassell HS
High School: Kytta is a 2025 graduate of Chassell High School where he was a two-time MHSAA Cross Country individual champion, a seven-time MHSAA track & field individual champion, a two-time Copper Mountain Conference MVP in cross country, a two-time Copper Mountain Conference Distance Runner of the Year and a one-time Copper Mountain Conference MVP in track & field. He holds personal-bests of 2:03.62 in the 800m, 4:28.58 in the 1,600m, 9:45.96 in the 3,200m and 15:52.7 for 5,000m in cross country.
Personal: Kalvin is the son of Ken and Kristin. At Michigan Tech, he plans to earn a degree in civil engineering.
Jackson Lillywhite | Burton, Michigan | Flint Kearsley HS
High School: Lillywhite is a 2025 graduate of Flint Kearsley High School where he earned all-state in cross country, holding personal bests of 15:40 for cross country 5,000m, 9:34 for 3,200m, 4:23 for 1,600m and 2:00 over 800m.
Personal: Jackson is the son of Theresa and Aaron. At Michigan Tech, he plans to earn a degree in computer science.
Dominic Lowrie | Battle Creek, Michigan | Harper Creek HS
High School: Lowrie is a 2025 graduate of Harper Creek High School where he helped his team win two state titles while individually being a two-time all-state performer in cross country, holding five school records. He holds personal-bests of a 1:56 split in a 4x800m relay, 1:59 for the open 800m, 4:24 in the 1,600m, 9:18 for 3,2000m and 15:24 for 5,000m. He was also a member of the National Honors Society.
Personal: Dominic is the son of Lera and Mark. At Michigan Tech, he plans to earn a degree in sports science or kinesiology.
Dylan Lydic | Haslett, Michigan | Haslett HS
High School: Lydic is a 2024 graduate of Haslett High School where he was a four year honors student and earned the CAAC Scholar Athlete Award. Athletically, he was all-state at the 2024 D2 Cross Country Championships, placed first in the CAAC Red cross country championships and won the 2023 CAAC Red 3,200m. His senior season he won the CAAC Red 1,600m. He holds personal-bests of 4:24 for 1,600m, 9:36 for 3,200m and 15:36 for 5,000m.
Personal: Dylan is the son of Todd and Erin. At Michigan Tech, he plans to earn a degree in aerospace engineering.
Brooke Marquardt | Savage, Minnesota | Prior Lake HS
High School: Marquardt is a 2025 graduate of Prior Lake High School. She helped Prior Lake to a cross country team state runner-up finish in 2023, while also placing third in the state in 2022 and 2024. She was a captain of the track & field team and earned all-state and all-conference in the 3,200m in 2025 where she qualified for the state meet in the 3,200m and was a part of the Prior Lake 4x800m relay in 2024 and 2025. She holds personal-bests of 19:11 for 5,000m, 10:57 for 3,200m, 5:12 for 1,600m, 2:23 for the open 800m with a 2:18 split in a 4x800m relay. She was a Triple A award winner (Arts, Athletics, Academics) and a two-time academic all-state recipient.
Personal: Brooke is the daughter of Chris and Julie. At Michigan Tech, she plans to earn a degree in accounting with a concentration in data analytics and management information systems.
Matthias Morse | New Era, Michigan | Muskegon Western Michigan Christian
High School: Morse is a 2025 graduate of Muskegon Western Michigan Christian where he was a two-time all-state runner in cross country also winning two regional championships. On the track he was a 4x800m all-state finisher and an open 800m all-state finisher. He holds personal-bests of 15:53.5 for 5,000m, 4:28.46 for 1,600m, 1:56.35 for 800m and 50.86 for the 400m. Academically, he was on the MHSAA Scholar Athlete Honor Roll.
Personal: Matthias is the son of Phillip and Melissa. At Michigan Tech, he plans to earn a degree in engineering.
Brayden Mullins | Milford, Michigan | Highland-Milford HS
High School: Mullins is a 2024 graduate of Highland-Milford High School. In cross country, he was a three-time state qualifier (2022, 2023, 2024) and one-time LVC all-conference performer (2024) and helped the Milford men’s team become regional champions in 2023. In track and field, he qualified for the 3,200m once and was a two-time LVC all conference (2024) selection. He holds personal-bests of 16:27 for 5,000m in cross country, 9:32.04 for 3,200m and 4:30.67 for 1,600m.
Personal: Brayden is the son of Ashley and Colin. At Michigan Tech, he is pursuing a degree in computer science.
Landon Pestrue | St. Louis, Michigan | St. Louis HS
High School: Pestrue is a 2025 graduate of St. Louis High School where he was the class Valedictorian and an MHSAA Scholar-Athlete Award Finalist. Academically he was an Academic All-State recipient three times in cross country and track & field. He was a three-time cross country all-state performer and all-state in track & field in the 3,200m (2024), 1,600m (2024 & 2025) and was the conference champion in the 1,600m (2024 & 2025) and 3,200m (2023). He holds personal-bests of 15:55 for 5,000m, 9:30 for 3,200m, 4:22 for 1,600m and 2:00 over 800m.
Personal: Landon is the son of Dennette and Jeffrey. At Michigan Tech, he plans to earn a degree in mechanical engineering.
Bella Reimers | Traverse City, Michigan | Traverse City East HS
High School: Reimers is a 2025 graduate of Traverse City East High School where she graduated Magna Cum Laude, was a four-year Sci-Ma-Tech/STEM community member and a member of the National Honors Society. She was also the Drake Tester Memorial Scholarship recipient for cross country with personal-bests of 21:15 for 5,000m, 12:40 for 3,200m, 5:50 for 1,600m, 2:30 for 800m and 1:05 over 400m.
Personal: Bella is the daughter of John and Julie. At Michigan Tech, she plans to earn a degree in biomedical engineering.
Eddie Snider | St. Paul, Minnesota | Mounds Park Academy
High School: Snider is a 2025 graduate of Mounds Park Academy where he was a 10-time all-state performer and a two-time single A state champion and a two-time All-American in Nordic Skiing. He holds a cross country 5,000m personal-best of 15:40.
Personal: Eddie is the son of Steve and Chrissy. At Michigan Tech, he plans to earn a degree in civil engineering.
Alena Tiernan | Commerce, Michigan | Lakeland HS
High School: Tiernan is a 2025 graduate of Lakeland High School where she was a three sport athlete running cross country, track & field and playing basketball. She finished top-10 in her graduating class and an AP Scholar with Distinction. She helped Lakeland High School to conference and regional championships in 2023 and 2024 while individually being all-conference and all-region in cross country (2023 & 2024). In track & field she was a two-time all-conference performer (2024 & 2025) and all-region in 2025. She holds personal-bests of 19:08 for 5,000m in cross country, 5:23 for 1,600m and 2:30 over 800m.
Personal: Alena is the daughter of Chris and Nikki. At Michigan Tech, she plans to earn a degree in chemical engineering.
Matthew Verellen | White Lake, Michigan | Lakeland HS
High School: Verellen is a 2025 graduate of Lakeland High School where he was the class Valedictorian and an AP Scholar with Distinction. He was a two-time LVC all-conference performer and an MHSAA all-region performer in 2024. In track & field he was an LVC all-conference performer in 2025 and a two-time MHSAA all-region performer (2024 & 2025). He was also a six-time LVC Scholar Athlete and a three-time MHSAA Academic all-state honoree. He holds personal-bests of 16:00 for 5,000m in cross country, 9:42 for 3,200m and 4:25 for 1,600m.
Personal: Matthew is the son of Joe and Renee. At Michigan Tech, he plans to earn a degree in mechanical engineering.
