EDWARDSVILLE - Maya Lueking, an Edwardsville girls cross country senior, has been a consistent performer throughout the 2023 season. She was recently part of a group of Edwardsville runners who placed in the top 10 in the conference with a time of 18:52.91 in East St. Louis.
She finished second in the women's race at the 27th annual Mud Mountain race this summer, the annual fund-raiser for the EHS cross country and track teams, as well as the teams at both Lincoln and Liberty Middle Schools at SIU-Edwardsville's famed Mud Mountain cross country course. She posted a time of 20:30.1 for the 5,000 meter race.
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The Tigers' Lueking started the season off in style with a 12th-place finish at the Pete Robinson/Harry Lang Granite City Invitational Meet in Wilson Park, with a time of 18:58.8.
For her efforts this season and over the summer, Lueking is a Johnston's Law Office Female Athlete of the Month.
In her post-race interview after the Mud Mountain event, she said she was feeling really good about the time ahead.
"During the summer, I attended Team Prep, a camp in (Mt. Crested Butte) Colorado. so it was some high-altitude training and I think that really helped, just like, mentally and it just really helped my training this summer."
Lueking has been one of the Tigers' most successful runners over the years and she's looking ahead for her final go-round with Edwardsville.
As far as goals for herself and the Tigers, Lueking has some ambitious ones set for this season.
"I'm really hoping we can just improve as a team," Lueking said then, "and hopefully make it back to state again."
Again, congratulations to Maya on her selection as a Johnston Law Firm Female Athlete of the Month for the Tigers.
