Jenny Ryan was named the Cross Country Head Coach in the Fall of 2007.
She also had been the Track and Field Head Coach since 2014-15 and spent 11 seasons as Nordic skiing assistant. To view Coach Ryan's Track & Field bio, click
here.Â
Ryan coached the 'Cats to a 7th place finish at the GLIAC Championships in 2024, with Gianna Hoving earning All-GLIAC First Team honors after a 10th place finish. For the 15th consecutive year under Ryan's leadership, NMU recorded a top-15 finish at regionals, finishing in 11th. Hoving earned All-Region accolades following an 18th place finish. In the classroom, NMU was named a USTFCCCA All-Academic Team. Hoving, Lamar Gordon, Skylar Grubb, and Dani Van Lente were also recognized individually.Â
In 2023, the Wildcats earned a 4th place finish at the GLIAC Championships and a 12th place finish at regionals. At GLIAC's, Madi Szymanski finished in 8th for First Team All-GLIAC and Ava Maginity placed 19th to earn Second Team honors. Szymanski earned an at-large selection to the NCAA Championships where she took 65th place in a field of more than 260 runners. The team also got in done in the classroom and was recognized as a USTFCCCA All-Academic Team. In addition, Szymanski, Skylar Grubb, and Gianna Hoving earned individual academic achievement.Â
Coach Ryan led the XC Wildcats to a sixth-place finish at the 2022 GLIAC Cross Country Championships and a 13th-place finish of 32 teams at the 2022 D2 Regional Championships, marking the 13th straight season the Wildcats placed in the top-15 at regionals. Under Ryan, Madi Szymanski earned Second Team All-GLIAC honors for her finish at the GLIAC Championships. The team excelled in the classroom with eight earning spots on the 2022-23 GLIAC All-Academic Team, three student-athletes named All-Academic Athletes for the 2022 NCAA Division II Cross Country season, and five members of the track & field/cross country teams named to the 2022-23 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic District Team.
In 2021, NMU was back after a year off due to COVID-19, and the team took 5th place at the GLIAC Championships. Madison Malon was named All-GLIAC First Team and Elise Longley was selected to the All-GLIAC Second Team. The Wildcats finished 12th at Regionals and 3 were named NCAA All-Academic.Â
In 2019, Northern finished 5th in the GLIAC. Katelyn Smith earned All-GLIAC First Team and All-Region, while Hanna Torvi and Madison Malon were named Second Team All-GLIAC. NMU finished in 11th place team at Regional's and 4 were selected as NCAA All-Academic athletes.Â
NMU finished 5th in the GLIAC and 11th in the Region in 2018. Sophie McDonald was Second Team All-GLIAC and 3 were named NCAA All-Academic athletes.Â
More success came in 2017, as the Wildcats qualified for the NCAA Championships and finished in 13th place in the country. NMU claimed 2nd place in the GLIAC and 4th at the NCAA Regional. Kameron Burmeister was All-GLIAC First Team, All-Region, and a GLIAC Athlete of the Week. Katelyn Smith was also named All-GLIAC First Team, All-Region, and a GLIAC Athlete of the Week. Vivian Hett was named Second Team All-GLIAC,  All-Region, and a GLIAC Athlete of the Week.  Sophie McDonald and Abby Fifarek were named All-GLIAC Second Team. Seven student-athletes earned NCAA All-Academic.
In 2016, the team climbed to a top-10 national ranking and took 14th place at the NCAA Championships. NMU finished second in the GLIAC and 4th in the Region. Kameron Burmeister was named an All-American, All-GLIAC First Team, All-Region, and a GLIAC Athlete of the Week. Sophie McDonald was named a USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week to go along with All-Region honors and All-GLIAC Second Team recognition. Caroline Brisbois also earned First Team All-GLIAC while Abby Fifarek and  Vivian Hett saw Second Team All-GLIAC. Seven student-athletes earned NCAA All-Academic.
NMU continued to show dominance in 2015. The team ranked 9th in Country and finished in 9th place at the NCAA Championships. NMU finished 3rd at the GLIAC's and 4th at the Regional's. Kameron Burmeister claimed All-GLIAC First Team, All-Region, and a GLIAC Athlete of the Week. Sophie McDonald, Megan Edic, Vivian Hett, and Caroline Brisbois were all named Second Team All-GLIAC. Sarah Goble claimed a GLIAC Athlete of the Week. Five earned recognition on the NCAA All-Academic team.Â
The Green and Gold climbed to a #10 national-ranking in 2014. The team took 4th at the GLIAC's and 6th at the Regional's. Kameron Burmeister was named GLIAC First Team, All-Region, and GLIAC Athlete of the Week, Megan Edic earned Second Team All-GLIAC and All-Region. The Wildcats had seven student-athletes named individual NCAA All-Academic (led the nation with 2 other programs with most athletes named).Â
In 2013, NMU would take 5th place at both the GLIAC Championships and in the Region. Multiple 'Cats claimed hardware, with Mary Kate Cirelli earning All-Region and Jaylee Brown winning the NCAA National Sportsmanship award.Â
In 2012, The Wildcats would finish 4th at the GLIAC Championships and claim 8th place in the Region. Mallory Celaya earned GLIAC Athlete of the Week recognition.Â
Ryan coached Larissa Halonen in the 2011 season, as she claimed All-Region honors that season while leading the 'Cats.Â
In her first season in 2007, the Wildcats finished 5th at the GLIAC's and 5th at Regionals. Northern finished 8th (GLIAC's) and 16th (Regional's) in 2008, 7th (GLIAC's) and 13th (Regional's) in 2009, and 10th (GLIAC's) and 15th (Regional's) in 2010.Â
Before moving into the head coach role, Ryan was a Graduate Assistant from 2000-02 and a full-time Assistant from 2002-07 prior to being selected to lead the program. As an assistant in 2003, Ryan was apart of the staff to restart the women's track & field program. While an assistant, the team qualified for the NCAA D2 National Championships 6 years in a row. From 2000 to 2004, the team finished eighth, sixth, fourth, seventh, seventh and sixteenth, respectively in the country. The 'Cats produced 10 NCAA All-Americans, won two GLIAC Championships, and a Great Lakes Regional Championship.
