Chris Solinsky
Stevens Point Area High School
Impact Statement
“Not just going through the motions, but if you’re going to do it, it’s worth doing it with everything you’ve got.”
-Chris Solinsky
Biography
“Not many athletes are able to win three state titles in a grueling sport like cross country,” said NHSCA executive director Bob Ferraro. “Chris Solinsky has demonstrated that an ongoing work ethic and continued passion can bring about the greatest of results. We are proud to honor Chris as the NHSCA Senior Cross Country Athlete of the Year.”
Solinsky was the class of Wisconsin distance racing for the past three years, winning multiple state championships in distance events on the track, and the Division I cross country title in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. After a third-place finish at the 2001 Foot Locker National Championships, where he was just 2.5 seconds from winning the coveted crown, Solinsky returned to the Foot Lockers and won the national title by a record-tying 20 seconds.
After being courted by many of the nation’s top Division I men’s running programs, Solinsky decided to stay at home and run in the Big Ten for the University of Wisconsin.
While at Wisconsin, the Badgers were undefeated in the Big Ten and swept the cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field titles from 2003 until 2007.
In 2009 Solinsky qualified for the 2009 World Championships and finished in 12th place overall. In 2010, he set an American record with a time of 26:59.60 in the 10,000 meter. Solinsky retired in 2016 after a series of injuries that hampered his running.
Solinsky is currently the assistant Cross Country coach at the University of Florida. In his second year the Gators took second at the SEC Championships and qualified four to the NCAA’s. This was their highest SEC finish in six years.
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