Senior Spotlight: Amanda Montplaisir

The coaches of the NSIC voted a Minnesota State cross country star Outstanding Senior of the Year.

Amanda Montplaisir grew up in Buffalo, Minnesota. Her first experience with running was in physical education in school. Montplaisir first learned of cross country in middle school, and from there she excelled and fell in love with the sport. 

When the time came to choose a college, head coach Jen Blue reached out to her about attending MSU, and Montplaisir committed to becoming a Maverick.

Since her freshman year, she received All NSIC Performer 14 times, was named to the All-Region Cross-Country team in 2021 and raced in thirteen events, six of them in the top ten or higher. 

This year she adds another item to her mantle, being named the NSIC Women’s Cross Country Outstanding Senior of the Year. Conference coaches vote for the senior who exemplifies the attributes of a model NSIC student athlete

“It’s just an honor to be chosen out of the people who were in that pool for selection. There are a lot of outstanding people in our conference and to have all the coaches and members see that in me is super cool,” said Montplaisir.

In the classroom, she has made the Dean’s List every semester and is currently looking to earn her master’s degree in exercise physiology. 

Montplaisir is also active in the community and engagement on campus. Participating in events like the Backpack Food Program, The MNSU Campus Cupboard, and the Mankato Marathon.

“It definitely is a lot, but over the years I have learned the balance of how to do it and also what’s too much and fulfilling the commitments I have made,” said Montplaisir

Montplaisir is now navigating her final year at MSU, and she is very happy looking back on her time here. Even if her running days are coming to an end, she is excited about what the future holds.

“After this year, I will be hopefully graduating with my master’s and looking to get an internship in dietetics. My goal is to be a licensed dietitian and work as a sports dietitian. Last year I did think it was my last time competing but decided to come back and do grad school and utilize my final year of eligibility. Right now, I am just having fun and enjoying it while I still can,” said Montplaisir.

Header Photo: Amanda Montplaisir (center) received All NSIC Perfomer 14 times since her freshman year. (Mansoor Ahmad/MSU Athletics)

Write to Charlie Groebner at Charles.Groebner@mnsu.edu