June 15, 2021
As Lukas Lindgren, then a ninth grader, walked through the fieldhouse at St. Olaf College after his first ever appearance at the MSHSL state cross country meet, he got an important lesson in mentorship. “As we were entering the facility, I told two upperclassmen that I had just gotten a big personal record, and they told me that I was going to be a great runner someday,” he recalls. “Now I walk through that same facility on my way to practice every day and I often think about what they said.” Maybe it was chance, maybe it was meant to be, but four years after that prophetic day, Lindgren became a proud member of the track and field and cross country teams for St. Olaf College.
Before Lindgren headed to Northfield to run for the Oles, he enjoyed an impressive career at Mounds Park Academy. A member of the Panthers’ track and field and cross country teams, he was a four time IMAC all-conference honoree, a two time IMAC all-conference honorable mention honoree, 2015 all-state cross country runner, three time state qualifier and a multiple time team captain and most valuable runner. Lindgren also appears on the MPA track and field top ten list in eight different events, from the 1600m and the 800m to the long jump and triple jump relays. He is tied for seventh place on MPA’s all-time fastest cross country 5K list, with a personal best of 16:47.
As curious as he was talented, Lindgren sought to immerse himself in everything that MPA had to offer. Apart from his standout career in track and field and cross country, Lindgren also played varsity basketball, participated in Nordic skiing, quiz bowl and speech, and even started an organization, Food for Thought Charity, to assist senior citizens in his neighborhood.
Lindgren is the kind of athlete that combines exceptional talent with outstanding character. Taking to heart the important lesson he learned in mentorship as a ninth grader at the state meet, Lindgren was motivated to become a mentor himself. He made extra effort during his time at MPA to connect with younger teammates and ensure that they carried on the proud legacy of MPA athletics. As a testament to his character and success in athletics and beyond, Lindgren earned the rare honor of receiving two awards at the 2017 Upper School Awards Ceremony, the Act with Respect and Integrity Award and Spirit of ’86 Award.
Now an Ole, Lindgren remembers fondly his time on MPA’s campus. “MPA prepared me for college athletics by teaching me how every member of a team can contribute to a common goal,” he says. “In high school I ran with a lot of middle schoolers who inspired me, even though they weren’t the fastest members of the team. Now I’m running with a lot of guys who might not necessarily score in a meet, but their effort is inspiring nonetheless.”
Lindgren enjoyed continued success in his first year competing for St. Olaf College. In cross country, he qualified for the MIAC championships, and helped the Oles to a runner up finish in the conference. In track and field, Lindgren has taken advantage of his 6’3 frame and adopted the 3000m steeplechase as his preferred event. He qualified for the MIAC championships in that event, placing 16th, and 3rd among freshmen.
As a sophomore, Lindgren ran varsity cross country for the Oles, finishing as high as 31st in a meet (the St. Olaf Invitational, where he helped lead the 18th ranked Oles team to a third place finish). He also recorded a personal best in the 8K with a 26:50.6. On the track, Lindgren recorded a handful of top five finishes including a fifth place finish in the mile at the Hamster Invitational with a new lifetime best of 4:38.47 and third place finish in the 5000m at Meet of the Saints with a lifetime best of 16:29.11. He was also one of 13 Oles men’s track and field athletes to earn academic all-MIAC for the spring semester.
As a junior, he earned another MIAC academic all-conference award and placed 82nd at the MIAC championships, helping St. Olaf to a third place finish. His junior track and field season and senior cross country seasons were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but as a senior on the track, he won the steeplechase at the St. Olaf Ole Open and placed fifth in the MIAC championships, breaking 10 minutes for the first time with a lifetime best performance of 9:50.46.
Lindgren graduated from St. Olaf with a degree in religion and religious studies in May 2021.
