Ashlyn Koupal attended the Class A State Track and Field Meet on May 23rd through 25th in Sioux Falls at the Howard Wood Field. This was her fourth time attending the state track meet to compete in the high jump event. At the Class A State Track and Field Meet, Ashlyn claimed her fourth straight high jump title. Ashlyn is the daughter of Mike and Tera Koupal. She is the granddaughter of Dwayne and Rosie Koupal; Max and Sandy Ellefson; Duane and Bonnie Wince; and Lynette Ellefson. Ashlyn is currently a junior at Wagner Community School.

As a 13-year-old seventh grader at WCS, Ashlyn qualified for her first state track meet. She completed a jump at 5’4 to win her first high jump state title with her personal best record at the time. As an eighth grader, Ashlyn then went on to compete winning her second straight high jump title with a jump of 5’7. Her freshman year she won a third title with a high jump of 5’6, and most recently this year, her sophomore year, winning her fourth title with a jump of 5’4.

As of the end of this track and field season, Ashlyn has yet to take hold of the WCS record in high jump. Mandy Koupal, Ashlyn’s aunt, is the current WCS high jump record holder with a jump of 5’8. Breaking that record is one of Ashlyn’s goals for the 2025 track and field season. Other goals for Ashlyn’s 2025 track season include winning the Howard Wood Dakota Relays and winning a fifth state title.

With four state track and field titles comes four Wheaties boxes featuring high jump state champion, Ashlyn. When asked how being featured on the boxes happens, Ashlyn said that she was contacted by the company. “It is something that Buche’s does for the kids who win state titles. I think it is a great thing that Buche’s does to celebrate local athletes,” said Ashlyn.

Even as a junior Ashlyn has already received some notice from a couple of universities in regard to continuing her track and field career after high school. Both the University of Minnesota and Princeton University have reached out to Ashlyn or sent a letter to her.

When Ashlyn began doing track in seventh grade, she did not begin as a high jumper. She actually started out doing pole vault, but found out that it was just not her event and was looking to try something new. About halfway through her seventh-grade track and field season, she watched Abby Brunsing high jumping and thought it might be something that she would enjoy doing. She simply went over to the high jump pit and asked Head Coach Patrick Belling if she could try it. Ashlyn tried high jump and the rest is history. The first day she practiced with the high jumpers. From that day forward she was a high jumper and started competing at middle school meets, eventually high school meets and finally the state track meet that year.

Coach Belling has been the main person to help her with the high jump event. He provides her with quality instruction on what she needs to work on or how she needs to change her form. Ashlyn appreciates his willingness to always be available to help her and offer her analytical advice on exactly what Ashlyn needs to do in order to be more successful at the event. A person who has really inspired her as well as helped her with her high jump career is Ashlyn’s aunt, Mandy Koupal. Especially when Mandy was teaching and coaching at WCS, she was always willing to give Ashlyn input when Coach Belling was gone. Mandy was always willing to help Ashlyn and give her tips on how to be successful in her jumps.

When asked what she enjoys about high jump, Ashlyn said it is being able to work with her coach and teammates every day. Coach Belling is always pushing her and has the best advice on what to do if Ashlyn is struggling with a jump. She really enjoys being able to work with teammates, Shona Kocer and Kya Kjeldgaard in order for them all to refine their skills and improve together.

Ashlyn will sometimes run in medley relays, but her main focus in the high jump event. Her favorite part of the track meet is playing spike ball at every meet and seeing how much Coach Belling’s dislike for the game grows with every track meet. Spikeball is a game played with two teams of various numbers of players. The game includes playing on a small round trampoline-like net on the ground, and is a combination of volleyball and four-square rules. Ashlyn’s favorite track memory thus far in her career would be in 2023 at the state track meet playing spike ball with Shalayne Nagel, Jaelyn Huntimer and Issie Stefensen and beating the opposing boys’ team.

Ashlyn would like to thank her teammates, coaches and fans for all of their support during the past track and field season. The last thing that she would like to say is that she is very grateful for all of the abilities that God has given her to do the things that she loves while performing for Him.

Congratulations Ashlyn on another phenomenal track season.