West Chester Rustin’s Ellie Keefer repeats as DLN Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year

Westtown >> West Chester Rustin senior Ellie Keefer, the 2022 Daily Local News Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year, is not one to rest on her laurels.
Keefer, who was also the 2021 Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year, followed it up with a fine track season last spring, finishing 12th in the 3200 meter run (10:52.63) at the PIAA 3A championships last spring, and placing third at Districts in the 3200 and fifth in the 1600.
“She had a great track season last spring, but I think it left her a little unfulfilled,” said Rustin girls cross country coach Andrew White. “Rather than let it frustrate her, she just committed to doing what it took to get better. She’d run our morning practices, go to (Rustin) soccer practice in the afternoon, and she’d still find time to run on her own when she needed to.
“Her work ethic is second to none. A lot of times it seems like her success is coming out of nowhere, but people don’t see the hours and miles she’s logging before school or after soccer.”
Rustin boys cross country coach David Smith said, “Ending her track season last spring as one of the top 10 or 15 distance runners in the state wasn’t enough for Ellie, so she dedicated herself to getting even better. She put in the work for multiple hours each day, seven days a week, starting early in the summer and throughout the fall to rework her form, improve her mobility, extend her stride length, and increase both her efficiency and her mileage. She did all this while balancing a full time soccer schedule, school, work, family, friends, as well as a college search.”
Keefer’s exemplary work ethic paid off, as she sparkled in the cross country postseason this past fall, finishing third at the District 1 3A championships with a PR 17:44, then running her best race of the season at states to place fourth.
“I think my best meet of the season was the state championship,” said Keefer. “I went in knowing that I should hang with the top pack, and I feel like I raced the really tough course at Hershey well and pushed through the hills. It was an unusually hot day for early November, so I had to play it smart and not push too hard too early. I felt like I did a good job of sticking to the plan and I was happy with my result.”
Keefer, who also plays soccer for Rustin in the fall, felt the key to her performance at the PIAA 3A championships was the training she went through, starting in June.
“This past summer and fall, I spent a lot of time getting in high mileage and lots of hills,” said Keefer. “During the high school soccer season, I would run in the mornings or get hard workouts in after school when I could.”
When she crossed the finish line at states, she felt rewarded for all of her months of strenuous training.
“Coming down the home stretch and crossing the finish line just within reach of the third place runner and having my proud parents and Coach Smith at the finish line to celebrate with me was my strongest memory of the race,” said Keefer.

The Rustin senior also had a memorable race at districts, placing third with a PR 17:44 that broke her own school record time from the Paul Short Invitational a month earlier.
“Racing down the last half mile of the course to the finish line with a pack of four girls and being within six seconds of the first place finisher was my favorite memory of the District 1 meet,” said Keefer. “I remember crossing the finish line and seeing my time of 17:44 and being so happy.”
This past fall, Keefer also played varsity soccer for the Golden Knights, helping the team win the Ches-Mont American title and receiving first team All-Ches-Mont soccer honors.
Keefer, who has been a member of the Rustin varsity girls soccer team since her freshman year, said her favorite memory of the season was the Golden Knights’ 1-0 win against Downingtown West.
“I played a through ball to Sarah (Johnston) on the wing and she crossed it and Jordyn (Krafchick) finished it. It was 0-0 up until that point with not much time left in the second half, and Sarah ran up to me and tackled me down to the ground because we were so excited.
“Soccer has definitely made me a tough runner when getting out at the start, and playing most minutes of every game has helped me to build endurance to hang tough all the way through the end of a race. I am very lucky to have supportive coaches at Rustin that have allowed me to compete in both high school soccer and cross country during the fall season over the past two years.”
During the fall soccer season, on her own, Keefer would do the weekly workouts that her coach posted.
“I would get running workouts in before or after school depending on the day, and on the weekends,” said Keefer. “In addition, I work on strength training twice a week at Powertrain. Most recently I have been working on my kick at the end of a race.”
Keefer said her favorite local running venue is at West Chester Rustin.
“It has a big campus with some pretty surrounding trails, lots of places to run, and great hills for training,” said Keefer.

“Ellie is upbeat and positive and always looking to get better,” said White. “She’ll ask questions about the courses or tactics, which in some ways almost don’t matter because she’s going to put herself at the front of every race regardless of who is in it. She believes in what she’s doing and what we’re doing as a team. She trusts her training, the teammates around her, and the coaching that Dave Smith and I give her.”
Smith added, “Ellie never makes excuses, never lets herself off the hook, and is committed to excellence. Yet throughout her amazing high school career, she has remained humble, modest, and true to herself, her teammates, her friends, and her family. In all this she demonstrates what I believe may be her greatest strength of all, and that is simply, a love and passion for running.”
Keefer, who is a member of the Rustin chapters of the National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society, attends the hospital-based Allied Health program through the Technical College High School in addition to her regular classes at Rustin.
“I am really enjoying the experiences that I have been having shadowing the nurses in different departments of the Chester County Hospital,” said Keefer, who will be studying Nursing and running cross country and track at Monmouth University come next fall.
White said, “I’m really excited to see her on the track over the next few months and then her transition to Monmouth. With her aerobic ability, her work ethic, and her mindset, she’s just going to keep getting better.”

Fun facts – Ellie Keefer

Favorite TV show: America’s Funniest Home Videos.

Favorite movie: Talladega Nights.

Favorite quote: “If you ain’t first you’re last.”

Favorite athlete: Christian Pulisic.

Favorite team: US Women’s National soccer team.

Favorite place to visit: Wildwood Crest, N.J.

Favorite pre-race meal: Bagel with cream cheese and fruit.

Person I most admire, and why: “My parents because they work hard and are very supportive of me.”

Family members: Parents Steve and Dana, sister Jama, brother Brett, and dog Charlotte.