Leader of the Pack: St. Joseph’s Michelle Daigle named Gatorade Cross-Country Runner of the Year in Louisiana
by: William Weathers // GeauxPreps.com Contributor
St. Joseph Academy’s Michelle Daigle identified her primary goal before the start of her senior season.
As the main cog in the Redstickers’ Division I cross-country power, Daigle remained true to her objective when she became the first runner in state history with three sub-17-minute finishes and helped her to a fourth straight state championship – the ninth in program history.
Daigle was rewarded for both her impressive body of work and consistency, earning the 2024 Gatorade Louisiana Cross Country Runner of the Year.
“I’m super excited,” said Daigle, an LSU signee. “That’s been a goal. I started out with (Baton Rouge Advocate’s) Star of Stars and I accomplished that last year. This year I wanted to be the best. We’ve had a lot of good girls during my four years, so it’s always very competitive. We’ve had multiple runners on our team of that caliber at once, it’s really exciting to get to do that your senior year.”
Daigle joins former SJA standout Lauren Hendry (2017) as a recipient of the Gatorade award which also combines academic achievement and service. Daigle is now a candidate for the national award that Gatorade provides.
“Coach Houston Franks of LSU told me what impressed him the most was her consistency,” SJA coach Mark LaHaye said of Daigle. “In four three-mile races, Michelle posted times of 16 minutes, 59.4 seconds, 17:03.4, 16:57.7, and 16:56.6. These are the four fastest times among all runners statewide this season.”
Daigle won five of her eight races this fall and did so in record-setting fashion.
She established three of the state’s top career marks en route to breaking meets records at the LHSAA Region 2, Division I meet (No. 1 all-time 16:56.61), East Baton Rouge Metro Championship (No. 2 all-time 16:57.70), SJA Invitational (No. 3 all-time 16:59.35) and the Catholic High/Pete Boudreaux Invitational (No. 4 all-time 17:03.40).
“I was in peak shape,” Daigle said of her stretch of posting three straight times under 17 minutes. “Getting out there and being competitive, I just got it through my mind that I wanted to be the best out there. I carried that with me and kind of decided that it’s my senior year, it was my time, and every week trying to get better even it’s by a second. That was exciting to do that.”
Daigle had to deal with the highs and lows intertwined with her final appearance at the state championships in Natchitoches in November.
While she enjoyed the euphoria of a fourth straight team state title, outdistancing Mt. Carmel 54 to 99, Daigle had to deal with the disappointment of an individual state runner-up finish against a runner she said she previously defeated five times by over a minute during the season.
Daigle’s time ranked third best in Division I history and seventh best on the state’s composite list.
“It wasn’t one of my best,” said Daigle, whose 17:44.5 clocking trailed Baton Rouge High’s Lucy Thomas’ time of 17:25.6. “I definitely think I could have done better. I’m definitely disappointed in myself, but to be able to make that my fourth state championship and some of the girls in our top seven never experienced something like that. It was very bittersweet. Seeing them get to experience that was definitely worth that and overall, I’m pretty happy with my season. Nothing you can do about a bad race.”
Daigle put that angst to good use in her first indoor meet of the high school season nearly two weeks ago with wins in the 800 and 3200 meters. Both times were ahead of her PRs of a year ago and provided building blocks for a successful indoor season.
“If anything, I use it as motivation,” she said. “I just get angry thinking about it. If anything, it just pushes me, and track is more my thing. I try and focus more on middle distance in track. I still carry it with me and use it as motivation every day.”
Daigle, a four-time LTFCA and LHSAA All-State selection has enjoyed a cross-country career that’s been highlighted by four state and metro team championships. The two-time team captain (2021, ’24), has won the Baton Rouge Advocate’s All-Metro Runner of the Year twice and is a candidate to repeat as this year’s Star of Stars for cross country.
She’s also received National High School Track & Field and Cross Country Athletic Association’s All-American certificates in both the 3K (16:56.60) and 5K (18:23.86).
“Michelle was without any doubt the top cross country runner in the state of Louisiana this past season,” LaHaye said. “She is the only Louisiana runner to run a sub-17-minute, three-mile time and she did that three times this season. She is actually the first Louisiana runner to break the 17:00 barrier since Malia Cali (of St. Thomas Aquinas) did it in 2008.”
Running some of her memorable times at her home course, Highland Road Park, was especially gratifying, she said.
“It was real exciting to go out on that course,” Daigle said. “I train there every year from June to November. Running on that course is like second nature. Getting to go and finish it off was really exciting and to break that record countless times was definitely a big moment for me in my high school career.”
Since the midway point of her freshman season, Daigle’s placed no lower than 27th in 30 career races, compiling seven first places, and four runners-up, and was in third place on four occasions.
Her finishes at the state meet include seventh, third, fifth, and second, respectively.
The next level of Daigle’s career will take place in her hometown after selecting the Tigers after making official visits to South Carolina and Ole Miss.
With her older brother Thomas Daigle, who ran at LSU and provided insight into the program under coach Houston Franks, Michelle Daigle liked the direction of the Lady Tigers’ program.
“When I went on a visit, I felt that was where I should end up and I look forward to next year,” she said. “I’m real excited to get there. I’m not at my full potential yet and he’s (Franks) good at getting you there. I’m looking forward to that.”
Featured Image Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Academy