Missouri cross country and track and field transfer Rahel Broemmel impressing many in first year

Since transferring from Arkansas State University, sophomore Rahel Broemmel has impressed many with her consistently strong long-distance performances for Missouri’s cross country team.

Since making the decision to transfer, Broemmel has seen much running success and is starting to settle into Columbia’s culture.

Broemmel spoke about her move to the University of Missouri from a smaller school.

“So far, I can say that I am extremely happy with my decision to transfer to Mizzou,” Broemmel said. “It was definitely scary to transfer, but I am glad it paid off. It is a great experience to be able to run for a bigger school and I feel very much appreciated here.”

However, it’s not just her move from a smaller school to a bigger school that Broemmel had to face; it’s the move from Germany to the United States that really holds weight for Broemmel.

“It took me a little to feel comfortable with speaking English, but it has gotten better over time,” Broemmel said. “I still miss home, especially my family, but it helps to have amazing teammates/friends around here who make me feel like home.”

But to truly understand Broemmel’s story, we have to go back to her days at Arkansas State. It was there where Broemmel first started to turn heads after finishing seventh in the 2023 Chile Pepper Festival with a 17:04.0 five-kilometer race time. About a month later, Broemmel was selected as a First Team All-Sun Belt performer thanks to her placing fourth with a time of 17:06.7 at the conference championship.

Broemmel finished off her season by placing fifth in the NCAA South Central Regional Championship, running a season-best 20:20.7 in the six-kilometer race. Thanks to this performance, Broemmel made it all the way to the NCAA Championship as a freshman.

Broemmel didn’t stop there, also standing out on the track and field team that same season. During the indoor track season, Broemmel finished fifth in the mile race at the Vanderbilt Invitational. She was also named the Sun Belt Conference champion in the distance medley relay, runner-up in the mile and placed fourth in the 3,000-meter. These efforts helped to earn her First Team All-Sun Belt honors.

In just one season with the Arkansas State Red Wolves, Broemmel broke two school records and was part of a distance medley team that broke a school record. This contributed to Broemmel’s Sun Belt Conference Indoor Freshman of the Year title.

She didn’t slow down when the outdoor season came along either, continuing her tear by running a career-best 2:10.39 in the 800-meter at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Broemmel then went on to score 15 points at the Sun Belt Conference Championship, earning bronze in both the 1500-meter and 5000-meter while placing sixth in the 800. This resulted in her earning Third Team All-SBC performer honors.

Broemmel then decided to take her talents to Columbia and to run for head coach Brett Halter and the Missouri Tigers’ cross country team. Since making the move, Broemmel has continued to amaze many, as she has led the women’s team in all six of their meets. This includes coming right out of the gate and winning her very first event with the team, the Mizzou XC Opener, with a 17:34.8 five-kilometer time.

“It means a lot to me to be so consistent over this cross country season,” Broemmel said. “I try to enjoy it as much as possible because running always has its ups and downs. I am proud if my teammates feel motivated by that.”

Broemmel has continued her impressive performance streak into the indoor track and field season.

“I am a dreamer and I have big goals, but for now, I just go step by step and look forward to what the indoor season will bring,” Broemmel said. Her highlights have consisted of three big performances.

She’s already placed first in the women’s 1000-meter with a personal record time of 2:46.93 at the Alexis Jarrett Invitational. She then finished third in the women’s mile with a time of 4:46.51 at the Bob Teel Invitational. Finally, she finished second with a personal record time of 9:20.25 in the women’s 3000-meter, putting herself at No. 6 in program history at the Dr. Rick McGuire Invitational.

Edited by Michael Stamps | [email protected]

Copy edited by Ethan Palgon and Emma Short | [email protected]

Edited by Annie Goodykoontz | [email protected]