Annemarie Moore is ready to run indoors and outdoors for Trine University

HILLSDALE — Hillsdale 2024 graduate Annemarie Moore is headed to Trine University to compete as a Thunder athlete during the women’s indoor and outdoor track and field seasons.

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The former State Hornet is following a similar academic path to her older siblings, Maddie and Peter. Maddie Moore attended Hope College for track and field and Peter runs for Olivet College. Moore has an older brother, Anders Moore, who graduated from Michigan State and is a second lieutenant in the Army. Annemarie Moore chose to pursue a degree at Trine University’s College of Business in addition to her athletic pursuits.

“She just felt like it was the perfect place for her, and they recruited Maddie when she was in her shoes four years ago,” said Annemarie’s parents, Richard and Micha Moore. “We were like, ‘Wow, because we’d never been there. It was a nice campus, and it’s only gotten better over the last four years. She’s going to major in business, and they have a great business school. They’ve put a lot of money into this program, and she’s going to have a lot of different opportunities.”

Moore visited several schools during her recruiting journey, but Trine felt like the right college the moment she stepped foot on campus.

“From the moment I first visited Trine and the campus, I felt like it was the right fit,” Moore said. “The coaches were incredible. The student-athletes I met were all spectacular.”

The former student body president, class president, national honor society member and LCAA scholarship athlete plans to use her degree to follow her family’s career path in the insurance field. Moore participated in the Hillsdale Polar Bear track and field club, which gave her valuable experience in indoor track and field.

“We’re excited for her and what this is going to bring her,” the Moores said. “We’re just excited to be in this position to send another student off to college after a great education here at Hillsdale Community Schools.”

Hillsdale track and field coach Clay Schiman says finding the right academic environment that matches athletic interest is one of the important things they teach Hillsdale High School student-athletes.

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“We always tell our kids to make sure it’s a place where they’re going to fit in academically,” Schiman said. “Moore felt Trine was the right place and we’re really, really happy for her.”

Schiman coached each Moore sibling during their Hornets careers, ultimately leading them to make the decision to pursue their athletic careers at the next level.

“They were top athletes. They were kids who embraced the hard work it took to be good and also shared their passion with others, which is really valuable and important (to our program).”

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A 4-year commitment to Hornet athletics

Since her freshman year, Annemarie Moore has played four years for the volleyball team and ran four years for the Hillsdale High School track team. Moore’s time on the volleyball team, which earned her second-place All-Region Dream Team honors and honorable mention honors in the LCAA conference her senior year, helped her learn a leadership role that could apply to the Hillsdale girls track team.

“I could see my leadership skills develop further through volleyball,” Moore said.

On the track, Moore competed against several athletes who had a big impact on her career, including former Hornet Riley Dietz, whose younger sister Amelia Dietz graduated with Moore this year. Moore praised Dietz for her leadership that helped influence her own leadership role on the track during her junior and senior years.

That leadership helped the Hillsdale girls varsity track and field team win a regional championship on their home track during the 2023 spring sports season. That rainy day was one of Annemarie and her parents’ favorite moments of her athletic career. It was just one of many memorable moments from Moore’s junior season.

Moore, part of a team of runners that included Kia Charboneau, Amelia Dietz and Mia Hinz, set new LCAA records in the 4×100 and 4×200. The teams earned state honors in both events at the MHSAA state finals, with a time of 50.44 in the 4×100, good for second overall in that event. They again took second in the 4×200, with a final time of 1:47.58. In both events, they battled the eventual winners to the finish.

Senior Season

Moore started running the 400 as a freshman, but she quickly became a fan of short-distance running, events she would pursue for the Trine Thunder track and field team.

“Personally, my favorite is the 100,” Moore said. “I think it’s short and simple.”

Moore ran the 200, 100 and 400 meters her senior season. Moore won two 100-meter events. She won four gold medals in the 200 meters. She also finished in the top four, in a personal best time of 27.37, at the regional finals and took fourth at the MITCA state team meet. The senior had finished in the top five in all of her senior 200-meter events.

In the 400 meters, Moore only competed in one event before the regional final. In that final, she set a personal best of 1:01.90 to finish third overall and individually qualify for the national final. She finished 21st in the final, with a final time of 1:02.51.

That wasn’t the only event Moore qualified for. Along with senior Amelia Dietz, Moore led the 4×100 team of Jayce Graham and Megan Kast to a conference title, a regional title, a region MVP title and a 10th-place finish at this year’s national finals. The team also placed third at the MITCA national team meet.

Moore has been a part of seven state-qualified relay teams for the Hornets during his career and has reached the finals every year of his career. That included the 11th-ranked 4×100 team in 2022, the 11th-ranked 4×200 team in 2022, the ninth-ranked 4×200 team in 2021 and the 16th-ranked 4×400 team in 2021.

She helped the Hornets’ varsity women’s track and field team finish third at regionals this year.

Moore credited her siblings for helping guide and push her throughout her journey as a Hornet athlete and student.

“Thank you for being my guides in life,” Moore said. “They’ve always helped me. They taught me what kind of leader I needed to be and the person I wanted to be in my life. I owe them a lot.”

Moore says her parents continue to support her as she now embarks on a journey to the next level of competition.

“They’ve always been very supportive,” Moore said. “They’re always there for me, even with the little things. I don’t think they really know how much I appreciate their education and guidance. They educated me and raised me in a loving home.”

Moore thanked Coach Schiman, her teammates and fellow seniors for their support throughout her athletic career at Hillsdale College. Moore isn’t the only Hornet heading to Trine this season, as fellow graduate Nolan Grant will join the Thunder men’s track and field team.