Donna Ricks leads by example.
In the early days of her illustrious coaching career, Ricks competed in and even won various heptathlons while coaching at institutions like Dodge City (Kan.) CC and Northwest Missouri State. As an All-American athlete during her collegiate days at Minnesota State, Mankato, Rick’s passion for athletics – and the thrill of competition – never waned.
After several years at both Dodge City CC and Northwest Missouri State, Ricks returned to her alma mater in 1987 as a coach and wasted no time making an impact. Ricks guided the Maverick women’s cross country team to team titles in both the North Central Conference (NCC) and the Central Region, and then achieved the program’s best-ever finish at NCAA DII Cross Country Championships where they placed third.
In 1993, Ricks moved to Northfield, some 60 miles northeast of Mankato, to become the head coach of women’s cross country and track & field at Carleton College.
Over the years, she transformed the Knights’ cross country program into a perennial contender at both the conference and regional levels. Under her guidance, Carleton has won 11 MIAC crowns, six regional titles, and made 16 appearances at the NCAA DIII Cross Country Championships. The team’s breakthrough came in 2022, with a historic fourth-place finish and their first-ever podium appearance at the national championships.
In track & field, the Knights have excelled at the individual level with Ricks at the helm. Amina Ricks (no relation) secured Carleton’s first individual championship under Ricks’s tutelage in 1994. Since then, four athletes have won six more individual titles, with Amelia Campbell’s exceptional performances earning her three combined-event crowns between 2014 and 2016.
Overall, the Knights have earned more than 60 All-America honors in cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field, with a majority of those coming from outdoor competitions.
Ricks has been named USTFCCCA Regional Coach of the Year eight times since 2009. She became only the second female coach in NCAA DIII award history to win three consecutive cross country honors from 2017 to 2019.
Beyond her collegiate coaching role, Ricks served as the U.S. National Women’s Heptathlon Coach in 1996 and also teaches in the physical education, athletics, and recreation department at Carleton College.