By Sam Bernardi | Posted May 22, 2025
When Aya Krause joined the “Girls on the Run” program in third grade, there was no telling where the sport might take her. Now a sophomore star for the Montgomery High School track and cross country teams, Krause has her sights set on collegiate competition, preferably in California.
Her highlights include anchoring the 4x1600m relay to a second-place finish in the Skyland Conference Championship and a sixth-place finish in the Sprint Medley relay.
Aya Krause
Krause also has an impressive personal best time of 2:24 in the 800m. Her track coach, Tim Bartholomew, recognizes her impact and ability to succeed in a variety of events. “She’s strong, she’s versatile,” Bartholomew said. “I can put her in anything from the 400 to the two-mile. She would probably be a pretty good sprinter, too. I’ve utilized her in a lot of events, and she’s able to do well.”
Krause has looked up to former Montgomery stars such as Julia Scrudato and Caroline Mehlhorn, both of whom are now collegiate runners. “For the next two years, I will be leaning on them for their guidance,” Krause said.
It all starts at home for Krause. Both of her parents were student-athletes, and her father has competed in marathons and Ironman competitions, including 70.3-mile triathlon races, which showed Aya not only how to push herself, but how to train, too. “My biggest inspirations are my parents,” Krause said. “They’ve both overcome so much and have believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself.”
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Even with all of Krause’s running dominance, it is the offtrack and off-course attributes that make her stand out. She was named a captain for Cross Country this fall as a sophomore, the first instance in MHS history. She also earned the Most Valuable Runner award. Read that again. Captain as a sophomore. No matter the level or sport, these are uncharted waters. And the best part is, it does not matter if she is running cross country or track, she approaches the sports and her teammates the same way.
“She wants to run against all the best athletes,” Bartholomew said. “But, at the same time, she knows she’s there for the team and she’ll do whatever is best for the team.” Krause’s dedication to doing every rep the right way has affected even her older teammates, and is the type of student-athlete you want your kids to be around. “Over the years, I have seen a lot of people not get treated fairly and have even been subjected to the same,” Krause said. “So, it’s important for me to try to ensure everyone feels welcome.”
Krause was also a lacrosse player for nearly a decade, but upon her high school induction, she chose track. However, she still coaches upper middle schoolers. Hopefully, we will see her and that leadership in California one day.
