Annie Rodenfels

Andrea Rodenfels (born July 24, 1996) is an American distance runner who specializes in the 3000 meter steeplechase and long-distance events. While competing for Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, she won the NCAA Division III steeplechase title in 2018 and won both the steeplechase and 5000-meter titles in 2019. She began her professional career in 2019 and later won the USATF 5000 meters Road Championship in 2023 and 2024.

Running career Collegiate

2017 Rodenfels placed third in the 3000 meter steeplechase at the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championship with a time of 10:36.23. Later that year, she earned All-American honors with a 12th-place finish at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships.

2018 In 2018, Rodenfels set a personal best of 17:03.27 in the 5000 meters and won the NCAA Division III title in the 3000 meter steeplechase with a winning time of 10:15.75. During her senior cross county season that fall, she won the NCAA Division III South/Southeast Region Championships and placed third at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships, finishing the 6000 meters course in 20:58.9. She concluded the year by running 16:44.40 in the indoor 5000 meters. She later won national titles in both the steeplechase and the 5000 meters the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships.

After graduation, Rodenfels lowered her steeplechase personal best to 9:57.39 at the Music City Distance Carnival. She also made her debut at the USA Track and Field Championships that summer in the same event.

Professional

2019–2021 Rodenfels joined ASICS Greenville Track Club-ELITE in August, 2019. She trained under coaches Mike and Laura Caldwell and competed in a range of middle- and long-distance events. Over the next two years, she recorded personal bests of 4:13.49 in the 1500 meters, 9:13.8 in the 3000 meters, 15:35.18 in the 5000 meters, and competed in the 8000 meters on the road.

In April 2021, she ran 9:46.98 in the steeplechase at the Flames Invitational to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials. On June 20, 2021, she competed at the Olympic Trials in Eugene, placing 30th overall with a time of 10:11.76.

In December 2021, she lowered her 5000 meters personal best to 15:08.

2022–2024 In 2022, Rodenfels won the B.A.A. Invitational Mile and competed in several national-level events. She placed 7th in the 3000 meters at the USATF Indoor Championships, 2nd at the USATF 6K Road Championships, 6th in the 3000 meter Steeplechase at the USATF Outdoor Championships, and 4th at the USATF 5K Road Championships.

In 2024, she again placed 3rd at the B.A.A. 5K and finished 8th in the steeplechase at the U.S. Olympic Trials with a time of 9:22.66. Later that year, she won national titles at both the USATF 6K Road Championships and USATF 5K Road Championships.

2025–present

Rodenfels did not return to the B.A.A. after her contract expired at the end of 2024. While training independently, she ran a personal best of 15:00.64 in the 5000 meters at the Boston University John Thomas Terrier Classic. In April 2025, she signed with Salomon and made her debut with the brand at the Boston 5K on April 19. She also joined Team Meridia and began training under coach Juli Benson. Later that year, Rodenfels won the elite field at the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K in New York City on November 1, with a time of 15:33.

Achievements

National championships Representing Salomon 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships Eugene, Oregon 13th 5000 meters 15:29.62 Representing Boston Athletic Association 2024 US Women 6 km Road Running Championships (Road) Canton, Ohio 1st 6000 meters 18:03 USATF 5 km Championship (Road) New York, New York 1st 5000 meters 15:20 United States Olympic Trials (track and field) Eugene, Oregon 8th 3000 m Steeplechase 9:22.66 2023 USATF 5 km Championship (Road) New York, New York 1st 5000 meters 15:22 US Women 6 km Road Running Championships (Road) Canton, Ohio 3rd 6000 meters 18:33 USATF Outdoor Championships Eugene, Oregon 12th 5000 meters 15:30.26 2022 USATF 5 km Championship (Road) New York, New York 4th 5000 meters 15:31 USATF Outdoor Championships Eugene, Oregon 6th 3000 m Steeplechase 9:36.45 US Women 6 km Road Running Championships (Road) Canton, Ohio 2nd 6000 meters 17:54 USATF Indoor Championships Spokane, Washington 7th 3000 meters 8:54.54

NCAA Championships Representing Centre College 2019 NCAA Women's Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships Geneva, Ohio 1st 3000 m Steeplechase 10:22.32 1st 5000 meters 16:55.45 NCAA Women's Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships Roxbury, Massachusetts 2nd 5000 meters 16:35.40 2018 NCAA Women's Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships La Crosse, Wisconsin 1st 3000 m Steeplechase 10:15.75 NCAA Women's Division III Cross Country Championship Winneconne, Wisconsin 3rd 6000 m Cross Country 20:58.9 2017 NCAA Women's Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships Alliance, Ohio 3rd 3000 m Steeplechase 10:36.23 NCAA Women's Division III Cross Country Championship Elsah, Illinois All-American 6000 m Cross Country 21:04.8

Coaching While training in Greenville, South Carolina, Rodenfels served as the head coach for cross country and track & field at Greenville Technical Charter High School for two years. During that time, two of her cross country teams qualified for the state championships, and one track & field athlete advanced to the state meet in the 100-meter hurdles.

After relocating to Boston, Massachusetts, she became an assistant coach for the Wellesley College cross country and track & field teams, where she worked with several nationally ranked NCAA Division III athletes.

Personal life and education Rodenfels was born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1996 to parents Jerry and Ann Rodenfels. She graduated from Dayton Christian High School, in 2015, where she initially played soccer before joining the track and field team during her junior and senior years.

In October 2023, Rodenfels married Collin Woodruff. Earlier that year, she publicly came out as bisexual. She has used her platform to discuss gender equity, representation in women's sports, and challenges faced by women athletes.