Ella Fennessey became a fixture of the Minnesota trail running community by always showing up. NMTC created the Fennessey Award in her honor.

To earn this coveted annual award, do in one year what Ella did every year: run or volunteer at every single NMTC event on the calendar.

Ella Fennessey Awardees

2024: Anissa Thompson, Barb Bengtson, Haley Bengtson, Jarrow Wahman, Marcus Taintor, Matt Livingston, Molly Watkins, Nate Hubert, Roger Reinert, Shelly Thompson

2023: Anissa Thompson, Barb Bengtson, Brian Beckman, Dave Schaeffer, Jarrow Wahman, Marcus Taintor, Matt Livingston, Nate Hubert, Roger Reinert

2022: Barb Bengtson, Barb Luke, Haley Bengtson, Jarrow Wahman, Marcus Taintor, Matt Nixon, Roger Reinert

2020/2021: No awards given, with racing suspended in 2020 and an abridged race calendar in 2021.

2019: Barb Bengtson, Barb Luke, Haley Bengtson, Jarrow Wahman, Mae Gackstetter, Marcus Taintor, Nick Korhonen, Rollie Everson, Seth Lozano, Shelly Thompson

2018: Barb Bengtson, Barb Luke, Brian Landstrom, Jarrow Wahman, Macy Curnow, Rollie Everson

2017: Barb Bengtson, Barb Luke, Brian Landstrom, Gary Lepisto, Haley Bengtson, Jamie Glesener, Jarrow Wahman, Kris Glesener, Mae Gackstetter, Matt Eidenschink, Rollie Everson, Sasha Wahman, Shelly Thompson

2016: Amber Gurske, Barb Bengtson, Dan Proctor, Haley Bengston, Jamie Glesener, Jarrow Wahman, Jonas Ryttie, Kris Glesener, Sam Shanks, Shelly Thompson, Tina Nelson

2015: Barb Bengtson, Erik Elmstrand, Haley Bengtson, Jarrow Wahman, Kris Glesener, Shaun Lynch, Shelly Thompson, Tina Nelson, Wildknits

2014: Barb Bengtson, Leslie Semler, Haley Bengtson, Marcus Taintor, Jamie Glesener, Sara Post, Kris Glesener, Shaun Lynch

2013: Andrea Ring, Chris Rubesch, Craig Hertz, Jamie Block, Jarrow Wahman, Rick Kucinski, Shane Olson, Shelly Thompson