A two-time All-American, Kate Ainsworth was a force on the track during her time at Carleton. Ainsworth made an impact right away as a member of Carleton’s track and field squad, picking up two All-Conference honorable mentions and participating in the 4×800-meter relay that took second place at the MIAC Championships in her first year. Over the next two years Ainsworth collected five more All-Conference honorable mentions and was All-MIAC in the 800-meter run her sophomore year, setting the stage for a brilliant senior campaign. During her final collegiate season in 1996, the speedster collected two All-America awards and earned five All-Conference distinctions in indoor and outdoor track. At the national indoor meet, she posted a still-standing school record time in the 800-meter run of 2:16.3, finishing third in the nation and garnering All-America honors. Ainsworth won her second career All-America award in the outdoor season, finishing fifth at the NCAA national meet in the 1500-meter run. Further displaying her versatility, Ainsworth was the MIAC individual champion in the 1500-meter run and acquired a trio of second-place finishes at the 1996 MIAC Championships. To go along with the impressive individual awards, Ainsworth also was a member of numerous school-record holding relay teams that stand to this day. She played a significant role in the 4x1600m relay, sprint medley relay, and distance medley relay, all of which are the fastest in school history. A tremendous athlete, Ainsworth also was a top cross-country runner, helping the Knights reach the national meet during her tenure at Carleton.