Minnesota ARML

The Minnesota ARML team, also known as the Minnesota All-State Math Team, is an organization for top high school mathematics students in Minnesota. Each year, four teams of 15 students are selected out of a group of approximately 75-80 trainees. The four teams, MN Gold, MN Maroon, MN White, and MN Blue, compete at the annual ARML mathematics competition. All four teams currently compete in ARML Division A, due to the White and Blue teams recently winning awards as top teams in Division B.

The team is run by the Minnesota State High School Math League (MSHSML). Current coaches include head coach Jim Walker of St. Paul Preparatory HS, David McMayer of Minneapolis Southwest HS, Vinton Geistfeld of the International School of Minnesota, Noah Franske of Edina HS, and distinguished alumni coaches Andy Niedermaier and Matthias Hunt. Other assistant coaches may vary from year to year.

Selection Process

Students who finish in the top 10 of the MSHSML regular season meet individual standings, in the top 10 at the MSHSML State Tournament, achieve one of the top 10 scores in the state on the AMC 12, or achieve one of the top 10 scores in the state on the AIME, receive guaranteed invitations to compete in the ARML competition. Since these four groups inevitably overlap, the coaches select additional students to fill the 75-80 available training spots on the team. These further selections are gathered from MSHSML, AMC 10, and MathCounts results, as well as teacher/coach recommendations.

The team practices on several Saturdays in April/May in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area. Results from these practices are used to determine which 60 students will be invited to compete, as well as the placement of individuals on the 4 teams. Final team assignments are traditionally not announced until the week of the competition.

There are also three unofficial team captains, known as "Keepers of the Frisbee". They are chosen at the end of the ARML trip each year by the outgoing Keepers. There are three team frisbees, which are passed down to the new Keepers each year, hence the title. Various "Keeper" frisbees have been lost or destroyed in several ridiculous ways, the stories behind which have become the stuff of local legend.

History

The team was founded in 1987; the first head coach was Roger Sadlowsky of Columbia Heights HS (1987-90). Other head coaches have included Tom Kilkelly of Wayzata HS (1991-2006), founder and long-time problem writer of the ARML Power Contest, and Mike Reiners of Christ's Household of Faith School (2007-14), an alumnus of the Minnesota teams from 1992-94.

The Minnesota team competed at the initial Penn State University site until the University of Iowa site was established in 1991, and has competed at Iowa ever since. The MN Gold team has finished in the top ten in Division A 12 times, winning the national championship in 1997. The MN Maroon team has finished in the top ten in Division B 11 times, winning Division B in 1993.

(Unless otherwise noted, the Gold team rankings are in Division A, and the Maroon/White/Blue rankings are in Division B.)

• 1987: Gold 3rd (Division B), Maroon tied for 6th
• 1988: Gold 6th, Maroon 4th
• 1989: Gold T-9th, Maroon 22nd (Division A)
• 1990: Gold 13th, Maroon 24th (A)
• 1991: Gold 16th, Maroon 8th
• 1992: Gold T-4th, Maroon 14th
• 1993: Gold T-7th, Maroon 1st
• 1994: Gold 7th, Maroon T-19th (A)
• 1995: Gold T-14th, Maroon T-21st (A)
• 1996: Gold 7th, Maroon T-24th
• 1997: Gold 1st, Maroon T-7th
• 1998: Gold T-7th, Maroon T-4th
• 1999: Gold 12th, Maroon 22nd (A)
• 2000: Gold 6th, Maroon 23rd (A)
• 2001: Gold 7th, Maroon T-14th
• 2002: Gold 6th, Maroon 5th
• 2003: Gold T-7th, Maroon T-19th
• 2004: Gold 13th, Maroon T-19th
• 2005: Gold 18th, Maroon 7th
• 2006: Gold 19th, Maroon 6th
• 2007: Gold 22nd, Maroon 8th
• 2008: Gold 15th, Maroon 13th
• 2009: Gold 22nd, Maroon 28th
• 2010: Gold 17th, Maroon 3rd
• 2011: Gold 23rd, Maroon 50th (A)
• 2012: Gold 14th, Maroon 57th (A), White 14th
• 2013: Gold 18th, Maroon 43rd (A), White 3rd
• 2014: Gold 16th, Maroon 48th (A), White 62nd (A), Blue 56th (A) (but incorrectly awarded 3rd place in Division B)
• 2015: Gold 11th, Maroon 37th (A), White 77th (A), Blue 82nd (A)