The ninth-grade math team was the conference champion prevailing over the Fairmont and Owatonna ninth grade teams. Albert Lea also ended a great 2008-09 season with their record finishing fourth in the state. Albert Lea’s participants included: Jason Appel, Stuart Behling, Matt Buhr, Houston Sharpe, Kayln Stensrud, and Colleen Thompson.

Conference individual placings were: First: Colleen Thompson (13th in the state), second: Kayln Stensrud, third: Stuart Behling, fifth: Matt Buhr and sixth: Jason Appel.

The ninth grade team has been in competition and coached by Gale Nelson for the past seventeen years.

Nelson has coached Albert Lea to two state championships and 11 conference championships.