Through the hustle and bustle of this past winter season, the university’s indoor track and field teams have worked hard to achieve new heights.
In the previous academic year, the track and field team broke a few records during their outdoor and indoor seasons. Their goal for this year was all that and more.
The determination to continue growing as a program resulted in some of the highest record-breaking moments in the team’s history.
This season, both the men and women’s teams broke five new university records each. Additionally, they have had 12 All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) honorees, six OAC champions, and 11 All-Region honorees.
Among the men’s and women’s teams, first-years Kaylee Jackson and Justin Rona made new university records for the 200 meter and 5K runs, respectively. Jackson also received the recognition of Most Outstanding Sprinter at the OAC Championships.
Junior Kolin Brake and first-year Claire Robinson also broke records for the mile and pole vault, respectively.
As if they were in sync, both the men and women’s teams broke two 4×200 and two 4×400 relay records for each group.
Along with that, one of their biggest achievements in university history sprung from the men’s team, as they broke the OAC Championship record for the men’s 4×200-meter relay with a time of 1:28.42.
Ian Kellogg, director of the university’s track and field program, commended the student athletes for their big accomplishments. “It’s been very rewarding for us as a staff to see the group come together as a full program,” Kellogg said. “They take a lot of pride in wearing that [university] uniform.”
Luke Malone, graduate assistant for the cross country and track and field teams reflected the praise given by Kellogg.
“I think we’ve seen [students of all years] step up and own some of their leadership status,” Malone said. “It’s been really exciting to see everyone own their individual leadership styles and help contribute to the team’s culture.”
Even though his first year on the team has proved to be fruitful, Rona was apprehensive about beginning his time with the track and field team when first coming into the university last semester.
“I wasn’t even going to run, but Coach Kellogg hit my line and said, ‘You should visit here!’ because some of his friends had coached me,” Rona said.
Though the teams have had great success since the previous seasons, they had more strength in numbers during the indoor season of this year.
“Last year, the numbers were really small, [and] it [was] hard to feel as if you have that full sense of camaraderie as a program,” Kellogg said.
“We didn’t have the numbers to even have a 4×200 relay race to participate at last year’s conference meet. So going from last year having no guys to be able to carry the baton around the track to having the fastest relay in conference history, I know they took a lot of pride in that.”
Cheik Souare, a junior sprinter, highlighted the work done by coaches Kellogg and Malone for the success during this season. “[I give] credit to our coaching staff … This year, we brought in a big recruiting class — probably the biggest freshman class I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” Souare said. “The coaching staff makes [everything] more effective because what I’ve really seen is how they emphasize growth and getting better.”
With the current season coming to a close, coaches and athletes are looking forward to transitioning into the outdoor season as the weather gets warmer.
“We’re excited to transition into the outdoor season built off of the momentum that the team set for us during the indoor season. We are lucky to work with such a great group, and we’re really pumped to see where this goes over the next few years,” Kellogg said.
The track and field team will begin their outdoor season on March 28 in Granville at the Denison Lid Lifter.
