After unprecedented year, Ryan New will step down as head coach of ONU's cross country and track & field programs

Ryan New

By Steven Wright

ADA — After guiding the Ohio Northern men's and women's cross country and track & field programs to historical success in his first year at the helm, head coach Ryan New will be stepping down from the position.

This year, New led the Polar Bears to conference championships in all six sports, earning the triple crown on both the men's and women's side of each program. This marked the first time in Ohio Athletic Conference history that a school has accomplished this feat.

"I have really enjoyed my experience here at Ohio Northern. I was given an incredible opportunity and I tried everything in my power to make this a wonderful experience for the athletes in the program," said New. "This year has been something special, and I will always remember my
time here as a high point in my life."

In the fall, both cross country teams won OAC Championships for the first time in school history and followed that up in the winter by claiming both conference championships in indoor track & field.

To cap off the remarkable season, New helped the Northern men and women each win their first outdoor track & field OAC Championships in school history en route to claiming both triple crowns of running.

"I am sad to depart so quickly from the program, but I am incredible lucky and humbled to be a part of this program," said New. "These are amazing teams. What they accomplished this year was unprecedented, and they deserve everything they worked towards."

Aside from accomplishing amazing success at Ohio Northern, New was called to his mother's side in the middle of the year when she was in a tragic car accident.

Making trips back and forth from Ada to his hometown in Kentucky, New was forced to balance the weight of creating and maintaining a successful program while keeping his family his first priority.

"As I told my team in our final team meeting, I love track and field and I love this program, but I love my family more," said New. "This year has been bittersweet for me. It has been sweet because of the teams' success but bitter because of the accident."

"It is tragic what happened to my mom back in December, but she is alive and strives every day to return to how she was before the accident. It
will be great to help her redevelop. She is an incredible woman who is strong and loving. I think that it will only be a matter of time before she gets back to one hundred percent. She is true inspiration," said New

In the three years prior to coming to Ohio Northern, New was an assistant coach at Centre (Ky.). He also ran for the Colonels from 2001-04.