ONU running programs win the unprecedented Double Triple Crown

By Rachel Smith

It’s been a great year to be a Polar Bear. This year both the men’s and women’s track and field and cross country programs completed the elusive triple crown.

For the 2008-09 school year each side won the OAC title for cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field. Completing a triple crown is an amazing feat. Winning two triple crowns in one year in unprecedented.

On the men’s side, three other schools have accomplished a triple crown: Mount Union, Otterbein, and Baldwin-Wallace. This is the first time Northern’s men’s or women’s teams have ever won a triple crown. For the women, Baldwin-Wallace is the only other team to win a triple crown. Never before in history has a school completed the double triple crown: men and women winning the triple crown the same year.

Both teams made breakthrough accomplishments along the way. The women’s team won its first indoor and outdoor OAC titles. The men won their first outdoor championship.

The teams were led by coaches Ryan New and Jason Maus. They both attribute the success of this year to the team atmosphere. “It’s about buying into our program and believing in each other,” said Maus. New added, “Our attitude was that this was something we could do, if we made the sacrifices and put in the work.”

Ohio Northern has the largest track team in the conference, and the smallest coaching staff. This made it necessary for the athletes to have more responsibility. “They had to police themselves part of the time,” said New, “They felt responsible for each other which shows their commitment to the program.” During the outdoor season there were three separate practice times as the coaches worked to keep the most individual contact with each athlete.

When asked about their favorite moments from the year, both coaches struggled to choose only one. “The best moments are when an athlete just dumbfounds you,” said New, “You just see a change in them; they believe they can do something great.” Maus went back to where it all started, “When we told the women’s cross team they won, it was a very emotional moment,” he said, “I can still visualize that whole day, I will never forget it.”

Both coaches are optimistic about the future of this program. They stressed that the key to success rests with the athletes, “We need to have athletes continue to believe in the program,” said New, “They must continue to ask themselves, what kind of experience can I make this?”

The team’s focus will continue to be what it has always been. “It’s not always about winning,” said Maus, “it’s about the process and enjoying what we’re doing.”

Maus explained that this accomplishment by no means puts undue pressure on next season, “This achievement is so unprecedented that it doesn’t set too high a bar, but it definitely raises the bar. It proves to our athletes what is achievable,” he said, “It can empower the team to see what is possible.”

This year’s team has seen what the possibilities are. They accomplished something that has never been done before and maybe never again: a double triple crown victory. In the words of coach New, “Everything just fell into place.”