The Original Pioneers
“They Are My Fab 5”
One walked into the office on crutches and wanted to run; one was headed to
The 2007-08 senior class of head coach ’s women’s track and cross country team all took vastly different paths to be the first to represent the
“They are my Fab 5,” Sullivan said. “No individual or group will be able to match what they have done for this program.”
The class includes from
Crawford’s course to OSU started in the Rocky Mountains, and not because of OSU’s infant track program, but more the
“I lived in
Crawford, who is now headed to postgraduate school to become a marriage and family therapist, made quite an impression on Sullivan when she walked into the initial track meeting after Christmas break of her freshman year – on crutches after knee surgery. Three years later she is one of
Nicole Crawford
“My track career didn't start until I enrolled at
Denfeld was going to continue her running career at college, but at private
“I told Lauren and her family that she will get to run hurdles, but the event is 10 times longer than what she was accustomed to and has seven water barriers,” Sullivan said. “Oh, and she had to run cross country.”
Four years later Denfeld, the first woman to ever compete in the event, is a postgraduate scholar and has set the bar high for future steeplechasers. She will leave OSU with a marketing degree and a minor in Spanish, and after an internship in
Lauren Denfeld
“
Harer was a school record holder, a state finalist and a soccer standout at the north
“I first thought that I was going to go to
Harer has taken full advantage of her time as a student-athlete and her efforts will be realized when she walks commencement at Reser Stadium June 15. She’s been a leader on campus in the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and is now off to intern over the summer in
Noelle Harer
“The road has been a long one, but I have become a better runner and learned more from Coach Sullivan then I think I would from any other coach,” Harer added. “He pushes us to believe in ourselves and doesn’t make running a “business”, but tells us to not let running define us as whom we are.”
Peterson had aspirations of following her mother’s (Suzy) footsteps to OSU and play golf, even though she was a
“I actually thought she went to college out of state, and then one day she comes into the office and states `I want to run’”, Sullivan remembers. “I was pleasantly surprised because I remembered her from high school.”
Jean-Marie Peterson
Peterson has gone on to excel in cross country and the 1,500-meters.
Sullivan gets the joy of coaching Poggi for another year, after the
“I was lucky in a way that Kaitlin didn’t sign early during the letter of intent period,” Sullivan explained. “She had an opportunity to go elsewhere, to a very good program, but chose OSU instead.”
Kaitlin Poggi
“I knew this program was going to be special,” Poggi said. “Coach Sullivan has a vision for what is going to happen with the program and I have no doubt that it is all going to come true – I wanted to be a part of it.”
Sullivan is quick to heave the praise on his student-athletes and the school that has began the construction on a full fledge men’s and women’s track program, but he also has earned the praise of his student-athletes.
“He’s way more than a coach!” Denfeld exclaims. “He is a great friend, mentor, and role model. He absolutely `walks the walk’. He lives his life in a way that is incredibly admirable and is very supportive of all of his athletes not only in their athletic endeavors, but personal and academic as well.”
The facts back it up. The cross country and track programs were recipients of the NCAA’s Public Recognition Awards for academic achievement earlier this spring. The team has combined for a 3.33 cumulative GPA winter term with six student-athletes holding a 4.00.
“I will never be able to express my gratitude towards Coach Sullivan or have him truly understand how he has changed my life so dramatically in four short years,” Crawford said. “I am so blessed to have him in my life and the impact he has made will stick with me for the rest of my life.”
“I don’t know if Coach Sullivan will ever understand how much he has taught me or how much respect I have for him,” Poggi said. “He is the kind of person you just want to be around because he always sees the positives and has a genuine joy for life.”
Sullivan has also made an impact on these young women in other ways.
“It’s hard to pinpoint one specific Kelly story,” Crawford said when asked to recount a humorous moment in the program. “I have to say on a daily basis, the man is creating some sort of a fashion disaster.”
“He always has a lot of energy and being goofy; it probably helps that he has a lot of coffee right before practice,” Harer said. “He’s definitely a character, but he teaches us to not take ourselves too seriously.”
The
“The impact they have had on the underclassmen as role models, showing trust in what I do – you can’t measure that,” Sullivan said. “Their stories and successes have sold recruits to come here. To me they are the original pioneers.”
Note: Check out recent "everyday champions" for the class of five.
Noelle Harer -- coming soon.
