The Ohio State cross country team competing at the 2019 Big Ten Championships at the Ohio State Golf Club Nov. 3, 2019. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State athletics
After 14 long months, Ohio State’s cross country program is returning to competition at the Big Ten Championships Saturday.
Unlike past seasons, the Buckeyes had no competitions leading up to the Big Ten Championships. For Khadevis Robinson, head coach of the cross country program, the 2021 season is unlike any other that he has seen in his four seasons with the Ohio State team.
“We understand it’s going to be tough and challenging, but that’s what makes it amazing,” Robinson said. “During tough times, we turn to individuals who push themselves, excel and break records.”
As for the women’s team, they were fifth behind Michigan State, who claimed their first title win since 2014 and seventh overall with the exact same score as the men’s championship winner. This was Ohio State’s second-highest place finish ever at the Big Ten meet, and they maintained this momentum to make program history by placing 23rd at the NCAA championships.
However, the women’s team lost key seniors Lainey Studebaker, Julia Rizk and Abby Nichols, who finished first-team all-Big Ten.
Despite the losses, the Buckeyes return four veterans in junior Allie Guagenti, who finished in the top 50 at the 2019 Big Ten, along with senior Kalee Soehnlen, senior Hannah Moulton and sophomore Gia Napoleon from the 2019 squad.
“(Although) the preparation and timeline of this cross country season have been different on top of losing seniors, we brought in some really good freshmen who have adjusted really well on the women’s team,” Robinson said.
Guagenti, who has shifted into a leadership role as an upperclassmen, said she and Soehnlen have focused on motivating the team throughout this unique process.
“The freshmen look up to [Soehnlen] and I,” Guagenti said. “We’ve been able to encourage everyone to keep working hard even when things are super uncertain.”
In a typical cross country season, the race schedule stretches from August to mid-November. It will be a first for the runners this weekend to race in a cross country meet in late January.
“It’s been interesting for some of our freshmen, who are natives of the West Coast especially California,” Johnson said. “But a lot of the runners are from Ohio and Midwest kids are tough. They go out there and get it done.”
With a race on the national stage and recent indoor track individuals under some of their belts, the women’s team feels confident, excited and grateful for the opportunity to race.
“This weekend will certainly be uncharted territory, but I’m just excited to race again,” Guagenti said. “I drew a lot of inspiration from the football team and those teams across the nation who did run in the fall.”
Guagenti raced in the Simmons-Harvey Invite in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Jan. 16 and said it provided her with confidence and gave her belief in herself and her team.
On race day, Guagenti said she stays calm with naturally guiding her teammates through strides, being supportive and helping others calm their nerves.
With the uncertainty this year has brought onto the Buckeyes running program, Robinson said the team needs to remember what’s important.
“We need to remember our why and why we even do this,” Robinson said. “I have an opportunity to help young student-athletes accomplish some of their dreams and some that they’ve been chasing for their entire lives.”
On Saturday, the women’s 6k race will begin at 12:30 p.m. on BTN+.
