Ashland University Women's Track

YEAR: 11th in 2025-26 PREVIOUS COLLEGE: Ashland '14 AT ASHLAND UNIVERSITY Sussman is in his ninth season as Ashland University's head men's and women's cross country coach, and continues as the Eagles' assistant track and field coach (distance)/director of track and field operations. He is in his 11th season as an AU coach overall. In 2022, Sussman was named interim head track and field coach, and guided the Eagle men to a second-place national finish indoors and a fifth-place national finish outdoors. Sussman is a 2014 AU graduate. As a collegiate runner, he was a three-time All-American, and was a member of three nationals-qualifying cross country teams. PERSONAL Sussman earned his degree in Athletic Training from Ashland.

Logan and what he has in stock each year. Year in and year out, the AU track and field program is among the most decorated in the nation. The Eagles' ability to compete on the national level can be traced to Logan, who directs an exceptional, all-around program. The 2015-16 season saw the AU men finish with two Top 10 national team finishes - 10th indoors and tied for ninth outdoors. Junior Jordan Crayon earned a national title indoors in the weight throw. The 2014-15 campaign saw the Eagle men place fourth indoors and third outdoors nationally, and the AU women finish in a tie for third indoors and seventh outdoors in Division II. Indoors, the AU women were ranked No. 1 in the country for the first time, and both the men and women were ranked No. 1 together for the first time. Senior Drew Windle finished his stellar collegiate career with six 800-meter national titles and eight national championships overall, and senior Jessica Bridenthal earned Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women's field athlete of the year honors. The 2013-14 season saw the AU men finish third in the nation indoors and outdoors. The AU women were fifth indoors and outdoors. Windle was recognized as the men's indoor track and field athlete of the year for the second consecutive year, and was part of three national championships. Elijha Owens was named the GLIAC men's outdoor track athlete of the year. As usual, the Ashland throwers ranked among the nation's best and they won national championships indoors and outdoors. Bridenthal won the weight throw indoors and outdoors, Kyle Steinhauser was first in the discus and Jamie Sindelar was first in the women's shot. For the year, the track and field program boasted six national titles. In 2012-13, the men's team finished second in the national program of the year standings. That's the highest finish in school history and it came a year after AU placed third. In 2012-13, the men's cross country team tied for ninth at nationals and the Eagles were the national runner-up indoors and outdoors in track and field. AU hosted the GLIAC outdoor track and field championships and the Ashland men won the conference crown. That was AU's first GLIAC outdoor championship since 1996 and it was the 10th in school history. After winning the GLIAC title, the Eagles were ranked first in the country. Logan was named the Midwest Region men's outdoor track and field coach of the year in 2012-13. It's easy to see how the veteran coach came by that honor. At no time in school history have the Eagles enjoyed a roster this deep and talented. That's saying a lot, considering the success this program has enjoyed. Logan's ability to recruit and build strength across the board is unprecedented at AU. In 2012-13, Katie Nageotte won two national championships in the pole vault and set the NCAA Division II record. Windle won national crowns indoors and outdoors in the 800 and was the national athlete of the year indoors. Richard Quick won a national championships in the weight throw, and Garrett Grey claimed the national crown in the hammer. The men's 4x4 relay brought home a national championship from indoor nationals. These are staggering numbers, but they are the kind of figures Logan's teams have produced every year. In 2011-12, the Ashland men finished third in the race for the NCAA Division II program of the year. The AU women were sixth in the program of the year standings.  Indoors, the Ashland men were seventh and the women placed 12th. Outdoors, the AU men tied for seventh and the AU women were eighth. Senior Ryan Loughney won a pair of national championships. During the indoor season he was named the national field athlete of the year. During the outdoor season, Cheryl Bourne was tabbed as the Midwest Region field athlete of the year. In 2010-11, Logan's Eagles won three individual national championships. All of those came in the throwing events. During the indoor track and field season, the men finished second in the country. The women finished eighth at indoor nationals one year after finishing in a tie for second in the nation. Logan is in his 12th season as Ashland's head coach. Since 1993, AU has had at least one individual champion every year. In 21 of those 23 seasons, at least one thrower has claimed a gold medal. Before becoming the head coach, Logan served 11 years as an assistant coach at AU. He is regarded as one of the top throwing coaches in the country, but as his record at Ashland emphasizes, he knows how to build a well-rounded team. The Eagles annually have one of the largest groups in the country at nationals. In each of the last four years, AU has sent more than 20 student-athletes to outdoor nationals. In 2009-10, the AU program produced five individual national championships. At the indoor national championship meet, the AU women finished in a tie for second, the best finish in the program's history. Three women won individual national titles. The AU men were seventh at nationals and Kurt Roberts won a gold medal in the shot and set a meet record in the process.  Roberts was named the NCAA Division II field athlete of the year. Outdoors, the men were sixth at nationals and the women were 12th. The Ashland men won their third consecutive GLIAC title. Loughney won a national championship in the hammer throw. Both the AU men and women were ranked in the nation's Top 10 throughout the season. Two members of the AU women's track and field team - Steph Tinney and Abby Kacsandi - received GLIAC Commissioner's Awards, which honor outstanding performance on the field, in the classroom and in the community. Every year since he's become the head coach, Logan has been forced to make more room in his trophy case at home. That happened again in 2009-10. The AU head coach was named the 2010 Midwest Region Men's Coach of the Year for indoor track and field, and he was tabbed as the 2010 GLIAC men's track and field coach of the year during the outdoor season. In 2008-09 at indoor nationals, both the AU men's and women's teams finished fourth. Dan Tierney won a national championship in the pole vault, and Tara Cooper brought home a gold medal in the weight throw. Thirteen AU student-athletes earned All-America honors. Outdoors at the NCAA championship meet, the AU men finished tied for sixth in the nation. Again, 13 student-athletes earned All-America citations and Roberts won a national championship in the shot put. That same season, the AU men's team won GLIAC championships indoors and outdoors. The men's indoor team was honored as the USTFCCCA scholar-athlete team of the year. The men's outdoor team was cited as the organization's track and field team of the year. That award recognizes superior achievement academically and athletically. Throughout the regular season, both AU teams were ranked in the nation's top three in the national power rankings. The men's team climbed to the top spot in the country. Logan was the 2009 GLIAC men's track and field coach of the year. For indoor track and field, he was the Midwest Region Coach of the Year and the 2009 NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year. Indoors, Ashland boasted the Midwest Region Men's Male Athlete of the Year, Men's Field Athlete of the Year and Women's Field Athlete of the Year. In 2007-08, the AU men finished third in the country at the 2008 NCAA Division II outdoor track and field championships. Indoors, the men were fifth at the national championships. The women were fifth indoors and ninth at the outdoor championship meet. The Ashland men won the GLIAC outdoor championship. Both teams were ranked No. 1 in the nation during the regular season. Logan was honored as the 2007-08 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year. Outdoors, he was the GLIAC men's Coach of the Year and the Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year. Outdoors, the AU men had eight Scholar-Athletes (USTFCCCA). No men's team in the nation had more than AU. In his second season as the head coach, the 2006-07 season, the AU men were fourth at the outdoor national championships and fifth at the indoor national meet in Boston. Thrower Kibwe Johnson won three national championships and was honored as the 2007 male field athlete of the year for indoor and outdoor track and field. Johnson set a collegiate record (all divisions) in the weight throw and at the Pan-American Games, was the runner-up in the hammer. For the first time in school history, during the indoor track and field season, the AU men and women were ranked first in the country at the same time. In his first season as the head coach, Logan was named the GLIAC men's indoor track and field coach of the year and the Great Lakes Region men's indoor track and field athlete of the year. The Eagles advanced 10 student-athletes to the NCAA indoor championships and Bryan Vickers won a national title and set a meet record in the shot. The AU men were fifth in the team standings. Logan is a stickler for the proper technique in competition, and he has the same outlook when it comes to the academic performance of his student-athletes. In his first year, the AU women had a cumulative grade-point average of 3.22 and the men checked in at 3.009. Ashland had 11 student-athletes recognized as Scholar-Athletes by the USTFCCCA.  In 2006-07, 10 members of the track program earned that recognition. As an assistant coach with the Eagles, Logan built a stable of throwers that was the envy of schools around the nation, regardless of division. Throwers like Becky Ball, Adriane Blewitt and Jackie Jeschelnig thrived under his guidance, attaining numerous All-America honors and putting their names in the NCAA record books. Jeschelnig took her game one step higher, competing for the United States in the Olympics in Greece. Logan is recognized for his success as an athlete on the international level. A world class star in the hammer throw, he has been on four United States Olympic Teams - 1984, 1988, 1992 and 2000. Logan was a captain on the 1992 team. He has competed in the Pan-American Games, the Goodwill Games and World Championships. He held the American record of 268 feet, 8 inches in the hammer throw. Throughout his career, which included five Olympic Trials and nine national trials, he has never finished outside of the top three finishers. Logan is a 1982 graduate of Kent State. He and his wife, Jill, reside in Ashland. The couple has has three children - Nathan, Jenna and Kirsten.

Northrup earned All-America status as a high-jumper in 2007 with a seventh-place finish at the NCAA championships. Northrup was a provisional qualifier in 2007, 2008 and 2010, while claiming Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference first-team honors in the high jump in 2007 and 2008. Northrup was selected as an Academic All-America honoree in 2007, 2008 and 2010. Post-collegiately, Northrup has qualified for two USA Track and Field National Championship meets, finishing 5 at the 2014 indoor meet. Northrup served as a volunteer coach for Glenrock High School track in 2012, and coached at Gordon-Rushville High School during the 2010 spring season. As a student-athlete at Chadron State, Northrup volunteer coached the Chadron High School track and field team from 2008-10. Northrup received his bachelor's degree in Secondary Education from Chadron State College in 2010 while earning Cum Laude Honors, and a masters degree in Sports Administration and Leadership from Augustana College in 2014.

Wilk, a native of Wood Dale, Ill., enters his third year with Ashland University. Wilk graduated from Division II Grand Valley State University in 2014 with a double major in Finance and Marketing. There, he was a two-time All-American, and is the current school record holder in the outdoor 800-meter run (1:49.40). In his first year at AU, he helped guide the mens cross country team to a berth at the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships, where they placed 10th. Later that season, indoors, the Ashland men placed fourth and the women tied for third. Outdoors, the Ashland men finished third and the women placed seventh. These finishes were good for a third-place finish in the Program of the Year standings for the men.  In 2015-16, Ashland's men's track team finished 10th at indoor nationals and tied for ninth at outdoor nationals. Wilk has experience under two award-winning coaches in his time with the sport. He ran under Jerry Baltes, Division II Womens Program of the Year namesake and multiple-time coach of the year. He further honed his skills under 2013-14 NCAA Division II Assistant Coach of the year, Trent Mack, at Ashland in 2014-15. In addition to coaching, Wilk continues to train and has further improved his marks since moving to Ashland. He qualified for and competed at the 2015 USATF Indoor Track and Field Championships in the 1,000-meter run, placing 12th.

Scott, a 2012 Ashland University graduate, is in his second season after returning to campus to become the Eagles' head men's and women's cross country coach and assistant men's and women's track and field coach. Prior to returning to AU, Scott was a graduate assistant for Michigan Tech's cross country and track and field programs for two seasons. During his time with the Huskies, the men's cross country program improved from 12th to fifth in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, while earning its best-ever finish (eighth) at the Midwest Region meet. He also coached Tech's first NCAA cross country qualifier in 16 years. Scott also coached the fourth track All-American in school history. In two seasons, 15 Tech distance records were broken. During his athletic career as an Eagle, Scott was a three-time All-American (twice in the 800-meter run and once as part of the 4x400-meter relay), and earned 2011 Midwest Region Track Athlete of the Year honors. He also was a 2012 Academic All-American. Scott continues to train, and recently ran a PR of 1:47.93 in the 800. He also placed ninth at the USATF Indoor Championships in the 1,000. As part of Scott's coaching history, he has guided two USATF Junior National qualifiers - one in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and one in the 10k. Scott earned his degree in biology and psychology from Ashland, and landed on the Dean's List four times.