Baldwin Wallace University has a rich track and field tradition dating back to legendary coaches Eddie Finnegan and Sparky Adams and four-time Olympic champion and gold medalist Harrison Dillard.
Dillard won gold medals in the 100-yard dash in the 1948 London (England) Olympics and the 110-yard hurdles in Helsinski (Finland) in 1952 as well as golds as a member of the 400-yard relay team in 1948 and 1952.
During the past three decades, BW has won 15 outdoor and 10 indoor men's and women's Ohio Athletic Conference track and field championships as well as five OAC cross country titles and four Great Lakes Regional crowns. In 1988, Hall of Famer Tom Scholato '88 won the Division III national title in the javelin. In 2014, Kevin Johnson '14 was the Division III national champion in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes. In addition, in 2016, the BW women won the NCAA Division III National Title as a team with two separate student-athletes each winning a pair of national titles.
The Track Participant Faces a Challenging Schedule
One of the keys to BW's success is its tough schedule. The BW men and women have traveled to numerous invitational meets during the winter and spring seasons and to Florida during spring break. Running in invitational meets allows every student-athlete an opportunity to learn, participate and have fun. The Yellow Jackets also compete in the rugged Ohio Athletic Conference.
The Track Facilities are Outstanding: Finnie Stadium and the Lou Higgins Center
The track and field student-athlete is afforded some of the finest facilities in small college athletics. The George Finnie Stadium has been the site of six NCAA Division III Outdoor Championship Meets (1975, 1979, 1991, 1993, 1999 and 2010. It state-of-the-art mondo surface was upgraded in 2008, and at that time was one of just three surfaces in the world of its kind (the other two were at the 2008 Beijing, China Olympics and at The Ohio State University Jesse Owens Track).
In addition and inside the Lou Higgins Recreation Center, which is directly across the street from The George Finnie Stadium, lies the 200-meter Harrison Dillard Track with its Mondo surface for maximum performance. BW also has hosted numerous OAC Championship Meets, including the OAC's 100th Anniversary Meet, on the Dillard Track as well as the Ohio Game, ad the annual Cleveland City Schools Harrison Dillard Meet
In addition, the Cleveland Metropark System, with its 23 miles of running trails, is less than a mile from campus.
The Developmental Goals of the Track Program and Our Promise to You
The Baldwin Wallace University track and field program strives for excellence by stressing the total development of the student-athlete's academic, athletic and social potential. Each student-athlete will be asked to be self-disciplined and committed to the development of excellence within the BW track program.
In return, the coaching philosophy is to provide quality coaching in each event. The coaching staff believes in taking the time to help each student-athlete develop while providing competitive experiences to allow the athlete to improve. While many valuable lessons are learned on the track, the ultimate goal is to help each student-athlete grow and graduate at the end of her career at Baldwin Wallace University.