Tiger Track at the Next Level
With indoor track season getting ready to fire up at the college level, I thought it might be a good time and place to compile a list of our guys who are currently athletes at the college level. Because I consider Track & Field a springboard for all sports, this list contains any former Track Athletes who are competing at the next level, no matter what the sport:
Braden Nicholson (North Central College Track/XC) graduated in 2019, and left one of the most highly decorated runners we’ve ever had. Along with his 4th place finish in the Class 2A 3200m (making him all-state and tying him for the highest finish in any class for an Olney distance runner with Charlie Butler), Braden sits at #1 on the modern Tiger Honor Roll (dating back to 2010) in the 3200m and #5 in the 1600m. Since moving to the collegiate level at North Central College, Braden has amassed almost too many XC and Track accolades to list. He’s been a DIII All-American several times over, sits in the top 10 in several events for NCC, and this past may ran a 3:46 in the 1500m, equating to a 4:02 mile (amazing).
Owen Powell (UW-Stevens Point Swim) also graduated in 2019, and to this day remains one of my all-time favorite Tigers. Owen was all-conference in the 400m for our stellar 2019 group (we doubled the 2nd place team at Conference in total points that year), and currently sits at #5 on the Tiger Honor Roll in the 400m. Owen went on to swim at UW-Stevens Point, where he is currently a 5th-year senior. Owen has served as a captain and contributed to multiple conference championship teams, continuing the program’s history of dominance in the sport.
Chase Travis (Millikin University Basketball) is in his second season playing hoops for Millikin, and unsurprisingly has already made a mark. A 2022 graduate, Chase was Conference Champion in both the 110m and 300IM Hurdles and a state qualifier in the 300s (via maybe the most incredible individual performance I’ve ever seen from one of our guys at the Tolono Sectional). Chase currently sits at #5 in the 110s on the Tiger Honor Roll and #1 in the 300s. After averaging 5 points in 19 appearances during his freshman campaign, Chase has become a consistent part of the team’s rotation, currently averaging almost 10 points a game, with a season-high of 21.
Brooks Julian (Southeastern Community College Track/XC) now has an award named after him, and it’s given to the athlete who gives his personal success up for the success of the team. That should pretty well sum him up. Brooks currently sits at #6 on the Honor Roll in the 1600m and #7 in the 3200m. Brooks could have very easily been a conference champion in the 1600 in 2022, but he decided to compete in 4 events to give us a shot at the team championship, which we won in an upset (hence the award). Brooks has really blossomed at Southeastern Community College, where thus far he’s been named to the Coaches Association All-American list, and currently holds the school record in the 8k.
Ayden Cothern (Greenville University Track & Field) is just getting ready to start up his first season for the Greenville University Track Program, but he’s already wowed the staff in workouts. Despite being a very late bloomer, Ayden managed a huge list of accomplishments in just two full years with Olney Tiger Track on his way to becoming the fastest Olney Tiger in our 100-year history. Ayden earned all-south recognition, was twice conference champion in the 100m dash, holds individual school records in the 100m and 60m dash (the 100m dash record stood for 60 years before Ayden took it down), and anchored our two state qualifying sprint relays to school records as well. During outdoor season Ayden was a state qualifier in the 100m, and he finished third in Class 2A in the 60m indoors. During workouts this fall, Ayden has set new speed records for GU, a school that boasted two All-Americans in the 100m last spring. Ayden kicks off his college career this month.
Holden Hough (University of Southern Indiana Track/XC) left Tiger Athletics as another of our most decorated distance runners in “modern” Olney Athletics. Holden was both a conference Champion in the 1600m and a state qualifier in the 3200m. He currently sits at #1 on the Honor Roll in the 1600m and #2 in the 3200. Holden proved he belonged in one of the premier distance programs in the country during his first fall season, although it was shortened by injury. Holden is feeling good and looking ahead to Track Season knowing he has a legit shot at contributing right out of the gate.
Zach Wease (North Central College Football) was an extremely well-rounded athlete at Olney before graduating in 2023… playing and excelling in football, basketball, and track. In track alone, he scored at conference for us in shot, disc, and… the 400m. Zach finished up #5 in both the shot and disc on the Tiger Honor Roll. Zach just finished up his first fall for one of the premier D3 Football programs in the country, where he earned time on the JV squad as a receiver. NCC hasn’t made any stats available for their JV online as of yet, but I’ve seen a few spectacular highlights from Zach pop up on social media.