2021 Larry Cole Invitational

Coach Cole was the Ohio Northern head cross country and track & field coach from 1991-97. He was instrumental in laying the foundation of the program. He turned things around and established a standard of expectations and success. His men's indoor track & field team won the 1996 Ohio Athletic Conference Championship, the first in ONU history. He hosted the ONU Sports Center's very first NCAA Championship in 1995. He also started the "ONU Friday Night Series" home track and field meets. The Polar Bears have enjoyed so much success here at home over the years, and it's only fitting that we name a Friday night home track and field meet after Coach Cole.

 

After leaving ONU, Coach Cole went to be the Athletic Director at Bath High School, and is now the head track & field coach at Rose-Hulman in Terre Haute, Indiana. While at Rose-Hulman, Coach has won 25 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference track and field championships in 17 years. Larry has announced his retirement at the end of the 2020 cross country season — of course after he hosts the NCAA Cross Country Championships.   

 

"I want to say thank you to Coach Cole," ONU head track & field coach Jason Maus said. "He's been such a good mentor and friend to so many coaches and me personally. We talk, what seems like once a month, and he always tells me how proud he is of ONU and our program, and how much he enjoyed his time at ONU.  He's a Polar Bear at heart, and seems to love ONU. Thank you Coach for all you've done for our sport, for ONU and Rose-Hulman, and for me personally."