2026 Joe Banks Invitational

Photos Photos Live Results Recap Recap Results Results

Hosted by Ohio Northern University
Friday, January 30, 2026
ONU Sports Center - Ada, Ohio

| 2026 Meet Information (.pdf) | Time Schedule (.pdf) | HJ/PV Progressions (.pdf) | Final Results (.pdf) |

| Live Results | 

Field events begin at 5 p.m. Track events begin at 6 p.m.

Participating Teams (Men and Women)

  • Ohio Northern 
  • Bluffton
  • Central State
  • Georgetown (Ky.)
  • Heidelberg
  • Indiana East
  • Manchester (Ind.)
  • Ohio Christian
  • Otterbein
  • Shawnee State
  • St. Francis (Ind.)
  • Trine (Ind)
  • West Virginia Tech 

Tickets

  • Tickets, priced at $5, can be purchased at the door.

Who Was Joe Banks?

Joseph Banks (1919-2007) was a head track and field coach and assistant football coach at Ohio Northern University from 1960 to 1967.

In addition, Banks served as the Associate Director of Admissions (1971-1984), a part-time admissions associate (1985-2002), an assistant professor of physical education, and an athletic trainer for ONU throughout his life. He also spent time as an ONU Alumni Association board member, the Phi Mu Delta Alumni Association treasurer, and the ONU N-Man Association president for Ohio Northern.

Prior to working at ONU, Banks was a high school teacher/coach and a sergeant in the U.S. military. Notably, he served with the Third Army's 965th Ordinance Heavy Automotive Maintenance Company in the Rhineland under General George Patton during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.

He graduated from Ohio Northern in 1941 with a B.S. in Education and returned for a B.A. degree in 1946. During his undergraduate career at Ohio Northern, Banks was a record-holder and letterwinner for the school's track and field program and a letterwinner on the football team.

In high school, Banks played football for legendary Ohio State University head coach Woody Hayes at Central High School in New Philadelphia, Ohio. He was also a letterwinner for the Central HS track and field program.

Banks was inducted into the ONU Athletic Hall of Fame and the Holmes County Sports Hall of Fame.