COLUMBUS, Ohio – Karen Dennis, the wonderfully successful director of track & field and cross country at Ohio State University, today announced her retirement from coaching after 20 seasons at Ohio State, 45 years in collegiate coaching and with enough team and individual champions, Olympians, Hall of Fame honors and coach of the year accolades to be elevated into the rare air of legendary.
Dennis announced the news of her retirement to her coaching staff and team Monday morning, just days after 22 Buckeye student-athletes competed at the NCAA championships and just three weeks after her men’s and women’s teams each captured Big Ten Conference outdoor championships.
“I hope this isn’t too much of a surprise,” Dennis said. “I have coached for a long time and there are still things in life I’d like to do. I am truly thankful for this profession, and I want to express my gratitude to the many assistant coaches and support staff that have shared and sweated alongside me on this incredible journey. They share a primary role in the success of our programs.
“I also want to thank the hundreds of student-athletes who have shared their lives and careers as Buckeyes, and also their parents.
“I want to thank the great coaches here at Ohio State, and in the Big Ten Conference and nationally, who have served as examples of excellence and who have challenged and motivated me to be better.
“And, I want to thank my family for the sacrifices they made while I pursued coaching, and specifically my daughter Ebony, who had to share her Mother with the 100s of student-athletes that I coached.”
Dennis just completed her eighth season as director of both the men’s and women’s programs at Ohio State. She arrived in Columbus in 2002 as an assistant coach for the women’s team and in 2006 she was named women’s head coach. In 2014 she was promoted to director of the men’s and women’s track & field and cross country programs.
“I want to thank Gene Smith, who believed in me and hired me into the dual men’s and women’s position at a time when very few women in all of track and field had a dual role,” Dennis said. “And, I want to thank my longtime sport AD at Ohio State, T.J. Shelton, who was very instrumental in the success of this program.”
Dennis’ coaching and leadership positioned Ohio State as one of the top programs in the Big Ten Conference and nationally. Her Buckeyes captured 12 Big Ten Conference championships,…
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