Catholic Central grad wins national award for Ohio State

That was Engel’s second straight victory. She won the Mike Daumer Cross Country Classic at Wright State on Sept. 2. She finished that 5K race with a personal-best time of 17:32.5.

Engel has steadily improved in her three seasons. She finished 25th at the Big Ten championships and fourth last season. She finished third at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional last season with a personal-best 6K time of 19:59.6.

Engel finished 66th at the NCAA cross country championships last year in 20:15.4 — the fifth-best place at the national meet in Ohio State history.

“We couldn’t be prouder of Addie,” associate head coach Sara Mason Vergote said then in a story on Ohio State’s website. “To come here your first time and be 66th is a huge accomplishment. And with all of the Covid eligibility, this was arguably the most competitive year in NCAA cross country history. Addie has continued to show poise at the highest level.”

In track, Engel finished second in the 5,000 (16:18.70) last spring at the Big Ten Championships, helping lead Ohio State to the team championship.

As a junior at Catholic Central in 2019, Engel won state championships in the 1,600 and 3,200 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. The state meet and entire spring season was cancelled because of the pandemic in her senior year.