Oak Harbor's Athena Eli will run at Notre Dame College

Track is more than just running for Oak Harbor senior Athena Eli.

The sport provides Eli with opportunities to make friends, embrace challenges and achieve success. She will continue her career at Division II Notre Dame College.

“Just being out there,” Eli said. “You just feel free on that straight-away. There’s no better feeling than hearing the crowd. The reward is amazing.

“I’m extremely excited to run in college. It’s been a goal of mine since I can remember. I’ll make new friends and expand myself beyond Genoa, Ohio.”

Eli, who plans to study criminal justice, visited Notre Dame in the fall.

“Coach (Charlie Massi) made me feel I belonged,” she said. “Coach kept in touch. They have everything I wanted in a college. It’s not too big and it’s not too small. I like that.

“The facilities are nice. I met some of the girls. The coaches made me feel welcome and made me excited.”

Eli made state each of her first three years in high school. Five of the seven relay teams she competed with placed.

“The experiences I’ll be able to take with me,” she said of her Rockets highlight. “Not everybody can say they’ve been to state three times and hopefully four. It’s built me into the person I am. It’s more than just running.”

Eli thought about running in college after coming to Oak Harbor as a freshman. The Rockets have won the Sandusky Bay Conference each of her first three years.

“I was excited to join the Oak Harbor program,” she said. “The feeling being with my teammates in relays – I couldn’t have (earned the opportunity at Notre Dame) without them.

“The main goal (now) is to finish strong, get another SBC title and get back to state and on the podium with my girls. That’s the goal every year.”

Eli intends to have an immediate impact in college.

“They’re building the program,” she said. “They see me in the 400 and down. The sprints. I’m a worker. I’ll give it everything I’ve got, meets or practice.”

Eli has always strived to outdo older sister, Simone. Simone played basketball at Bowling Green State University after graduating from Genoa.

“(Running) is my thing,” Eli said. “Basketball is her thing. She’s one of my biggest role models. Being better is what I’ve tried to do. I found it with track. She texts me before my races. She motivates me to be my best.”

mhorn@gannett.com

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Twitter:@MatthewHornNH