Older Gives Eagles a Veteran Presence
October 1, 2002

Billy Older (Wooster, OH/Norwayne) and wiser.

It’s “Billy the Kid,” no more for the Ashland University senior. Older is a veteran on an Eagle cross country team that has some very mature goals. AU is hosting the NCAA Division II men’s and women’s cross country championships on Saturday, Nov. 23 at Brookside Golf Course. Older and the Eagles desperately want to be part of the championship field.

“Everybody’s excited about the season,” said Older. “A lot of the guys on this team are upperclassmen now. We came into the season, a couple of guys were hurt and a couple were being redshirted. We want to run smart and be able to compete at a high level.”

Getting to that high level requires staying on level ground emotionally. Cross country is a long season where the miles add up like the odometer on an Enterprise rental. Knowing how to get in good shape and stay there without getting hurt is one key. Peaking at the right time of the season is another. That’s where Older’s presence is needed this season.

“Just being here for four years, you get to see all the things your coaches tell you about,” explained Older. “We want to keep ourselves at a high level of intensity without getting injured. As a freshman and sophomore, sometimes you get over-anxious. You get hurt or you have to take days off. Now (as an upperclassman) you can read yourself better.”

The Eagles are still getting a read on themselves. The AU men ran at the University of Georgia on Sept. 14 and in a field loaded with Division I talent, placed fourth. AU senior Nick Cordes (Madison, OH) was the top individual. This past week (Sept. 28), AU competed at the Wooster Invitational and finished first in a 10-team event. Once again, Cordes was the top individual and four Ashland runners were listed in the Top 10. Older’s time on the 8K course was 28:42 (33rd).

Anytime the Eagles go to the starting line, the expectation is that they will do well. But what the Eagles are really pointing to are the meets that are late in the season – the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships, the NCAA Division II regional championships and, if everything goes well, the NCAA championships. The top two men’s teams from the regional meet will move on to nationals.

Older considers himself a work in progress even though AU head coach Bill Gallagher said he came back to school in as fine a shape as at anytime in his AU career. He logged 55-60 miles a week all summer and is still doing that.

“My main goal (in the summer) was to build my base,” said Older. “Right now, it’s still about the same. All in all, I’d like to have a better base. Recently, I’ve had my hamstring pull a little bit. I’ve been trying to play it smart.”

That shouldn’t be a problem for Older, a member of the All-GLIAC all-academic team in cross country and track and field. He’s been an iron man for the program throughout his career, competing in cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field. He’s been the runnerup in the steeplechase at the last two GLIAC outdoor championship meets. He owns the school freshman record in the steeplechase (9:33.21).

That kind of championship experience should serve the Eagles well this fall.

“We’re on schedule,” said Older of the Eagles. “Our goal is to get all our guys back. That gives us a good chance at the GLIAC meet as well as the regional meet.”