Junior runner Noah Droddy capped off a highly successful individual cross-country season with a finish that proved hard work and dedication to a sport can pay off.
Droddy, after battling injury only a year ago, trained extensively during the summer and ran some of his best races in his career during the season, but none better than on Nov. 19 at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.
The junior finished in ninth place at the NCAA Div. III national meet, the best finish on the national stage in DePauw men's cross-country history, earning all-American honors as he finished in the top 35.
"I put in probably 300 miles more over the course of the season than I did last season," Droddy said. "A top-10 finish wasn't on my radar, the goal was to break a school record and to be an all-American. Then around the third mile, I thought, ‘What's happening?'"
The race at Oshkosh was on a fairly flat golf course, which Droddy and head coach Kori Stoffregen said fed into Droddy's strengths as a runner.
"Being a really tall runner, I don't run hills very well," Droddy said. "It's just easier for me to stride out over a flat course."
The conditions were also ideal for a cross-country meet.
"The weather was cold, making the ground hard," Stoffregen said. "It was absolutely perfect conditions, runners like it cold. It was 40 degrees and calm winds, you couldn't ask for more."
The well-suited course and conditions played a large role in determining Droddy's race strategy as well.
"It allowed him to be very aggressive at the start of the race," Stoffregen said. "In a hot race, you can't go out hard and survive it as well."
Last year in the NCAA Div. III race, Droddy finished 68th with a slower start.
"Getting out in front at a national meet still means you're running with 40 people," Droddy said. "I just went out and planned to stay close. I just kept moving forward, and I felt really good. I just happened to have a good day when it mattered."
According to Stoffregen, the junior got off to a great start and just kept getting stronger. He kept passing runners in the top 20 throughout the race and worked himself up to a ninth place finish — by far the best in school history.
"More than anything it has given our men's program a shot in the arm, which we've needed," Stoffregen said. "He did qualify last year, but we've been in a rough patch even though we were really capable of doing well this year. Hopefully, this brings some excitement to the program and it gives the guys the OK to dream."
As for Droddy, he will have another opportunity to train hard and compete to heighten DePauw's cross-country program.
"I want to compete for a win," Droddy said. "I never thought I could compete for a championship, but I can. If you look at in on paper, there's no reason why I can't fight it out with a few more guys for the win."