Today we continue – and this week we conclude – the countdown of JJHuddle’s “Top 50 Ohio High School Athletes of the Decade” for 1999-2009. Today we unveil the No. 4 athlete in our countdown and No. 1 will be announced Friday!
Today’s entry won 19 state titles (12 individual and seven team)…
4. Sunni Olding, Minster, Cross Country, Basketball and Track, 2000-04: If we based success solely on state titles, Olding would have no peer. During her career at Minster, the standout runner and athlete won 19 total state championships. She won 12 individual state titles in cross country and track and won seven team titles, including at least one in every sport (three track, three cross country and one basketball) she participated in.
Prior to solid runs at Notre Dame (under grad) and Arizona State (grad), Olding captured three individual cross country state titles while at Minster and was a four-time state champion in the 1,600. She also won two 3,200 state titles and was on three state champion 3,200 relay teams.
During her last two years of high school, Olding was undefeated in the 1,600, 3,200 and 3,200 relay. She was twice named a USA Today High School All-American.
Olding still holds the D-III state record in the 3,200 (10:32.75) and set the then-1,600 mark (since broken) as well.
Olding’s most impressive feat? It might be graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree from Notre Dame where she carried a 3.983 cumulative GPA as an undergraduate and had a 4.0 in her major course work.
Olding earned 11 varsity letters at Minster (four each track and cc, three in basketball).
