Ohio State Track And Field, Cross Country Coach Karen Dennis Announces Retirement

Dennis spent 45 years as a coach, including the last 20 years leading the Buckeyes' men's and/or women's programs.

Longtime Ohio State track and field and cross country coach Karen Dennis announced on Monday morning she is retiring after 20 years with the Buckeyes.

“I hope this isn’t too much of a surprise,” Dennis said in a statement. “I have coached for a long time and there are still things in life I’d like to do. I am truly thankful for this profession, and I want to express my gratitude to the many assistant coaches and support staff that have shared and sweated alongside me on this incredible journey. They share a primary role in the success of our programs. 

“I also want to thank the hundreds of student-athletes who have shared their lives and careers as Buckeyes, and also their parents. I want to thank the great coaches here at Ohio State, and in the Big Ten Conference and nationally, who have served as examples of excellence and who have challenged and motivated me to be better.”

A 1977 graduate of Michigan State University, Dennis began her coaching career as an assistant with the Spartans women’s track and field team shortly after earning her Master’s degree in 1977. She was also the head coach at her alma mater and UNLV before coming to Ohio State as an assistant in 2003.

Dennis was promoted to head coach of the women’s team in 2006 and became the director of both the men’s and women’s track and field and cross country programs in 2014.

“I want to thank Gene Smith, who believed in me and hired me into the dual men’s and women’s position at a time when very few women in all of track and field had a dual role,” Dennis said. “And, I want to thank my longtime sport AD at Ohio State, T.J. Shelton, who was very instrumental in the success of this program.”

During her time in Columbus, the Buckeyes captured 12 Big Ten championships, including five women’s outdoor titles, four women’s indoor titles, two men’s outdoor titles and one men’s indoor title. That ties her with former men’s swimming coach Mike Peppe for the third-most conference championships in school history, trailing only former men’s golf coach Jim Brown (17) and men’s tennis coach Ty Tucker (16).

Dennis’ final season at the helm was one to remember, as Ohio State won both a men’s and women’s outdoor Big Ten championship in the same season for the first time in school history. Senior Adelaide Aquilla then set an NCAA record in the shot put to defend her outdoor national championship, giving Dennis her eighth NCAA champion.

“I can’t thank Karen Dennis enough for her friendship, her mentorship and the love she has for her student-athletes and Ohio State athletics,” Smith said. “I want to congratulate her on a truly legendary career in coaching. We have been incredibly fortunate to have her leading our programs.”

Among Dennis’ long list of accomplishments, she was inducted into the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall Of Fame in 2018, the Michigan State Sports Hall of Fame in 2019 and the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020. She was also named the Big Ten track and field coach of the year 12 times, as her student-athletes won 118 individual conference titles and 22 relay crowns during her 45-year coaching career.

Dennis was also the head coach of the women’s track and field team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and assistant with the U.S. national teams at the 1995 World Championships in Sweden, 1991 Pan American Games in Cuba and 1989 World University Championships in Germany. 

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