Track and field standout Jeanna Cunningham still reigns as the top 400-meter dash runner in YSU history. She also is one of the best sprinters in school history.
Cunningham, who was a member of the program from 2002-06, set the indoor record in the 400m in February 2005 (55.82 seconds) and the outdoor record in the event in April 2006 (54.65 seconds). Those marks still stand today. Indoors, she bettered the previous mark by more than one second and outdoors she lowered the record by a half second.
She is the only runner to rank in the top 10 in school history in the 60m, 200m and 400m in indoor and the 100m, 200m and 400m outdoors. Her top indoor career times rank her fifth in the 60m dash and 200m dash while her best outdoor performances place her fourth in the 200m and ninth in the 100m.
Cunningham was a key contributor throughout here entire YSU career. She was a part of five Horizon League Championship teams – 2004 and 2005 indoor and 2004, 2005 and 2006 outdoor.
Her final meet at YSU was at the 2006 Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Indianapolis. She helped the Guins win their third straight outdoor title by leading off the winning 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams. Individually she was second in the 400m dash and third in the 200m dash.
The 2005 season was her final year on the indoor circuit and she went out with a bang. She was named the Track Performer of the Meet at the Horizon League Championships. She won the 400m dash by nearly two seconds while adding second-place finishes in the 60m and 200m dash while anchoring the Penguins’ victorious 4x400m relay team. At the Outdoor league meet later in the spring, she placed second in the 200m dash and third in the 100m dash. She anchored YSU’s 4x400m relay squad at the NCAA Mideast Regional.
During the 2004 slate, Cunningham was one of the top sprinters in the Horizon League. At the outdoor meet, she placed second in both the 100m and 200m dashes. She was a key member of two spectacular relay performances leading the 4x400m relay squad to a conference record while the 4x100m relay team set a school record. Earlier in the year at the indoor meet, she placed third in the 200m dash and fourth in the 60m dash. She ran the third leg of the conference-record setting 4x400m relay team.
In 2003, Cunningham competed in the indoor season only finishing third in the 400m and seventh in the 200m. She also ran the 60m dash at the HL meet.
Her career started off on a high note in 2002 when she was named the Outstanding Running Newcomer at the Outdoor HL Championships and the Female Newcomer of the Year during the indoor slate. At the outdoor meet she won the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.28 seconds and finished second in the 200m dash. At the indoor championships she was second in the 200m, third in the 400m and eighth in the 60m dash. She concluded a busy meet by anchoring the 4x400m relay squad.
Cunningham earned her degree from YSU in Civil Engineering and received her Master’s Degree from Capitol University. She is currently employed as a Construction/Inspection Division Manager for Dynotec, Inc.
A native of Warren, she graduated from Warren Harding High School as an accomplished track and field athlete. She set the school record in the 200m dash and was a multiple Steel Valley Conference champion. She was a three-sport athlete for the Raiders also playing basketball and soccer.
Jeanna Hondel now resides in Columubs, Ohio, with her husband, Michael.
