Austin McLean
Track and Field/XC
2014-15
Junior Austin McLean is the first men’s track and field distance runner to be named the YSU/The Vindicator Athlete of the Year since 2004. McLean is also just the fourth distance runner in YSU’s illustrious track and field history to earn the honor.
McLean has excelled in cross country and in both indoor and outdoor track the past two seasons for the Penguins.
In his last two races at the Horizon League Cross Country Championships, he finished third (2014) and fifth (2013). He is the first runner since YSU joined the conference to have a pair of top-five finishes in the race. The previous runner to have two top-five finishes was Matt Folk in 1996 and 1998. The Guins have never had a runner in the top five three times, and McLean will get a chance to accomplish that feat in November.
During the 2015 indoor season, McLean was named the Horizon League’s Track and Field Athlete of the Year. At the conference championships he was first in the mile with a time of 4:11.16 and won the 3,000 meters with a time of 8:19.98. He was right behind teammate Eric Rupe in the 5,000m run as well posting a time of 15:49.87. He scored 28 points for the Penguins and shared the Most Points Award at the meet. At the outdoor championships, he was second in the steeplechase, third in the 5,000-meter run and fourth in the 1,500 meters. In both meets, the men finished a close second for the Horizon League title.
His signature indoor event on the year was the 3,000 meters. On a pair of occasions he set the school record in the event which now stands at 8:10.45. He also ran the second-fastest mile in school history at 4:08.59.
In 2014, he found his stride last spring in helping the men’s team claim their first Horizon League Outdoor title since joining the conference. The Most Outstanding Track Performer at the Meet, he won the steeplechase in a time of 9:17.31. In the second-to-last event of the championships, his mad dash in the final 200-plus meters gave him a second-place finish and helped the Penguins seal the conference title. Additionally he was third in the 1,500 meter run.
He advanced to the NCAA Prelims in the steeplechase where he finished 18th with a season-best time of 8:51.70. That time was the second-fastest steeplechase performance in school history.
During the 2014 Horizon League indoor meet, he was second in the 5,000 meters, third in the mile and fifth in the 3,000-meter run. As a team, YSU was second.
In 2012, he was eighth at the indoor championships in the 3,000 meters while at the 2013 outdoor meet McLean finished seventh in the 5,000m. He redshirted during the 2012 outdoor and 2013 indoor seasons. As a freshman in cross country in 2011, he was YSU’s second-highest finisher placing 27th. He redshirted in cross county in 2012.
A graduate of West Jefferson High School, he owns 3.21
