Youngstown State University

Kurt Michaelis
Track and Field/Cross Country
2003-04
Kurt Michaelis is the first two-time Vindicator YSU Male Athlete of the Year with his selection again this year.
Michaelis, who earned the Vindicator honor last April, backed up a successful indoor campaign with a strong outdoor season in 2003. He concluded the year with three top-five finishes at the Horizon League Outdoor meet in May and made the NCAA Regional finals in the 1,500.
At the 2003 outdoor league meet, Michaelis won the 1,500 meters, placed second in the steeplechase and was third in the 800. He qualified for the NCAA Regionals in all three events and eventually finished 10th in the 1,500.
This year as a senior on the outdoor track, he will again be a force at the Horizon League Outddor meet which will be held on May 6-7 in Indianapolis. He should be a favorite in the steeplechase as he currently ranks in the top 10 in the United States in that race. He also owns the league’s top time in the 1,500 meters entering the stretch run of the outdoor season. As a member of the cross country team in the fall, he placed 25th at the Horizon League meet. He did not compete during the indoor campaign because he exhausted his eligibility.
In 2002-03, Michaelis had a banner year. He was All-American at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, was named the Horizon League Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year, won the mile championship at the Horizon League Indoor Championships while leading YSU to its first league title in school history, won the 1,500 at the league outdoor meet and set school records in the steeplechase (outdoor), mile (indoor) and 1,000-meter run (indoor).
He owns other school records in the 1,500 meters and distance medley.
At the 2003 NCAA indoor championships, Michaelis placed ninth overall in the mile with a time of 4:07.79, but by being the seventh-place American finisher, earned All-American status. At the Horizon League Indoor meet, Michaelis won the mile for the second consecutive year, placed third in the 1,000 and fourth in the 800.
His YSU competition year began in the fall as a junior member and team captain of the cross country squad. Michaelis placed 19th at the Horizon League Men’s Cross Country Championships with a time of 25:43, while as a team, YSU placed third.
In 2001-02, Michaelis had an outstanding campaign as well. On the outdoor circuit, he won the Horizon League titles in the mile and the 800-meter run. At the indoor championship meet he won the mile and 800 meters as well. In the fall, he finished 24th at the Horizon League Men’s Cross Country Championships.
Excelling off the track as well, Michaelis owns a 3.38 grade-point average as an Exercise Physiology major. A graduate of Holgate High School, he is a five-time Horizon League Academic All-League Team member and a CoSIDA All-District Academic selection. Kurt’s parents are Doug and Sharon Michaelis.