The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Cornerstone senior picks RedHawks
Abby Suszek’s unique journey in track and field has taken her through local park trails and parking lots, temporary home facilities and the upper expanses of her craft at SPIRE and in Columbus.
The Cornerstone Christian senior now has another stop on that journey firmly entrenched. Next stop: Oxford, Ohio. Suszek, one of The News-Herald coverage area’s premier girls 400-meter runners throughout her career with the Patriots, recently committed to continue her track and field career at Miami (Ohio).
“There’s actually quite a few reasons,” Suszek said. “One of them of course is not being too far away from home, which I really like. The other few reasons are it was one of the only schools I could visit before the (COVID-19) shutdown, and that was a big requirement for me. I wanted to be on campus with the coach before I made a decision anywhere. And obviously with COVID, it’s been a little difficult getting that done.
“But when I did go visit, I did a couple visits to different schools before that, and I just felt at peace when I was at the campus — almost kind of like called to go there in a way, if that makes sense. It’s that gut feeling. And also, something that is important to me is the faith aspect. I loved the church down there — there was a church on campus, and also ministry aspects that they have.”
Suszek said she also considered Liberty, Lehigh and Grand Valley State. As far as a major, she has interest in psychology and biology, with a potential minor in criminology.
While competing in Division I was an objective, Suszek noted she didn’t want to attend too large of a school after her Cornerstone tenure. Cornerstone has 95 students in grades 10-12 according to OHSAA enrollment figures.
“A f ter Cor nerstone, I think that transition would have been very difficult for me,” Suszek said with a laugh.
The Miami decision was for all intents and purposes locked in after a Zoom call with other 400 runners for the RedHawks.
“I really liked the way they treated each other,” Suszek said. “Everything about it, it really fit together nicely for me. I made a pros and cons list the day before I officially decided I was going to verbally commit. And I could not think of a single con with anything.
“The family aspect is definitely there. I can see it on the team. I just loved everything about it.”
Suszek burst on the area as a freshman in 2018, culminating with taking fourth in Division III 400 at state with a time of 57.86 seconds.
Then as a sophomore, Suszek was D-III state runner-up to Archbold’s Dakota Stamm with a gutsy 56.00. That second was the highest placement by a Cornerstone track and field athlete at state in school history.
She is one of four Patriots to qualify for the state meet all-time and one of two to place, along with Cornerstone great Courtney Reese, who was fourth in D-III 400 in 2010 and 2011.
Suszek also had a breakout performance each of the last two seasons at state indoor. As a sophomore, she was third in D-II/III with a 57.33.
Then i n March, just before COVID wreaked havoc on sports and society, Suszek won a state indoor title with a 56.68.
Suszek regularly hones her craft in a world-class facility at SPIRE, but the scope of her journey makes her particularly thankful.
The time spent in middle school running in the parking lot. Logging training miles on local park trails. The occasional but not daily use of a facility at Tri-C and VASJ. The stares wondering what school she represents.
All of it has brought Suszek to this laudable juncture, a D-I recruit from one of the smallest schools in Ohio.
“I know for me, just looking back, of course it is frustrating not having the facilities and even the team — we’re so tiny,” Suszek said. “That gets frustrating as well. But it really just makes me so much more excited for the future, so much more excited for college track, to be able to finally have that team aspect I’ve always wanted the past five years now.
“I think in a way it’s almost a blessing in disguise. I think it will just make me appreciate college track so much more and not really look at it as a job so much. It’s just a time to grow and to make new friendships — all that good stuff.”