Future meteorologist and Sutton native looks to defend LEC cross-country title for Plymouth State
Mike Olson was about 4 years old when Hurricane Charley hit Florida in August 2004, and, all of a sudden, the Weather Channel replaced Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network as the toddler’s favorite TV station.
Olson was in awe of the maps plotting the storm’s track, satellite imagery of its eye, and the colorful, swirling graphics of the Category 4 making landfall.
“Apparently,” Olson, a 2019 Sutton High graduate and Sammies cross-country star, said, “my eyes were just glued to the screen. My mother could not get me to stop watching the Weather Channel.”
Olson, who majored in meteorology at Plymouth State, is working toward his graduate degree in applied meteorology while having an outstanding fall for the Panthers.
On Saturday at Keene State, Olson will look to defend his individual title at the Little East Championship while the Panthers hope to repeat as team champions. Olson’s forecast for race day is partly sunny and in the 50s.
Olson grew up in Northern Illinois before moving to Sutton his junior year of high school.
As a senior at Sutton, Olson earned T&G Super Team honors after a runner-up finish at the Central Mass. Division 2 championships and 23rd-place performance at the state meet.
Olson has dominated his last three seasons at Plymouth State.
He was the 2022 LEC Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year after leading the Panthers to their first conference championship. During the season, he won twice and had another three top-10 finishes. He earned all-region honors and represented Plymouth State at the NCAA Championships for the second straight year.
This fall, Olson has two individual titles, and his personal-best winning time of 24:56.41 at the James Early Invitational at Westfield State marked the first time Olson broke 25 minutes for an 8K.
“This fall has gone really well,” Olson said. “Honestly, it’s gone according to plan. I really wanted to have a strong season, especially coming off last season and with this being my last year running, I really wanted to go out there and pretty much repeat what I did last year and improve in some aspects, and I’ve done that.”
Olson opened the season with a third-place finish at the Suffolk Short Course Classic at Franklin Park. The field included Division 1, 2 and 3 runners.
Olson ran his first 5K when he was 10 with his aunt and his mother in Illinois.
Growing up in the Midwest further piqued his interest in meteorology.
“The weather is more extreme there in certain ways than it is here,” Olson said. “(As a kid) I was fascinated about learning and watching meteorologists on TV. Watching is play out in real life stuck with me. I said, ‘You know what? I might as well make it my career if I love it this much.’ ”
Olson’s career goal is to work as a forecaster for the National Weather Service.
Olson and the Panthers are the favorites for this year’s LEC championship.
“We’re just hoping to repeat last year,” Olson said, “and rewrite the record books again.”
HC women ring in the new season with new bling
The Holy Cross women’s basketball team received its 2022-23 Patriot League championship rings during a Family Weekend celebration Saturday at the Hart Center.
“It was a cool reminder of everything we did last year,” senior guard Bronagh Power-Cassidy said, “and a good way to start our (2023-24) season. It’s a reminder of what we’re putting all this work in for. It was just really fun.”
Power-Cassidy and graduated guard Addisyn Cross designed the rings, which feature a large purple gem overlaying the HC shield in the center, surrounding diamonds, and engravings of some of the Crusaders’ outstanding accomplishments, including their 24-9 record and first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2007.
“They look amazing and they fit perfectly,” senior forward Janelle Allen said. “It was just meant to be.”
Coach Maureen Magarity wanted Power-Cassidy and Cross, who returned to HC for Saturday’s ceremony, involved with the process of designing the rings to make them more personal and special for the team.
Senior guard Cara McCormack gave her ring to her parents to bring home to Smithtown, N.Y., for safekeeping.
“I have a special area in my room for it,” McCormack said. “Hopefully, we can get another one.”
The Crusaders, who open Nov. 6 at Boston College, are the preseason favorite to repeat as Patriot League champions. Power-Cassidy, who was the MVP of last year’s PL tournament, is a preseason All-League selection.
Bob Cousy Award watchlist revealed
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the 20 watch-list candidates for the 2023 Bob Cousy Award. The honor, in its 21st year and named for the Holy Cross and Boston Celtics legend, recognizes the top point guard in Division 1 men’s college basketball.
A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of candidates: Isaiah Stevens (Colorado State), Steven Ashworth (Creighton), Tyrese Proctor (Duke), Ryan Nembhard (Gonzaga), Jamal Shead (Houston), Dajuan Harris Jr. (Kansas), DJ Wagner (Kentucky), Tyler Kolek (Marquette), Jahmir Young (Maryland), Jahvon Quinerly (Memphis), Nijel Pack (Miami, Fla.), RJ Davis (North Carolina), Boo Buie (Northwestern), Ace Baldwin Jr. (Penn State), Judah Mintz (Syracuse), Zakai Zeigler (Tennessee), Max Abmas (Texas), Wade Taylor IV (Texas A&M), Tristen Newton (UConn), and Isaiah Collier (USC).
Fan voting opens Friday, and Cousy and the selection committee will narrow down the watch list throughout the season and choose a winner in March.
For more information on the Bob Cousy Award, visit hoophallawards.com.
Head of the Class
WPI sophomore Christopher Smith of Northbridge repeated as the 100 butterfly winner at the Worcester City Championship.
Keene State junior forward Irini Stefanakos of Fitchburg totaled 10 points to lead the Owls field hockey team to two wins and the No. 2 seed in the Little East Conference tournament.
Tufts soccer senior Erin Duncan of Shrewsbury and Holy Name High had a goal and an assist in a win over Bates, and helped the Jumbos to a 2-0-1 week.
Nichols freshman Katherine Hearn of Sutton scored the winning goal against Gordon and helped the field hockey team to its first Commonwealth Coast Conference victory of the season.
Western New England freshman Braylon Cashinghino of Brimfield had back-to-back clean sheets with seven saves in a scoreless draw with Nichols and eight in a 1-0 win over Endicott that clinched the Bears the CCC regular-season title.
—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @JenTolandTG.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Sutton native looks to defend LEC cross-country title for Plymouth State
