Giesting selected to Indiana Track and Field Hall of Fame

Jan. 18—The Indiana Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches will induct their 2023 class at 1 p.m. June 24, 2023, with a free reception at the Indiana Track and Field Hall of Fame Museum (5353 East Margaret Drive, exit 11B off I-70), followed by the official induction and dinner ($35) at Idle Creek Golf Course Banquet Facilities, 5353 Ryanne Marie Lane, Terre Haute, Indiana 47802.

Abby Farley — Park Tudor High School

Abby was a three-time IHSAA State champion 800 meter, including 2 state records, in 2010 at 2:09.50 and bettered it in 2011 at 2:08.91. She was an All-State 4x400 relay member in 2011. Farley placed third in the 2011 New Balance Nationals. She attended Duke University and earned All-East outdoor and All-ACC honors on the 4x400 relay and DMR respectively. Farley's collegiate 800 P.R. was 2:06.02

Bethany and Brittany Neeley — Eastern Greentown High School

Bethany was a two-time 1600 meter IHSAA Champion in 2012 4:53.95 and in 2013 4:53.37. Neeley was a member of the current All-Time Best 4x800 relay. She was selected Miss Indiana Track & Field Athlete of the Year, IHSAA Track & Field Mental Attitude Award, member of the Pan American Junior Team, 2012 All State Cross Country honoree, and a 7-time IHSAA medalist. Attended Indiana University and finished her racing career at North Carolina State University.

Brittany held the All-Time Best 800 meter record for six years (2:06.68) and is currently third best all-time. She is 17th on the 1600 meter All-Time Best list at 4:50.18 in 2013, and a member of the current All-Time Best 800 relay. She was the IHSAA basketball recipient of the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award, IHSAA state 800 meter champ, and an alternate member of the Pan American Junior Team. She attended Indiana University and finished her racing career at Indiana State University.

Jordan Fife — Seymour

Fife was a 2-time state qualifier in cross country and track (3200). All-State in cross country in 2001, set record at Indiana State in 1500 meters, mile, steeplechase, and 5000 meters. 12- time All-Conference in the MVC, NCAA All-American in the steeplechase, still holds ISU steeplechase record. All-American in NCAA steeplechase in 2006, and 2007, Fife was an 8 time USA Championships Qualifier. Competed in 2 Olympic Trials (2008 & 2012) and 2 USA Indoor Championships. He was the fourth Indiana native to run a sub 4:00 mile.

Chris Giesting — Batesville High School

Giesting finished his high school career with a 400 meter IHSAA Championship in 2011 (47.33), after running third in 2010. He attended Notre Dame and along with Patrick Feeney, New Palestine, they rewrote the ND record book. He held the ND record indoor 400 meter 45.74 and outdoor 400 meter 45.53. He was a 7-time NCAA All-American and 2016 Olympic Trials qualifier.

David Woods — Former Indianapolis Star Sportswriter

Woods wrote about Olympic sports in the Indianapolis Star from 1994 — 2022 and is now a freelance track writer. In 1996, he began covering the summer Olympics in person. Woods is the only 4-time winner of the Track and Field Writers of America's Jesse Abramson Award for journalism. He has more than 30 national and state writing awards and belongs to the Indiana Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame.

Mark Harsha — Portage High School

Coach Harsha had been coaching for 29 years. He spent his first four years at Rensselaer Central High School under the guidance of Indiana Hall of Fame coach Gene Edmonds and Bill Zimmer. The remaining years were at Portage High School. Harsha has been the throwing events coach for 24 of his 29 years. During that time, he has coached 37 state finalists, two National High School Shot Put Champions, 7 IHSAA State champions, and three All-Americans, one IHSAA State runner-up and 16 IHSAA State medalists. One of his former athletes (Tori Bliss) holds the state meet record in the women's shot. Bliss was ranked number one in the nation in her senior year in the shot. He also served as an executive with the National Throwing Coaches Association since 2004. Harsha served on the Midwest All-Star staff for three years. His strong belief in education has led him to organize several clinics and camps for athletes and coaches.

Thom Smith — New Prairie High School

Smith girls' cross country team have had IHSAA State Champion Carol Gray 1984 and 1985, 1985 3rd, and 1983 4th. His team had 3 top 10 finishes 2000 6th, 2001 6th, and 2002 10th. He has 22 other individual IHSAA State qualifiers, four IHSAA Sectional Champions, 10 All-State athletes, 20 Northern State Conference titles in 33 years of coaching with a regular season meet record of 324 wins and 111 loses. Smith was the first Mid-East Indiana All Star Cross Country coach in 1987. The New Prairie Cross County course is named for his leadership in the New Prairie Invitational Cross Country Meet. He ran at North Manchester High School under the coaching of Hall of Famer Dick Miller, placing 15th in 1972 cross country.

2013 4x800 Relay Eastern Greentown High School

Brittany Neeley, Bethany Neeley, Jessica Sprinkles, and Sarah Wagner made up the Eastern High School 4x800 Meter Relay that in 2013 broke the Chesterton High School 2006 record of 9:03.77 by 10.03 seconds. Their record is the current State All-Time Best, West Lafayette's 2015 time of 8:58.72 has been their closed challenger.

Roy Conrad — Darlington

Conrad was the 1907 IHSAA broad jump champion (21'4.2") with a record. He attended Earlham College and became their most distinguished athlete in track and field and basketball until 1954 setting six records, including four that lasted for 43 years; broad jump (22'10"), 220 (21.4), 100 (9.8), and 4x440 relay (3:25.4 his split 48.0). After college, Conrad became the Assistant Director at the Moline, Illinois YMCA before leaving to become the basketball coach at Augustana College for his entire career.

James Harper — Hammond

Harper was a 2- time IHSAA State Champion in the high jump. His 1949 jump of 6'2.625" was second on the State All-Time Best, only bettered by Hall of Famer Jerry Gracin of Gary Froebel in 1933. Harper attended Indiana University and in 1951 was the Big Ten indoor and outdoor champion. He taught for over 40 years in the Chicago School System.

Olympian Ed Glover — Crown Point

Glover never had the opportunity to participate in the IHSAA State Championships, but attended Purdue University and in 1905, he was the Western (Big Ten) Conference and AAU champion. He coached the IHSAA 1905 pole vault champion Luther Rudolph. He was third in the 1906 Athens Olympics (since renamed). He became the coach at Crown Point High School (all sports) and then an attorney. This led him into politics as Mayor of Crown Point.

Information provided

Contact Aaron Kirchoff at aaron.kirchoff@greensburgdailynews.com