By RICHIE HALL
Reporter Sports Editor
Two of Hamilton County’s best high school runners made news of a different sort last week when they announced their college choices.
Hamilton Southeastern’s Gabe Fendel will be going out west to the University of Colorado. Noblesville’s Abi Little, meanwhile, is staying closer to home and committing to Indiana University. Both are seniors, have been stars for their schools for years and are track and field state champions: Fendel won the 1600 run at last summer’s boys track and field state meet, while Little was part of the Millers’ girls 4×800 relay state champion team.
RUNNING FOR A LEGEND
Colorado might not be on the radar of people who live in Indiana. But runners know where the best programs are, and Fendel said that the Buffaloes program, led by longtime coach Mark Wetmore, is one of the best in the country.
“They always have been,” said Fendel. “They have a really good history. Wetmore is one of the best coaches ever. He’s a very legendary coach. It was definitely one of my first choices of where to visit, and once I visited there, I just knew it was where I wanted to go.”
Wetmore has been the cross country/track and field head coach for the Buffaloes since 1995. Since 2000, Colorado has won seven national cross country championships. Wetmore has also coached 11 individuals to 22 NCAA titles.
Fendel was contacted by the Buffaloes last winter. He kept in touch, then asked for a visit this year, taking his official visit on Sept. 16. He liked the way Wetmore worked with his athletes – “just the connection he has with everyone,” said Fendel. “Everyone really likes him and I just feel like he’ll be a great fit for me.”
At that point Fendel was leaning towards Colorado, but he also wanted to finish up his other visits. Fendel also visited Wisconsin, Oklahoma State, Oregon and Syracuse.
“I just wanted to keep on visiting everywhere, just to make sure I was making the right choice, and after my last visit, I just knew,” said Fendel. “Called them right when I got off the plane and just let them know that I wanted to commit and announced it on Wednesday.”
With that, Fendel had the big decision taken care of, and can now focus on his senior season. Fendel has already won the Hoosier Crossroads Conference and sectional championships, and was second at last Friday’s regional.
“Now I can just start focusing on running more,” said Fendel. “I know where I’m going. I don’t really have to worry about anything now except racing.”
OLD FRIENDS IN BLOOMINGTON
For Abi Little, committing to run for the Hoosiers was always an option, and a little more than that.
“I grew up in Indiana, so Indiana was always a big school, almost like a dream to me,” said Little.
Little was contacted by IU assistant coach Andrew Poore around seven months ago, and the two have been in contact ever since. Little then took her official visit last weekend, and that pretty much sealed the deal.
“I visited last weekend and I absolutely fell in love with it,” said Little. She made the commitment soon after.
Little was instantly greeted with some familiar faces when she went to Bloomington. Three cross country runners on the Hoosiers’ women’s team are from Carmel: Haley Harris, Kelsey Harris and Stacy Morozov. Four more county runners are on the men’s team: Bobby Browning, Teddy Browning and Ben Veatch from Carmel, and Aaron Bennett, who graduated from Westfield last year. Still another county star, Noblesville’s Rachel Mather, is on the track and field team specializing in the high jump and pole vault.
“So when I went there, it just felt like home,” said Little. “We got to talk about all the races we had been in together and stuff. It felt like family instantly.”
And with that, Little is also excited to be able to enjoy her senior year while looking forward to IU.
“I’m super excited to be able to commit to IU, because it’s such a big school,” said Little.
Hamilton Southeastern’s Gabe Fendel has committed to the University of Colorado. Fendel, a state champion in the 1600 run last summer, made the decision last week and will run for legendary Buffaloes coach Mark Wetmore. (Kent Graham/File photos)
Noblesvlle’s Abi Little has committed to Indiana University. Little was part of the Millers’ state champion 4×800 relay last summer.