Drew Windle is a member of the 2025 Ashland University Hall of Fame class – and yet another top-flight Eagle who somehow wasn't highly sought after at the end of his high school days.
Windle will be honored as one of five 2025 Hall of Famers (see release link), two Eagle Forever Award honorees and two 2024-25 AU Student-Athletes of the Year at the 2025 Ashland University Hall of Fame Induction and Student-Athlete of the Year recognition, Oct. 11 at 9:30 a.m. at the John C. Myers Convocation Center – prior to the Eagle football team's 101
st Homecoming game at 1 p.m. vs. Thomas More at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field.
"Just a lot of gratitude," Windle said. "I wasn't heavily recruited out of high school for track and field. Had a couple coaches at Ashland at the time who wanted to give me an opportunity to run at the next level, and it ended up being an amazing experience.
"Just super grateful to be considered, and then selected, for the Hall of Fame."
One of the most decorated track and field athletes in Eagle history, Windle won eight D-II national championships from 2013-15 (five indoors, three outdoors), and was a 15-time D-II All-American (nine indoors, six outdoors) overall. Those efforts helped the Ashland men to finish second in the nation indoors and outdoors in 2013, third in the nation indoors and outdoors in 2014, and fourth (indoors) and third (outdoors) in the country in 2015.
"It was a great team experience, and just provided an opportunity for me to do a lot of things after college, as well," Windle said. "When I look back on my time, those (nationals) were the most fun meets."
Windle came to Ashland from New Albany, Ohio – and he was using track and field as an avenue to get more prep football playing time.
"I was just kind of a late bloomer," he said. "Not heavily recruiting coming out of my junior year, and by the time springtime rolls around, most people have made their decision, so you're not really recruited on your senior season.
"Definitely flashed a lot of potential, but I had already signed with Ashland. I had some people trying to push me to go to a Division I university, but I had already made some strong connections and decided to ride it out."
The results of riding it out were:
- Two U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) men's indoor track Athlete of the Year awards.
- Two USTFCCCA men's Midwest Region indoor track Athlete of the Year and 2014 USTFCCCA men's Midwest Region outdoor track Athlete of the Year citations.
- Within the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, he was the 2012 men's track Freshman of the Meet indoors and outdoors, six-time GLIAC All-Academic in track and field (three indoors, three outdoors), and three-time GLIAC All-Academic in cross country.
Windle continues to stand as the program record holder in the 800-meter run, both indoors and outdoors. His top indoor 800 time of 1:48.41 is eighth-best in D-II history, and his best outdoor 800 mark of 1:46.91 makes him the No. 10 runner in D-II history.
"By spring of my senior season, I felt a lot of pressure to close that chapter of my college career with a win," he noted. "I was also being recruited to run professionally at that time, so even more pressure. Being a Division II athlete, my opportunities were maybe not the same as Division I athletes."
Immediately following his time at AU, Windle ran professionally for eight years for Brooks Running in Seattle, Wash.. He earned silver at the 2018 World Athletics Indoor Championships.
"It kind of mimicked my college career," he said. "I was getting adapted to new training and new level of racing that first year, and had some good moments. Things kind of took off that second year."
Windle has continued in running, but as a coach – first as an assistant at his high school alma mater, and now, serving as an assistant cross country and distance coach at NCAA Division I Ohio University.
He also was married in January to his wife, Chantelle.
"It's good to be back in the great state of Ohio," he said. "When I quit running professionally, it took a little over a year to find the next thing that I was going to do. I think I was really missing the competitive environment that I had been in."
Homecoming weekend will be a special one for Windle, who also will be at the dedication for the pillars for
Jud Logan and
Katie Moon the day prior to his induction (
LINK TO PRESS RELEASE).
"I'll hope to have a good speech ready," Windle said. "Jud was always such a good speaker. I feel a little bit of pressure to at least do it some justice. I don't know if I will inspire anybody, but I will try.
"It will be nice to be back. Just looking forward to the whole weekend. It will be great."
