After finishing a stellar high school running career that included multiple trips to the state cross country meet, Northmor’s Juliana DiTullio will resume competition in that sport, as well as track and field, at Lourdes University in Sylvania.

DiTullio said that Lourdes quickly became the front-runner among her potential college choices, in part due to Cheryl McLean, the head coach for both the track and cross country programs..

“I just really liked the campus,” she said. “It’s a small little campus. As soon as I met the coach, I just connected and it felt like home. I looked at maybe two others, but it always came back to Lourdes for where I wanted to go.”

She will major in early childhood education. After the cross country season, where she’ll be running 3.1-mile races, she expects to continue running in distance races while on the track and field team.

“Just distance events as of now,” she said. “I’ll do pretty much anything they put me in.”

Being a college athlete was something that DiTullio was hoping to accomplish for some time, as both her sisters — Gabrielle and Isabelle — also moved on to compete at that level after their four years at Northmor.

“Just seeing my sisters going to college to run,” she said. “It was something I wanted to do as well and pushed me to go to Lourdes. Once I got to high school, it became a little more real, so I started pushing myself more to reach my goal.”

With Northmor, she had a good amount of success. In cross country, she ran in the state meet in three of her four years. While on the track and field team, she’s advanced to the regional meet in each of her first three years of competition. She also has picked up multiple spots on all-conference teams during her time with Northmor.

She said those experiences running at the state meet are among her best memories of her time with the Golden Knights’ athletic programs.

“Just the whole team,” she said. “My memories of making it to state three years are something I’ll always remember. The team and coaches are something I won’t forget.”

Now that she has her college destination in mind, DiTullio is looking forward to more years of running competitively for a team.

“I’m excited to see how my time will change and meet my new teammates and learn more about them,” she said.

Northmor senior Juliana DiTullio (front, second from left) signs her letter of intent to run both cross country and track and field for Lourdes University. In the front row with her are, left to right, mother Kris, father Tony and sister Isabelle. In the back row are Northmor cross country and track coach Mark Yaussy and Lourdes cross country and track coach Cheryl McLean.
https://www.morrowcountysentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2020/04/web1_julianaditulliosigning.jpgNorthmor senior Juliana DiTullio (front, second from left) signs her letter of intent to run both cross country and track and field for Lourdes University. In the front row with her are, left to right, mother Kris, father Tony and sister Isabelle. In the back row are Northmor cross country and track coach Mark Yaussy and Lourdes cross country and track coach Cheryl McLean. Rob Hamilton | Morrow County Sentinel
Northmor senior to run track and CC

By Rob Hamilton

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Rob Hamilton can be reached at 419-946-3010, ext. 1807. Connect with him on Twitter at @SportsMCS