Hall of Fame
Dave Osanitsch was a seven-time NCAA National Provisional Qualifier & a five-time NCAA Division II Championship qualifier in the 55-meter and 110-meter hurdles. He was a two-time PSAC indoor champion in the 110-meter hurdles in 1993 and 1995 as well as a two-time ECAC indoor champion in the 55-meter hurdles. In 1993 and 1995, Osanitsch was a member of both the PSAC and ECAC outdoor track and field championship teams. As a mark of his leadership abilities he was team co-captain three years from 1994 through 1996.
Osanitsch was also an NCAA All-American in the 55-meter hurdles in indoor track. In 1994, he finished sixth at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships before placing seventh as a senior in 1996. Osanitsch currently holds the school record in the indoor 55-meter hurdles with a time of 7.49 seconds, a mark that is one of the fastest times in PSAC history.
Shippensburg won the PSAC championships in 1993 and 1995 and placed third in the team standings in 1996. The 1995 team was the only one in PSAC history to have at least one place-winner in all 20 events at the championship meet. The Red Raiders also won the ECAC indoor titles in 1993, 1994 and 1996.
Osanitsch was an immediate success with Shippensburg his freshman year in 1993. He helped the Red Raiders win the ECAC indoor championship by placing second in the 55-meter high hurdles. That title would be a precursor to the championship the Red Raiders would win later in the spring at the PSAC championship meet. Osanitsch won the PSAC high hurdles title with a time of 14.86 and he ran a leg on the Red Raiders’ 400-meter relay team that took second place in 42.33. Also during his freshman year, the Red Raiders set a new team record in the shuttle relay with a clocking of 1:01.15. He was a provisional qualifier for the NCAA championship outdoor meet.
In 1994 Osanitsch qualified for the NCAA indoor national championships for the first time. He won the ECAC 55-meter hurdles title and he earned All-America honors by placing sixth at the NCAA Division II national championships with a time of 7.72. During the outdoor season he placed second in the 110-meter high hurdles at the PSAC meet with a time of 14.99. The 400-meter relay team was fourth in 42.96. He again was a provisional qualifier for the NCAA championships. As for the team, Shippensburg won the ECAC indoor Championships and was 5th at the PSAC championships.
More success was achieved during his junior year in 1995. Indoors, he once again qualified for the NCAA national championships in the 55 meter high hurdles where he finished 14th. In the outdoor season he regained the PSAC crown in the 110 meter high hurdles with a first place time of 14.60 and he ran a leg on Shippensburg’s fourth place 400 meter relay team that finished in 42.32. The Red Raiders regained the PSAC team championship. He qualified for the NCAA national championships in the high hurdles and placed 10th in the nation.
His senior year Osanitsch won the 1996 ECAC indoor title in the 55-meter high hurdles and he helped the Red Raiders win the team indoor championship for the third time in four years. He was part of the 800-meter relay team that registered a time of 1:33.01 for a 2nd place finish. Once again, David qualified for the NCAA Championships and earned a 7th place finish amongst the nation’s best. In the outdoor season Osanitsch was second in the 110-meter high hurdles. His final race at the PSAC championship is still recognized as the most competitive high hurdle finals in PSAC history. Osanitsch once again qualified for the national championships and placed 10th in the nation in his final track appearance.
His career best times were 7.49 for the 55-meter hurdles and 14.29 in the 110 high hurdles. His 55-meter indoor time is still the team record and is the third fastest time in PSAC history. His outdoor high hurdle best time is good for the 2nd fastest in school history, only eclipsed by fellow hall of famer Wayne Blatt. Also, during the track seasons he won the Shippensburg Invitational high hurdles in 1994, 1995 and 1996 and the Millersville Metrics title three years in a row. Osanitsch also broke track records at Dickinson College, Millersville University and Susquehanna University.
After graduation, Osanitsch has been a collegiate coach for 13 years and is about to begin his 6th season guiding the Raider track and field programs. He has guided the SU program to new heights, winning eight combined PSAC championships (five men’s and three women’s) between indoor and outdoor track and field while his coaching staff have instructing 36 NCAA All-Americans on the national stage (11 men, 25 women). That group includes four individual NCAA national champions and one relay national championship.
He is married to his wife Julie, and the couple has two children: Madison and Brayden.
