Dave Osanitsch ’96 enters his 20th season at the Helm of the Raider track & field program. The 2024-2025 campaign is his 28th season as a track and field coach at the collegiate level.
In 19 years as the Head Coach of the SU men’s and women’s track & field programs, Osanitsch has guided the Raiders to 51 PSAC Championships. The rest of the PSAC has combined to win just 25 league titles in the same span.
Shippensburg University Track and Field has achieved profound levels of success during Coach O’s tenure. With 51 PSAC conference titles, Coach Osanitsch holds more conference championships in the history of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference in any sport.
Since 2006, Osanitsch has earned a record 49 PSAC Coach/Staff of the Year awards and 28 USTFCCA Division II Region Coach of the Year awards. He has won the Men’s Outdoor Coach of the year award for 12 consecutive years.
Along with the team’s PSAC success, Shippensburg University track & field has had four NCAA Championship Relays, 174 NCAA All-Americans and 11 NCAA All-American relay squads during his tenure. In addition, nearly every school record has been broken while hundreds of Automatic or Provisional NCAA qualifiers have been achieved along with a multitude of PSAC champions.
Osanitsch began coaching at his alma mater in 2002 as an assistant coach in track and field, primarily working with the jumpers and multi-event athletes, a role he maintains as the head coach. Since his arrival at Shippensburg, the jumps/multis squad has garnered 83 individual PSAC championships and a multitude of All-PSAC honors. Additionally, Osanitsch has produced 44 NCAA All-Americans in the jumping and multi events. Of the 20 events Coach Osanitsch oversees, his athletes have captured 17 of the 20 School Records at SU.
A 1996 graduate of Shippensburg with a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice, Osanitsch was 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.
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 (8.06 60HH), a mark that is one of the fastest times in PSAC history. For his college athletic efforts, Osanitsch was inducted into the Shippensburg University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.
In 2023, Osanitsch was tapped to serve on the USTFCCCA Board of Directors (BOD). He will serve in this capacity for a 4 year term. He will be the Secretary for the BOD and will serve as the Division II representative.
For four years, Osanitsch served as the Chairman of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA)’s NCAA Division II Executive Council. Osanitsch, a longtime member of the USTFCCCA council, functioned as Division II’s highest-ranking officer on the national USTFCCCA board. His post has lasted from 2014-2017.
Osanitsch, along with his wife Julie, reside in Shippensburg. His daughter Madison attends Bloomsburg University and swims for the Huskies while his son Brayden also attends Bloomsburg.
Coach O By The Numbers
• 51 PSAC Team Championships
• 8 PSAC Team Runner-Up Finishes
Men’s Track & Field
2024- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2024- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
2023- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2023- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
2022- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2022- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
2021- PSAC Outdoor Track-Champions
2020- PSAC Indoor Track-Champions
2019- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2019- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
2018- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2018- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
2017- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2017- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
2016- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2016- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
2015- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2015- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
2014- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2014- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
2013- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2013- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
2012- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2012- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
2011- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2011- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
2010- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2010- PSAC Indoor Track- 3rd place
2009- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2009- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
2008- PSAC Outdoor Track- 3rd place
2008- PSAC Indoor Track- 2nd place
2007- PSAC Outdoor Track- 2nd place
2007- PSAC Indoor Track- 2nd place
2006- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2006- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
Women’s Track & Field
2024- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2024- PSAC Indoor Track- 2nd Place
2023- PSAC Outdoor Track- 2nd Place
2023- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
2022- PSAC Outdoor Track- 3rd Place
2022- PSAC Indoor Track- 7th Place
2021- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2020- PSAC Indoor Track- 5th Place
2019- PSAC Outdoor Track- 3rd Place
2019- PSAC Indoor Track- 3rd Place
2018- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2018- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
2017- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2017- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
2016- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2016- PSAC Indoor Track- 2nd place
2015- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2015- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
2014- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2014- PSAC Indoor Track- 3rd Place
2013- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2013- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
2012- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2012- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
2011- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2011- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
2010- PSAC Outdoor Track- Champions
2010- PSAC Indoor Track- Champions
2009- PSAC Outdoor Track- 2nd place
2009- PSAC Indoor Track- 2nd place
2008- PSAC Outdoor Track- 3rd place
2008- PSAC Indoor Track- Co-Champions
2007- PSAC Outdoor Track- 4th place
2007- PSAC Indoor Track- 5th place
2006- PSAC Outdoor Track- 4th place
2006- PSAC Indoor Track- 5th place
(The PSAC did not conduct 2020 PSAC Outdoor Championships or 2021 PSAC Indoor Championships due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
Coaching Honors
49-time PSAC Coach of the Year
2006: Men’s Indoor, Men’s Outdoor
2008: Women’s Indoor
2009: Men’s Indoor
2010: Women’s Indoor, Men’s Outdoor, Women’s Outdoor
2011: Women’s Indoor, Men’s Indoor, Women’s Outdoor, Men’s Outdoor
2012: Women’s Indoor, Men’s Indoor, Women’s Outdoor, Men’s Outdoor
2013: Women’s Indoor, Men’s Indoor, Women’s Outdoor, Men’s Outdoor
2014: Men’s Indoor, Men’s Outdoor, Women’s Outdoor
2015: Women’s Indoor, Men’s Indoor, Women’s Outdoor, Men’s Outdoor
2016: Women’s Outdoor, Men’s Indoor, Men’s Outdoor
2017: Women’s Outdoor, Men’s Indoor, Men’s Outdoor
2018: Women’s Indoor, Men’s Indoor, Women’s Outdoor, Men’s Outdoor
2019: Men’s Indoor, Men’s Outdoor
2020: Men's Indoor
2021: Women's Outdoor, Men's Outdoor
2022: Men's Indoor, Men's Outdoor
2023: Men's Indoor, Women's Indoor, Men's Outdoor
2024: Men's Indoor, Men's Outdoor, Women's Outdoor
28-time USTFCCA Regional Coach of the Year
2006: Men’s Indoor, Men’s Outdoor
2008: Women’s Indoor
2010: Women’s Indoor, Women’s Outdoor
2011: Men’s Indoor, Women’s Indoor, Women’s Outdoor
2012: Women’s Indoor
2015: Women’s Indoor, Women’s Outdoor, Men’s Outdoor
2016: Men’s Indoor
2017: Men’s Indoor, Women’s Outdoor
2018: Men’s Indoor
2019: Men’s Outdoor
2020: Men's Indoor
2021: Men's Outdoor, Women's Outdoor
2022: Men's Indoor, Men's Outdoor
2023: Women's Indoor, Men's Indoor, Men's Outdoor
2024: Men's Indoor, Men's Outdoor, Women's Outdoor
School Record Holders at SHIP during Coach O’s tenure as Jumps/Multis Coach:
Men’s Outdoor
Long Jump- Herman Kirkland- 25’ ¾”
Triple Jump- Steve Waithe- 51’ 6 ½”
High Jump- Leander Toney/Jalen Ramsey- 7’ 1 ¾”
Decathlon- Mason Boyd - 6654 points
Men’s Indoor
Long Jump- Herman Kirkland- 25’ 3 ¼”
Triple Jump- Steve Waithe- 50’ 5 ½”
High Jump- Tra-C Davis- 7’ 1”
Heptathlon- Mason Boyd - 5186 Points
Women’s Outdoor
Long Jump- Sarah Hunt- 20’ 9 ¾”
Triple Jump- Tunisia Lacy- 42’ 5”
Pole Vault- Kali Hepner- 12’ 11 ¾”
Heptathlon- Sam Beckerleg- 4670 Points
Women’s Indoor
Long Jump- Sarah Hunt- 20’ 0 ½”
Triple Jump- Abby Wagner- 41’ 3”
Pole Vault- Kali Hepner- 12’ 10”
High Jump- Rebekah Newhart- 5’ 7 ¾”
Pentathlon- Sam Beckerleg/NIcola Pugge- 3356 Points
NCAA All-Americans during Coach O’s Tenure as Jumps/Multis Coach:
Sarah Hunt – 6-Time NCAA All-American (Long Jump & Triple Jump)
LeQuan Chapman – 6-Time NCAA All-American (Long Jump/Triple Jump)
Tunisia Lacy – 5-Time NCAA All-American (Triple Jump)
Herman Kirkland – 4-Time NCAA All-American (Long Jump/60)
Abby Wagner – 4-Time NCAA All-American (Triple Jump)
Steve Waithe – 3-Time NCAA All-American (Triple Jump)
Tra-C Davis – 3-Time NCAA All-American (High Jump)
Zarria Williams – 3-Time NCAA All-American (Long Jump)
Jalen Ramsey – 2 Time NCAA All-American (High Jump)
Kali Hepner – 2-Time NCAA All-American (Pole Vault)
Megan Breski – NCAA All-American (Pole Vault)
Andrew Batula – NCAA All-American (High Jump)
Mason Boyd - NCAA All-American (Heptathlon)
Donnie Graybill – NCAA All-American (Heptathlon)
Cody DeBoer – NCAA All-American (Long Jump)
Shamar Jenkins – NCAA All-American (Triple Jump)
Sara McKean - NCAA All-American (Long Jump)
