WGH's Logan to run at Kent State

Kent State University track recruiters saw Warren G. Harding senior Marvin Logan run the 60-meter hurdles in 8.17 seconds in at a Jan. 23 indoor meet at The Ohio State University.

Harding coach Charles Penny said that performance helped solidified a scholarship offer they made to Logan.

It was the first, but Penny added Ohio State, Illinois and Central Michigan also had strong interest in the senior hurdler, but wanted to wait until the end of indoor and some of outdoor before giving their offers.

For Logan, he didn't have to wait. He knew KSU would soon be his future home. Logan signed last Wednesday with the Golden Flashes.

"I don't feel I'll have another environment that will be as comfortable as Kent State. It's a great combination of athletics and education," said Logan, who will be majoring in entrepreneurship at KSU.

The Golden Flashes have had their fair share of successes, winning last season's Mid-American Conference indoor track and field title and other accomplishments.

"It is a soaring program right now, reaching all new heights," said Logan, who finished fourth in the 300 hurdles at last year's Division I outdoor state championships for WGH. "I look forward to adding to the great tradition being built at Kent State and bringing home a few more championships."

Also, former WGH hurdler Mitchell Seawood is a freshman at KSU, which will bode well for Logan, WGH coach Charles Penny said.

"He has a teammates he's been training with for three years already at school," Penny said. "I think that made him feel comfortable on the decision to go to Kent State."

But it isn't all about athletics for Logan.

"The academic focus there is tremendous," he said. "Even, heaven forbid, if I were to slip up or have some troubles in the classroom, the staff at Kent State would do what needed to be done to make sure I remained focused on my studies. Then, in four or five years, I walk across that stage, paper in hand and job waiting for me."

For the next four or five years, Logan's focus will be twofold - athletics and academics. However, he's thinking well beyond those years, which will be all possible because of the athletic scholarship he received from KSU.

"With this area and growing up here (Warren), there's a lot I want to offer to this place," Logan said. "I plan to make it a lot of my life's work to better this area so I don't have to continue to see tragedies that I see on daily basis.

"I can give someone a positive role model to look up to."

jvargo@tribtoday.com