JOHN KOVACH | Colleges Drouhard, Havaich have early reunion as runners at B-W

BEREA -- Growing up in Austintown, Nicole Drouhard and Stacy Havaich became longtime friends and running teammates ever since elementary school.
Now, the Fitch High graduates have been reunited earlier than planned as teammates on the Baldwin-Wallace College women's cross country team.
And the early reunion, after taking separate paths, has made both of them happy.
Drouhard, a senior, is in her fourth year with the Yellow Jackets, while Havaich, a junior, transferred to B-W this year from the University of South Florida where she ran the previous two seasons.
Merging their talents again, they helped the Yellow Jackets to their fourth straight Ohio Athletic Conference championship two weeks ago and a No. 8 national ranking in NCAA Division III.
In the OAC meet, Drouhard was B-W's second-leading runner and third overall finisher in 19 minutes, 26.9 seconds, among 135 runners over the 5-kilometer course, to gain All-OAC honors for the fourth straight year.
Havaich placed 14th overall and fifth on the team in 19:56, to contribute valuable points in her first OAC meet.
Next Saturday, the pair will try to help B-W qualify for its fourth straight NCAA national meet at the Great Lakes Regional at Ohio Northern.
Early reunion
Drouhard and Havaich, who ran together all through elementary, middle and high schools before taking separate collegiate directions, did not expect to be reunited so soon after Drouhard graduated from Fitch when Havaich was a junior.
"After she graduated, we didn't think we would get another chance to run together," said Havaich, noting the thought of that made them unhappy. "So we made a pact that after college we would train together to run in our first marathon."
But while Drouhard went on to help B-W become the top OAC team and one of the leading Div. III squads, Havaich became disenchanted with South Florida after two years.
"There was a bad coaching situation. The coaching changed three times when I was down there. I really didn't get along with the coaching," said Havaich who, however, achieved her fastest collegiate 5K time of 18:37 while at South Florida.
"After my sophomore year, I decided I wanted to transfer, and I didn't know where I wanted to go, and [Drouhard] recommended B-W, and based her recommendation I looked into the school and liked it.
"I love it here. It's wonderful," emphasized Havaich.
Smooth transition
And having Drouhard already at B-W "made the transition so much easier because I was so used to running with her, and it was just natural to run with her. It just made it fun and enjoyable to have her on the team with me," added Havaich. "It's my best season in cross country in college so far."
Drouhard, likewise, said she is happy to be running with Havaich again earlier than planned.
"It's a good feeling. It's familiar. We are used to running with each other and it's as if nothing has change," Drouhard said. "We are still best friends. We can count on each other as friends and in team competition."
Drouhard believes the talent level on the team is making her better.
"This is probably my strongest year overall, but I ran my fastest 5k time as a freshman at the national meet in 18:33," Drouhard said. "I feel stronger and our team as a whole are stronger."
Other standouts
B-W's top runner in the OAC meet was senior Jessica Textoris, who was second overall in 19:16.4.
Senior Lynn Katanik was sixth in 19:37 and junior Jen Southall placed 10th in 19:42.2, and all three teammates joined Drouhard on the All-OAC team.
The winner was Kim Groseclose of Otterbein in 19:08.2.
B-W is coached by Dr. Bill Taraschke, who is in his 11th season as both the women's and men's cross country coach. His women's teams have won nine of the last 10 OAC crowns.
Drouhard, the daughter of Lois and Charles Drouhard, is majoring in psychology with a minor in neuroscience with a 3.78 grade-point average.
She plans to graduate next spring, and currently is applying for a combined masters and doctoral program in psychology at several schools.
"My ultimate goal is to become a professor," Drouhard said.
Havaich, whose parents are Marcey and Robert Havaich, is majoring in fitness management.
While at Fitch, Drouhard and Havaich were coached by Richard Kempe.
Kovach@vindy.com