MANKATO — It was the kind of day that brought winning and losing into proper perspective.
Minnesota State University women’s cross country coach Jen Blue should have been planning her team’s after-school practice or figuring out who would compete in this weekend’s MSU Open, but instead, she was trying to cope with the death of one of her athletes.
Caty Delwiche, a freshman from Glencoe, was killed Tuesday when she was struck by an SUV while running on a sidewalk near the MSU campus. Blue has not only had to deal with the loss on a personal level but has been trying to nurture the rest of her cross country team members through the tragedy.
The unexpected loss has impacted many at the university, particularly those involved in athletics. MSU athletic director Kevin Buisman was visibly shaken during a Wednesday afternoon news conference addressing the issue.
“I’ve been involved in athletic administration for 18 years,” he said afterward. “Up until now, I’ve been fortunate enough not to have to deal with a tragedy of this type. It’s just something nobody sees coming.”
Delwiche was one of the cross country program’s prized recruits last spring. She was a four-time All-State honoree at Glencoe-Silver Lake High School, finishing as high as 11th in the state meet (15:18) her junior season.
Blue, who addressed the media briefly before succumbing to emotions, said Delwiche was more than a talented incoming freshman.
“I just want everybody to know what a great person Caty was,” she said. “She was a presidential scholar, teammate, daughter, friend, student athlete ... I couldn’t have asked for a better person (to be part of our program). She was just a great kid, and I want everybody to know that. She was doing what she loved ...”
Buisman said no decisions have been made about Saturday’s MSU Open. The university is waiting to see what arrangements the Delwiche family makes concerning their daughter’s memorial service and funeral.
“We’ll be sitting down with coach Blue and the members of the cross country team today and (Thursday) and try to figure out how to proceed,” he said. “I know there’s a sense among some that Caty would have wanted them to run, but it’s too early to make those kinds of decisions.”
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