There have been many moments for the Ball State men's cross country and track and field teams that have seemed like the end, but this past weekend, it became official.
Senior Paul Panning ended his career and the men's track and field team's history when he became a two-time All-American.
Panning's performance could have served as a propeller to an up-and-coming program, but instead will always be remembered as the end.
Instead of the athletics department focusing on helping a struggling football program, maybe the university should have paid more attention to keeping a growing program afloat.
While the funding for lights at the football stadium came from private donations specifically for that, the athletics department should have tried to ask for private donations to keep the cross country and track and field programs going.
With the dedication the team's athletes had, if the athletic department had let the team members ask for contributions to save their team, they probably would have been able to find them. Panning sure would have done his best.
"If Paul could have anything happen, he would have Ball State track back next year," McKay said. "Paul was kind of the figurehead; he wanted to save the program and do everything he could."
The track and field team was rebounding from a 10-year drought where it didn't have any All-Americans. With Panning becoming a two-time All-American, it marked the second time the program had a member become a two-time All-American. Both came in this century.
"That really says a lot of Ball State track and where we were going," assistant track and field coach B.J. McKay said. "That was just a glimpse."
With the glimpse other Mid-American Conference coaches got, most said Ball State was going to win a title in track and field within the next 10 years.
Students can only be left wondering what the cross country and track and field teams could have done if they were left to control their fate. Instead, there is nothing.
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