St. Olaf Athletics
Kevin Turlington competing at a cross country race
Even though the year has only just begun, some senior athletes have started their final season competing for the St. Olaf athletic community. The realization that their time playing competitive sports at the College is coming to an end is a harsh reality, but it also allows for a moment to reflect and look over their time growing on their team.
For cross country and track star Kevin Turlington ’26, his time as a part of the St. Olaf Athletic community so far has been an impressive three-year run that he plans on continuing for his senior season. After formally starting running during his freshman year of high school, Turlington came to St. Olaf and immediately jumped into action. Over his three years here, he has placed multiple times in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III championships, consistently beat his own personal bests, and earned All-America honors during his junior season. Beyond his personal achievements, Turlington carries the memories he has made with the team through his St. Olaf journey.
“Running is a very social and communal sport,” Turlington said in an interview with The Olaf Messenger. “It makes you a part of a larger community, so you can always connect with people, even outside of your college team.”
Being a part of the athletic community has helped him to find his place here on campus, and former teammates have inspired Turlington. After finishing 23rd in the country last year, Turlington wants to continue to get as close to winning as possible and hopes for the team to have a top-three finish at nationals.
For volleyball libero Morgan Ryan ’26, her senior season is a chance to adopt a new perspective for herself and the team. Ryan cannot remember a time in her life when she was not playing volleyball. After being driven by fear in her early career, Ryan took that fear and motivated herself to consistently work her way onto the St. Olaf team. Looking back, Ryan has found her place here.
“I wouldn’t change it for the world. Every year has been completely different. I always look back and think I can’t believe we started here and this is where we are now,” Ryan said in an interview with The Olaf Messenger.
After a tough start to this season, Ryan watched the team come together, and wants to put in the work to see how far they can take it this season. Her goals this season are shared by most of her team, who want to win as many conference games as they can, and not only go far in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC), but win and host the MIAC championships.
“I want to show that when we work together and when we play well, we can challenge any team, and that’s an exciting feeling,” Ryan said. “Everyone has to step up, you have to take accountability and say, ‘I am the one who is going to motivate people, I am going to bring the energy,’ and that’s what makes success.”
Both Turlington and Ryan want to carry their athletic experiences on with them after graduation in the spring. For Turlington, while he looks into going to law school, he wants to carry on running seriously. Ryan has already started to coach for a volleyball club in Northfield, giving her a new perspective of the game off the court as a coach.
There is a lot of advice to learn from senior athletes, whether you are a freshman just starting out or another senior looking forward to your final year.
“Be very flexible, show yourself a lot of grace, and be very curious and open to exploring many possibilities because that is how you learn who you are as a person best, learning your strengths and weaknesses,” Turlington said.
Having gained a new perspective as a senior, Ryan said, “At the end of the day, no one is really thinking about what you’re doing. Everyone is thinking about what they are doing, so taking the extra step to put yourself out there is something to always think about.”