COPLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Copley senior distance running standout Nick Pupino, flanked by his father and mother, Sam and Holly, signed his National Letter of Intent to Ohio State on Feb. 1.
COPLEY TWP., Ohio – A scholarship distance runner, headed to Ohio State, Copley senior Nick Pupino still can’t get over the competitive company he keeps.
“I remember when Nick was a sophomore, competing at his first state cross country meet,” Copley distance coach Jim Chaney said. “He was in total awe to be in the same environment as defending state champion Zach Wills of Mason.
“We kidded that someday a kid will be standing next to you saying, ‘I can’t believe I’m in this race with Nick Pupino.’”
Well, that day is here – and actually, it has been here -- and will continue to be here throughout the 2012 high school track & field season.
Just don’t tell Nick Pupino, who with complete humility, still shakes his head, almost in disbelief, when he considers his competitive contemporaries.
From 76th in the state as a sophomore to fourth at last year’s OHSAA Division I cross country race, Pupino yesterday signed his National Letter of Intent to attend OSU and run for the Buckeyes.
He literally will follow in the footsteps of his idols at Ohio State. Former Copley star Chris Fallon and Revere greats Julian Meyer and Josh Sabo blazed a trail which led Ohio State recruiters to the Suburban League and the connection to Pupino.
“Chris Fallon was a good mentor for Nick,” Chaney said. “The Ohio State distance kids sat with us at the state track meet.”
Notre Dame, North Carolina, Akron, Kent State and Cincinnati were among the suitors trying to secure Pupino, but a family tie to Ohio State and the opportunity to run with Suburban League alumni was too much to pass up.
“Nick has a really strong inner-drive and a great work ethic,” Chaney said. “He understands the student aspect (of attending Ohio State) and the running is a huge bonus. I think he’ll be a tremendous 10K runner.”
Pupino was the Suburban League and Akron Division I District cross country champion (15:56.84) in 2011. He was the only runner to cover the challenging 5K Goodyear Metro Park course in under 16 minutes.
Pupino was second to Walsh Jesuit standout Tony Howkins at the Youngstown Boardman cross country regional. At the 2011 Division I state track championships, he placed third at 3,200 meters (9:24.72).