Rick Musick

Year Inducted: 2021

 

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Rick Musick of Fairborn, Ohio was a highly competitive distance runner whose name often led the Dayton newspaper’s high school honor roll in the mid-1970’s. Likewise, athletic scrapbooks assembled by Miami Valley teenage thinclads nearly half- a-century ago are likely to have photos of the lean, but muscular Fairborn Baker Flyer leading the race and topping the meet results.

 

During the running boom of the 1970’s, Rick was an admired competitor who as a high school junior and senior won the Western Ohio League individual cross country title in 1973 and 1974. During his senior year, he won the Cincinnati Elder Invitational 2 mile cross country meet in course record time (9:22) and then went on to win the Bowling Green University cross country invitational (9:28). Next, he added the Dayton district cross country title on his way to winning OHSAA state cross country championship (9:34).

Rick also experienced success on the track. He ran a high school 2 mile PR of 9:16 at the Mansfield Mehock relays in 1975, placing 3rd against the nation’s best high schoolers. He set a meet record of 4:15 in becoming the 1975 Dayton District outdoor track mile champion. Rick placed 4th at the 1975 OHSAA track & field championships in the mile.

 

Rick selected Auburn University in Alabama to compete at the college level, but he was beset by numerous injuries while competing for Auburn’s decorated USA Olympic coach Mel Rosen. Despite chronic heel bursitis and achilles tendonitis, Rick became a three year letter winner in track and cross country at Auburn in 1976-1978.

 

As a freshman at AU, he attained All-Southeastern Conference honors in cross country in 1977, helping the team to a 3rd place finish. He set the freshman indoor 2 mile record with a time of 8:55. In his sophomore year, Rick broke the Auburn outdoor 3 mile record with a time of 13:41 placing 3rd at the 1977 LSU relays and then won the bronze medal for 3rd in the 1977 SEC Outdoor Track Championships 3 mile race with a time of 14:02. Prior to rupturing his Achilles tendon, which required surgery, Rick finished 2nd in t h e 1 9 7 8 S E C I n d o o r T r a c k Championships 3 mile run with a time of 13:56, earning valuable points that helped Auburn to win the SEC Indoor Championship that year. Following his injury, Rick transferred to Cleveland State University to finish his college career.

 

Rick currently lives in Texas with his wife Laurie. He served in the US Navy from 1981-1989 and since then has been a pilot for American Airlines.