Oberlin's Olivia Hudson to run for Miami

The college selection process for a high school student-athlete can be among the toughest decisions that they'll ever have to make. Olivia Hudson would attest to that. The Oberlin High senior kept her focus and resolve throughout the journey. The eight-time Division III All-Ohio track and field standout made Miami of Ohio her college choice for the next four years by signing her athletic grant-in-aid agreement with the Redhawks. Hudson made a total of five college visits. She also visited Ball State, Bucknell, Ohio Wesleyan and Tulane. Miami was Hudson's fourth visit in the five-college tour. Hudson made her visit to Miami along with her dad, Cleveland State coach Jason Hudson, back in October. "The girls on the team were definitely inviting," Olivia Hudson said. "The academic piece of it was attractive. Miami is very strong academically. That definitely drew me in. The track program and athletics in general attracted me. I never had a dream school. I just sorted things out with my visits and that one definitely felt right for me." Hudson indicated that she is leaning toward majoring in pre-med and psychology. "To begin with the college selection process was pretty tough," she said. "It was a lot. There's just so many schools. I didn't know what I was really looking for. And going on some visits knowing that I really didn't want to go there. I would ask myself, 'when am I going to find the right college?' But once I visited Miami and felt good about it, it felt easier from there." Hudson is a two-time Division III outdoor state track champ for the Phoenix. Hudson won the 2024 Division III 400 meters (56.38) and won her second outdoor state title as a member of the 2025 Division III 800-meter relay (1:42.25). She was second in her 400-meter title defense at the 2025 state meet with a school-record time of 55.46. Hudson also finished third in the 200 (25.20) last spring and was eighth as a member of the 1,600-meter relay. Behind Hudson's efforts, the Oberlin High girls track team stayed true to its mission as it finished as the Division III state runner-up at Ohio State's Jesse Owens Stadium. The Oberlin girls finished with 38 points, second only to Coldwater (55.5). Columbus Grove was third with 32. The second-place finish equaled the Oberlin girls best-ever state finish when it placed second at the 1985 Class AA state meet. Overall, it equaled the best finish by a Lorain County girls team since Lorain High placed second at the 2012 Division I girls state meet. "I think my parents could see me there (Miami of Ohio) as well," Hudson said. "That kind of helped. I had a good time with my dad there. It's not too far from home. It just felt right." Hudson is also a two-time indoor state track champion and helped the Oberlin girls win the OATCCC (Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches) Division 4 state title over Rittman, 42-34. Hudson anchored the winning 1,600-meter relay (4:12.33) at the 2025 indoor state meet at SPIRE. She also finished second in the 400 (56.80), an indoor state track event she won her sophomore year in 57.87. "Track has definitely built me as a person, running for Oberlin High and the people I've been around," Hudson said. "I'm glad to have been part of the program. I'm excited to go to a new program, but I'm grateful for my coaches and my teammates. I'm hoping that even after I graduate there will be more people coming up through the program. The people from my track team I've been around since kindergarten are like my family." Last spring the Miami of Ohio women's track team finished fifth at the Mid-American Conference outdoor track meet after placing seventh at the MAC indoor track meet last winter. "I'm really excited for Olivia and her commitment to run track at Miami University," Oberlin track coach Rodney Hooks said. "She's been a big part of our success at Oberlin High School and has put in the work year after year. Olivia shows up every day, competes hard and is a great teammate. Miami is getting a runner who's going to keep getting better." Contact Paul Heyse at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.