Dawn Nease

Parkersburg High School / (class of 1984) Parkersburg, WV

Classification: AAA Girls

Specialty: Mid-Distance

Southern Illinois University / Carbondale, Illinois

Dawn Nease (born January 28) attended Parkersburg High School from the fall of 1981 to the spring of 1984.

High School (1982-1984):

While attending Parkersburg High School, Nease was coached by Susan Gardner in track and Larry Games in cross country.

Cross Country:

During the fall, she participated on the Lady Big Reds cross country team for three years. She did well her sophomore and junior year, but had some injuries her senior year that she wouldn’t let deter her from making an impact on her team.

At the 1982 West Virginia State Cross Country Meet at Wheeling, Parkersburg won the first ever girls team championship with a total of 35 points, while Parkersburg South finished in second with 53 points. Margaret Blake of Fairmont West won the girl’s individual title with a time of 18:43.

Girls Team Scores: 1. Parkersburg – 35, 2. Parkersburg South – 53, 3. Elkins – 71, 4. George Washington – 71, 5. Huntington east – 112, 6. Shady Spring - 143

Track:

Sophomore Year:

At the 1982 West Virginia High School Class AAA Girls State Track Meet, Huntington High won their first girls title while keeping the trophy in Cabell County. It was arguably the greatest female meet in terms of individual stars. St. Albans Susan Morrison set records in three sprints. Huntington East’s Mary Hines swept the distance races, John Marshall’s Amy Gamble swept the throws, and Huntington East’s Michelle Frye repeated her ’81 double. Stars such as Huntington’s Jackie Layne, Buckhannon’s Julie Wallace, and Elkins’ Amanda Shall all performed well, but none could win an individual event. Parkesburg would finish third in the team standings with 46 points, while Dawn Nease would place fifth in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:27.87.

800 Meter Run Results: 1. Robin Young, St. Albans (2:20.21); 2. Julie Wallace, Buckhannon (2:20.24); 3. C. Copley, Beckley (2:22.1); 4. Mary Sloan, Nitro (2:25.6); 5. Dawn Nease, Parkersburg (2:27.87); 6. Cindy Barnhart, Stonewall (2:28.0)

Junior Year:

At the 1983 West Virginia High School Class AAA Girls State Track Meet at Laidley Field, in an exciting intra-city battle, the strong teams from Parkersburg and Parkersburg South ended in a 70-70 tie. South was led by thrower Tina Barr, while PHS was led by distance runner Dawn Nease. St. Albans Susan Morrison again dominated the sprints, accumulating seven State Titles (Individual).

Dawn Nease ran a record of 5:10.1 in the 1600-meter run, breaking Sylvie Valey of Wheeling Park High’s record, set in 1981. Nease also won the 800-meter run in 2:20.74 and she was the individual high point scorer for the Class AAA Girls. Parkersburg won their third title under legendary Coach Susan Gardner.

Dawn Nease's 800- and 1600-meter school records would stand for over 33 years, 10 months. But then on March 26, 2017, Parkersburg's freshman distance standout, Madison Trippett, was just edged out by Ripley's Tori Starcher in the 800m (2:13.79 to 2:14.57). Trippett’s time erased ex-Big Red Dawn Nease’s 1983 school record of 2:20.74. Nearly a month later, on Saturday, April 16, 2017, Trippett was again runner-up in the 1600m, but she finished in a school record time of 5:00.48, once again besting Nease’s previous mark of 5:10.1 from 1983. If the last name Trippett sounds familiar, that's because Madison Trippett is cousins to two-time individual state cross country champion (1985-1986), Jessica Trippett (also of Parkersburg High).

Nease held the state meet record of 5:10.1 in the 1600m for class AAA girls, before East Fairmont's Holly Hunter broke her 12-year-old record, set in 1997 of 5:09.38.

Senior Year:

At the 1984 West Virginia High School Class AAA Girls State Track Meet, Parkersburg outlasted Charleston in winning their fourth title under Coach Susan Gardner. They were led by sprinter Renee Daniels who individually produced 28 points. Her performance was topped by West Fairmont’s Margaret Blake, who pulled the hard 8-16-32 triple. Dawn Nease would place fifth in the 1600m with a time of 5:31.88.

1600 Meter Run Results: 1. Margaret Blake, West Fairmont (5:11.69); 2. Shelly Wallace, Huntington (5:14.18); 3. Unn Hidle, Ripley (5:16.14); 4. Maroney, John Marshall (5:30.11); 5. Dawn Nease, Parkersburg (5:31.88); 6. Jen Hoppie, Parkersburg South (5:33.09)

Personal:

Dawn Nease Settle is married and has two kids, Colten and Sarah. Dawn studied at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and at the Wood County School of Practical Nursing. She currently Lives in Williamstown, West Virginia, where she coached three years of Middle School and two years of Varsity Girls cross country.

West Virginia High School State Meet

(Class AAA Girls Mile/1600m Run Record Progression)

One Mile Run:

· 5:30.5 - Charpenning - Triadelphia - 1975

· 5:17.3 - Wendy Anderson - Parkersburg - 1977

· 5:09.2 - Susie Comer - Pennsboro - 1978

1600 Meter Run:

· 5:25.1 - Debby Lewis - George Washington - 1980

· 5:11.70 - Sylvia Valey - Wheeling Park - 1981

· 5:10.1 - Dawn Nease - Parkersburg - 1983

· 5:09.38 - Holly Hunter - East Fairmont - 1997

· 5:05.12 - Holly Hunter - East Fairmont - 1998

· 5:04.00 - Holly Hunter - East Fairmont - 2000

· 5:00.18 - Kaylyn Christopher - Preston - 2006

· 4:55.85 - Kaylyn Christopher - Preston - 2007

· 4:51.74 - Millie Paladino - University - 2014

· 4:49.14 - Tori Starcher - Ripley - 2018

It is in my personal opinion that Dawn Nease should be inducted into the Mid-Ohio Valley Sports Hall of Fame with her 1983 performances. She ranks up there with the greats of her era.

Submitted by Coach Mike McMillion (04/09/19)