Aulton Kohn didn’t even want to run when he came to Syracuse.

The graduate student’s eventual acceptance to the track and field team wouldn’t have happened if not for his mother, Emily Kohn, filling out an online questionnaire Aulton knew nothing about.

While filling out the simple survey for the admissions office, Emily Kohn mentioned her son’s interest in running track and field.

‘I didn’t want to do track after high school,’ Aulton Kohn said. ‘But my mom went behind my back and filled out one of those online questionnaires, and (former SU head coach Andrew) Roberts called me. About a week later he flew down to South Carolina to talk to me.’

As Kohn entered his senior season of high school there was little interest from college recruiters. Before winning the South Carolina High School State Championships in the 100-meter and 200-meter, only Coastal Carolina recruited him. At the time, Kohn had already been admitted to Syracuse, but felt that his financial situation would likely prevent him from attending.

When Coach Roberts made the journey down and offered him a space on the team it was an easy decision for Kohn to sign with the Orange.

For this reason, the All-America hopeful credits his mother as his motivation for continuing to run. She attended all of Kohn’s track meets his senior year and encouraged him to stick with running even when Kohn didn’t plan to.

‘I do everything for my mom,’ Kohn said. ‘She’s been there from day one and helped me from day one.

Kohn was first introduced to track and field in the sixth grade when he tried out for the middle school team. Kohn attempted to keep up with the other kids while running in his basketball shoes, but the coach told him he was too slow for the team. After going home and crying to his mother, she told him to go back and try again. Although discouraged, Kohn returned the next day and made the team.

The rest is history.

Kohn made the trip to the NCAA Outdoor Championship last season to compete in the 200-meter dash, an event he won at both the Big East Indoor and Outdoor Championships. Although he finished in 15th place and did not earn All-American status, Kohn had a surprise waiting for him at the NCAA Championships.

‘Even last year, she didn’t tell me, she likes not telling me things,’ Kohn said. ‘But she flew all the way to California to see me run in the NCAA meet.’

Syracuse assistant coach Dave Hegland, who is in charge of sprints and hurdles, knows what it takes to be an All-American. He earned the honor twice as an athlete at South Dakota State. With the Orange, Hegland helped Kohn’s teammate Michael LeBlanc earn All-American status last season.

Kohn has set school records, competed in various sprint distances and taken Big East Championships, but would savor NCAA Championship success more than the rest. In Kohn’s freshman season with the Orange, he participated in the NCAA regional competition and has continued to climb upward in the national sphere.

As the outdoor track season begins, Kohn is hoping to make a return to the NCAA Championships. In order to attain his goal of receiving All-American status Kohn needs to finish in the top eight at the NCAA Championships in his event.

Ten years after being turned down from his middle school team Kohn now has aspirations to run professionally. Although Hegland said Kohn has the potential to turn pro, he maintains that his future will depend on exposure and financial factors.

‘Anybody can keep training and competing, it’s just a matter of whether or not you are going to get financial help,’ Hegland said. ‘It’s also whether or not you are going to get lanes and good opportunities to run at good meets. Track is a sport in which if you want to keep running and competing until your 40 you can do it, but it’s a matter of at what level. And I know he wants to do it at a real high level.’

hscrowle@syr.edu

Published on March 27, 2008 at 12:00 pm