OATCCC Hall Of Fame
Doug J. Bockenstette

Doug Bockenstette, a 1994 graduate of La Salle High School in Cincinnati, was one of the dominant male Cross Country and Track & Field athletes in the State of Ohio and among the best in the nation in the early 1990s. His dominance, accomplishments, and consistency still place him among the all-time Ohio greats in Cross Country and Track. While wearing the red & white of the La Salle Lancers, Doug was coached by fellow 2018 OATCCC Hall of Fame Inductee Frank LaRusso. In Cross Country, Doug was very dominant, capturing three Greater Catholic League Individual Championships (1991, 1992, 1993), three OHSAA District Individual Championships (1991, 1992, 1993), 2 OHSAA Regional Individual Championships (1992, 1993), and an individual OHSAA Division 1 State Championship finish in 1993. Other individual OHSAA State Championship finishes were 20th in 1991 and 5th in 1992. During his high school Cross Country career, the La Salle Lancers captured 2 GCL Championships, 2 Cincinnati City Championships, 2 OHSAA District Championships, 1 OHSAA Regional Championship along with three top 10 division one finishes at the OHSAA State Cross Country Championships (7th-1991, 4th-1992, 7th-1993). On the track, Doug was as dominant as he was on the Cross Country course. He captured six GCL Championships (five individual, one relay team), three OHSAA District Championships (1 individual, two relay teams), 4 OHSAA Regional Championships (two individual, two relay teams), two OHSAA Division 1 State Championships (1600M Run-1994 and 3200M Run- 1994- a state meet record 9:07.50) while adding to the impressive list with 3 OHSAA State Championship 3rd Place finishes (1600M Run-1993, 3200M Run-1993 and 3200M Relay-1993) and a 4th place 3200 m Relay State Championship finish in 1994. During his senior year, Doug helped La Salle capture the first school state championship by earning 24 of the 26 team points total to lead the Lancers to a 2-point team victory over runners-up Mansfield. Other team accomplishments during his high school career were 3 GCL Championships, 3 OHSAA District Championships, and two OHSAA Regional Championships. His best high school marks were 800M Run-1:56.1, 1600M Run-4:10.14, 3200M Run-9:03.25, 5000M Track-14:44.72 (the fastest high school time in the nation in 1994), 5000M Cross Country-15:02.0. Doug placed 2nd, running for Team Ohio, in the 1993 Mideast Meet of Champions, 1st at the Midwest Meet of Champions in the 3200M Run in 9:03.25, 7th at the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships and 3rd at the U.S. National Track & Field Championships in the 5000M run in 1994. Doug capped off his high school career by being named the 1993- 1994 Gatorade Player of the Year for Ohio Boys Track & Field. After dominating at the high school level in Ohio and gaining national attention Doug signed with the University of Tennessee to begin his collegiate career. While at Tennessee Doug was a part of the 1996 SEC Indoor T&F Championship team, a 4-time Letterman (2XC, 2T&F), 1996 First Team All-SEC Cross Country. Doug then transferred to Miami University to complete his collegiate career, where he was a part of 2 MAC Championship Cross Country teams, 1997 & 1998 First Team All-MAC Cross Country, a 4-time Letterman (2XC, 2T&F,) and competed for the RedHawks in the 1998 NCAA National Cross Country Championships. In 2004, Doug was inducted into the La Salle High School Hall of Fame and in 2008, into the Cincinnati LaRosa’s High School Sports Hall of Fame. Doug Bockenstette is not only one of the La Salle High School and Greater Cincinnati all-time greats but one of Ohio’s all-time great 1600/3200M/Cross Country runners. The Ohio Association of Track & Cross Country Coaches is proud to recognize your multiple career achievements by including you as a 2025 inductee into the OATCCC Hall of Fame. Congratulations Doug!