John Higley is a four-year letter winner and four-time Ohio Athletic Conference champion in track and field from 1969-73. In addition to his accolades in the sport of track and field, Higley also was a member of the cross country team at Denison, helping lead the team to its only OAC Championship in 1972.
Higley’s performances on the track have stood the test of time. His time of 4:17.04 in the indoor mile and 3:51.8 in the outdoor 1,500 meters remains the third-fastest times in program history. He is also the current record holder in the indoor 1,000 meter run, the outdoor sprint medley relay and the 4x1600 meter relay.
His four OAC Indoor Championships would come in two events, the 880 yard run and the mile in back-to-back years of 1971-72. In 1971, he was named the team’s most valuable performer in track and field and, in 1972 and 1973, he would serve as a team captain.
In cross country, he was named the team’s most improved runner in 1969 and one year later he was the team’s MVP . As a senior he would finish third individually at the OAC Championship while helping Denison bring home the team championship.
Higley has enjoyed a successful career in business, serving as vice president in companies that specialized in groundwater cleanup and air purification. Since 2007, he has served as a consultant in the town of Sherborn, Mass., helping conserve land and build a regional trail to connect communities. Ever the athlete, Higley has run marathons and bicycled across the country.
