Hall of Fame
Ellen Turkel was a pioneer distance runner during a time in which many colleges were beginning to adjust to the landmark passage of Title IX.
While there was no women’s cross country and track and field programs at Plattsburgh State when Turkel was a student, she was a member of the men’s cross country and track and field teams and was the first woman to compete in cross country and track and field at the College.
Turkel's greatest successes came in distance running as a college student outside of competing for Plattsburgh State, as she ranked as high as No. 16 in the world in the marathon with a time of 2:58:37. She finished 12th in a field of 52 women runners at the 1975 Boston Marathon after a year and a half of preparation for the race.
Date of Induction into Cardinal Sports Hall of Fame:
Oct. 14, 2022
Where is she now:
Ellen is a Professor Emeritus of Health and Exercise Science at San Diego City College, where she has taught for the past 30 years. She officially retired 3.5 years ago but currently teaches three classes every fall semester. Ellen also has been a volunteer assistant cross country coach for the last five years. “Coaching has given me a wonderful avenue to give back to a sport I am absolutely passionate about,” Ellen says. “Every year, our cross country team gets stronger, and last year, the entire team qualified for the state meet. Seeing these young women gain confidence, skills and fitness is a deeply rewarding feeling for me. Part of the job at the community college level is to prepare the student-athletes to matriculate to a four-year university and succeed academically as well as athletically.” In addition, she has had a 31-year part-time career as a holiday alpine ski instructor at Mammoth Mountain, sharing her joy for winter sports with people of all ages.
She has lived in San Diego, Calif., since she graduated from graduate school at the University of Arizona in 1978, where she earned a master’s degree in exercise physiology. Ellen has been happily married to her husband, Tom Coat, for 38 years. “We have no kids by choice, but realistically, I’m the kid,” Ellen says. “Fortunately, my brother and sister have blessed me with four nieces and a nephew. Two of my nieces, Doris and Kalina Turkel, are here today with my brother, Simon, and my sister-in-law, Rumy. And there are another seven nieces and nephews on Tom’s side plus several grand nieces and nephews.”
Athletically, Ellen cites her greatest accomplishment as qualifying for and running in the first Olympic marathon trials for women in 1984 in Olympia, Wash. She ran a 2:47:13 marathon to qualify. “Being part of the inaugural event after so many women fought the International Olympic Committee for the right to have a race longer than 1,500 meters was one of the proudest moments of my life,” Ellen says. “I believe my ability to evolve athletically has also been an accomplishment. I can’t run anymore (old knees), but I became a competitive cyclist and learned how to do cross country skiing.” This past summer, Ellen qualified as a USA Track and Field official, and she “fell in love again with track and field while spending 10 days volunteering at the World Championships in Eugene, Ore., in July 2022.”
Professionally, Ellen says that her 30-year career of service to the inner city community at San Diego City College has brought her great satisfaction. “At San Diego City College, we give many students their first chance at success,” Ellen says. “I acted as the co-coordinator and coordinator of the Fitness Specialist Program, preparing the personal trainers and group exercise leaders of tomorrow.”
Favorite Plattsburgh State Sports Moment:
“My favorite sports memories from Plattsburgh are vast. They include: Sunday morning 16-mile runs around Cumberland Head, fighting the winter wind and watching the white caps on the lake. The dual cross country meet at Oneonta State, where their coach posted a note in the men’s locker room saying that if anybody got beat by the girl from Plattsburgh they were in deep trouble. Coach Hammonds told me about the note. I was so nervous that I threw up in the first quarter mile of the race. Of course, I beat at least one or two boys from their school. The 1976 Olympic Track-and-Field training camp at Plattsburgh: Many runners on the team spent a few weeks before the Montreal Olympics volunteering at our track helping the US Olympic athletes. It was a chance to meet our heroes. My roommates and I threw quite a party for the pole vaulting squad. Dual meet track meet against Albany State on a tremendously windy day in Albany: The Albany State coach wanted to cancel all the jumping events and the hurdles because it was considered too dangerous with the wind. But Coach Hammonds persisted, and we ran the entire meet. I ran the mile, and it was so windy that there were points where I thought I was running backward. Howard Hammonds made us tough. We became so confident, resilient and strong. Being encouraged by Coach Hammonds to become a marathoner: Women were just being allowed to officially enter marathons, like the Boston Marathon. Coach Hammonds believed that I could do it well and gave me the training and opportunity. While I was a student at Plattsburgh State, I ran the Plattsburgh Marathon, the Skylon Marathon in Buffalo to Niagara Falls, the NYC Marathon and the Boston Marathon twice. Friends: My teammates we’re great friends. Dan Fracalossi from my freshman year is here. We really supported each other. Running miles and miles in the woods and on cold windy roads makes you appreciate, trust and care for your teammates who are slugging through with you, too.”
