Kriley opts for Syracuse
BUTLER TWP — The pieces just fit.
Now 2022 Butler graduate Ryder Kriley is looking to fit in with the Syracuse University track and field program.
Kriley recently signed a letter of intent to join the Orange. He will become teammates with fellow Butler grad and distance runner Noah Beveridge, who will be entering his final season there. Kriley also considered Pitt and Penn State before deciding on Syracuse.
He plans to major in finance.
“That’s the best school for my major,” Kriley said. “It’s a tremendous track and field program and having Noah there is pretty cool, too.”
Butler boys track and field coach Mike Seybert said “Noah told his coaches about Ryder, really sold him on them. He knew how strong our team was this season and followed us all year.”
Kriley is one of 13 seniors on the 2022 Golden Tornado boys track team who will compete collegiately. He joined Guinness Brown, CJ Singleton and Brayden Young on Butler’s 4x400 meter relay team that broke a 50-year-old school record.
“Those four guys are going to Syracuse, Duke, Notre Dame and Bucknell ... that’s pretty good,” Seybert said.
Kriley said he hopes to compete in the 800 and 1,500 meters for Syracuse along with possibly getting on a relay unit.
“Just compete well,” he said. “Get to the ACC championship meet, to NCAA’s eventually. I feel like I still have a lot to offer.”
Kriley ran cross country, indoor and outdoor track for Butler. He does not plan to run cross country in college.
He required surgeries on his feet his freshman and junior years, the recovery time hampering him for much of his high school career.
“My senior year was my only chance to really make a statement on the track,” Kriley said. “I feel like I did that. I decided not to run cross country at Syracuse to save some wear and tear. I’ll do indoor and outdoor track.”
“He ran through the pain for part of his junior year and did well enough to get his name out there,” Seybert said. “Ryder’s performance this past year set him up with choices. Pitt and Penn State have solid track programs as well.
“Ryder’s senior year was his coming-out party. It was his time to show what he could do.”
Butler cross country coach Rick Davanzati described Kriley as a “hard worker” and backed up his decision to forego cross country in college.
“I think it’s a good move,” Davanzati said. “The surgeries and injuries limited him, but Ryder still turned in good times. I consider him a diamond in the rough right now. With the training he’s going to get and now that he’s healthy, I think he’s going to have a great career there.
“Noah will help him in the transition. This is going to work out well.”
Beveridge was an All-ACC runner in 2019.
Brien Bell has been head track coach at Syracuse since 2018 and has been a coach in the program for 15 years. He’s coached 55 track and field All-Americans and the Orangemen have won 71 conference titles in track during his tenure.
Kriley said breaking the 4x400 meter school record and being part of Butler’s state championship outdoor team title are the two accomplishments he’s most proud of with the Golden Tornado.
“I know our (high school) team is going to stay tight with each other for a long time,” he said. “All of those memories, those achievements, the coaches taking us to meets far away so we could compete, with social media making it easy to communicate with each other through the years ... We’re never going to forget what we did here.”
