Allegheny College Athletics

A seven-time conference champion and four-time All-American, Leah (Shouey) Ahlin is one of the most decorated runners in the long history of the Allegheny cross country and track and field programs.

In cross country, Leah burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2001 under head coach Bill Ross, earning North Coast Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year honors after finishing ninth at the NCAC championships.  A year later, she finished third at the NCAC championships, helping lead the Gators to conference and regional titles, and a berth in the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship.  As a junior in 2003, she finished sixth at the NCAC championships to earn her third all-conference nod, again helping the Gators earn a trip to nationals, before wrapping up her career with her fourth straight All-NCAC honor after an eighth-place finish at the 2004 championships.

Her track and field career was even more impressive, as she earned a total of nine NCAC individual titles and four All-America honors, while leading the Gators to three conference titles in both indoor and outdoor.  At the 2003 NCAC indoor championships, Leah earned her first indoor title, finishing first in the 3,000 meter run, while adding runner-up finishes in both the 1,500 and 5,000.  She followed that up by being named MVP of the NCAC outdoor championships, where she won the 1,500 and finished second in both the 800 and 5,000.  Leah was named the NCAC indoor track MVP in 2004, when she claimed individual titles in both the 3,000 and 5,000, before going on to earn her first outdoor All-American nod, when she took fourth in the 1,500 at the Division III championships.  She wrapped up her career with a memorable senior season, capturing NCAC championships in both the indoor and outdoor 1,500, and the outdoor 5,000, setting an NCAC event record in the process.  She also earned three All-America honors in 2005, taking fourth at the NCAA championships in the indoor 1,600, seventh in the indoor 5,000, and eighth in the outdoor 1,500, while being named the Mideast Region Track & Field Women’s Athlete of the Year.  

After graduating with a degree in biology and minor in English, Leah has remained an active runner, twice winning the Pittsburgh Great Race, while finishing third at the 2008 Columbus Marathon.  She and her husband Rob, a 2004 Allegheny grad, currently reside in Murrysville, Pennsylvania with children Langley (2) and Lucas (3 months). Leah is employed as a wellness team lead for Highmark in Pittsburgh, Pa., and coaches Highmark’s Running 101 program.