Grove City College Athletics

Laura Rybka enters her second season as Grove City College head cross country coach in 2023. She also works as the coordinator of distance running for Grove City's men's and women's track and field teams. 

In her first season as head coach, the Grove City women's cross country team earned ninth at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships, with sophomore Lydia Bennett earning All-Region recognition by earning 24th place. 

Grove City's youthful men's cross country team produced a pair of All-Presidents' Athletic Conference honorees in freshmen Michael Singley and Caleb Hawke.

In spring 2023, Rybka helped the Grove City men's track and field team to the outdoor conference title. The women's track and field team placed third at the outdoor championships. Freshman Audrey Karwowski set the school record in the 800 meters while Bennett and Grace Smith both surpassed the school standard in the 1500.

Rybka came to the College in November 2020 after spending two seasons as assistant cross country and track coach at Ursuline College, a Division II program in Pepper Pike, Ohio.

Rybka joined the Ursuline staff in summer 2019 after spending two seasons as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Akron. She helped Akron’s men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams capture Mid-American Conference titles in May 2019.

Her coaching career began as a student assistant coach as a member of the cross country and track and field teams at her alma mater, Malone University.

A native of Peninsula, Ohio, Rybka graduated from Malone in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She is completing her master’s degree in exercise physiology at the University of Akron.