John Carroll's Basheer Alramahi Named OAC Scholar-Athlete of the Month
Written by John Carroll University Sports Information Department
The best track athletes often do not start as runners.
Basheer Alramahi is the perfect example, arriving in University Heights as a soccer player focused primarily on academics. Three years later, Alramahi is one of the finest sprinters not just at John Carroll University or in the Ohio Athletic Conference, but in all of NCAA Division III.
And for as fast as Alramahi is on the track, the Westlake native is more proud of his academic accomplishments. He is a man who prioritizes his faith and family above all else, a Biology major (with a Chemistry minor) with his sights set on helping others and changing the world. His perfect 4.0 GPA hints at a very bright future indeed.
How Alramahi arrived at John Carroll to begin with is a fascinating story in its own right. As Dejan Mladenovic ‘06, JCU’s longtime soccer coach tells it, “This is 100% one of the craziest JCU stories I’ve heard or been a part of.”
This is the story of Basheer Alramahi, the OAC Scholar Athlete of the Month for January.
Becoming a Blue Streak
Alramahi attended Westlake High School, a suburb on the west side of Cleveland. He played well on the pitch for the Demons, though was not a top-priority soccer recruit for JCU. Alramahi reached out to the JCU staff consistently, but as Mladenovic emphasized, you choose John Carroll first and foremost for the academics. A mature, devoted student looking for a career in medicine and especially interested in JCU’s connection with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM), Alramahi decided on Carroll.
In May 2022, Mladenovic was scrolling on Twitter, and happened upon Alramahi’s retweets about track. Alramahi had been a mediocre runner in middle school, participating just to be with friends. After his sophomore season was cut short due to COVID, Basheer helped the 4x400 relay break a school record that had stood for 40 years. That success instilled a love for track, culminating in a successful season ending at the state meet.”
“I’ll never forget Kyle’s face when I told him that Basheer was relatively new to running. I remember him telling me that was unbelievable,” recalls Mladenovic.
Fast forward to orientation in August 2022. Once on campus, Alramahi started turning heads, on and off the field. Mladenovic still remembers how fast and athletic this young kid from Westlake looked on day one of practice, especially how effortless and powerful he looked compared to other players.
Off the field, Daniel Tutskey – then the associate head coach, now the Director of Cross Country/Track & Field – remembers meeting him in-person during orientation. His respectfulness and humility immediately stuck out, though Alramahi did have some skepticism about playing multiple sports due to his course load.
In late November 2022 at Mladenovic’s end-of-the-season meeting, Alramahi continued to express some skepticism in the midst of lengthy labs and rigorous classes. But with Mladenovic’s urging, the freshman gave it a shot. Alramahi still remembers this meeting well, as Mladenovic assured him that if the time came to choose one sport, it was okay to choose track.
“It was during that meeting where I realized I was surrounded by people who believed in me more than I did myself,” Alramahi remembers. “I realized what special programs I was a part of, and the special people that surrounded me.”
The transition to track was helped by his new teammates, who Alramahi quickly bonded with. During his first meet running the 400m, Tutskey saw the flash of greatness. The veteran coach’s hopes were confirmed further when he met Alramahi’s wonderful family.
Despite the talent, Alramahi was still green, without much technical knowledge and much confidence. But what lacked in skill, he made up for in sheer willpower.
“I created opportunities for Basheer to challenge himself during that first indoor season, and he kept winning races in different ways,” explains Tutskey. “From the get-go, he was super competitive and had a refuse-to-lose mentality. That will to win soon grew to his teammates.”
Finding Success
Talking with Tutskey and Basista, Alramahi started to realize that his ceiling was much higher than he anticipated. Winning the 400m at the OAC Championships (while setting the facility record at Baldwin Wallace's Lou Higgins Center Fieldhouse) was certainly a big indicator. And so, the star rookie found himself in Birmingham, Alabama at the 2023 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships.
“All-American was such a foreign term to me,” said Alramahi. “Just making it to Nationals was special. It was unlike anything I had experienced, with a whole different atmosphere. I was really nervous warming up next to well-known runners. I told myself that I would let God do His thing. Thankfully, I made it to the final, which was a relief.”
Far from Birmingham, his soccer teammates cheered him on. JCU Men’s Soccer was overseas on a trip to London, and many of the players stayed up late to watch him run, screaming at an iPad for 40 seconds as Basheer dashed to third place and All-American honors. Plus, Basheer helped the 4x400m relay win All-American distinction in sixth place.
The success continued during the outdoor season, as Alramahi picked up another All-American trophy in the 4x400m relay and qualified for the 400m. USTFCCCA All-Academic and Great Lakes All-Region honors also followed.
As a sophomore, Alramahi decided to let soccer go and focus on track. He grew from a technical standpoint, adjusting to the pace of running the 400m, which is one of the toughest events in track. Tutskey and Alramahi started having more two-way conversations about running, further developing training regimens and fine tuning techniques.
The continued work led to more accolades for Alramahi, most notably All-American medals in the 4x400 and 400m during the 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships, plus All-American distinctions in the 4x400 and 400m events at the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
And so, Alramahi, barely halfway through his collegiate career, already owns 8 All-American trophies. Oh, and just a couple weeks ago, Alramahi turned in the fastest indoor 500m time in Division III history on a 200m flat track, clocking in 1:03.26 to pass former Mount Union sprinter Matt McBride's 1:03.35.
Faith & Family
Now, as Basheer will tell you, his dreams are far from achieved. A National Championship is what he strives for, as well as an Ohio Athletic Conference Championship for the men’s program. Garrett Clark’s record of 13 All-American track accolades is in full view, too, though a certain number of All-Americans isn’t on his mind. While accolades are great, he has more important things on his mind.
More important to Alramahi than any athletic achievement is his faith.
“My faith is my number one priority,” says Alramahi. “Prayer is a great relaxer, and a break from anxiety. When we practice at SPIRE on Mondays and Wednesdays, the first thing I do is pray, because I don’t want to forget about it. Reconnecting with God and strengthening that connection relieves the stress. Before every race, I tell myself, ‘Whatever happens is what God wants. Control what you can, let him take care of the rest.’ Sometimes, I might want more, but God has a plan.”
The month of Ramadan is a central tenet of his faith. Alramahi is a believer that his faith makes him a better person and runner, despite having to fast from dawn to sunset for the duration of the month.
“You have to prioritize your diet and refocus your training. You focus on the little things no one else does,” Alramahi explains. “Observing Ramadan has shaped me as a runner. My teammates appreciate it, and Coach Tutskey observed it last year to support me, another reason I appreciate him. Ramadan has taught me the values of persistence and prioritization, making me a better athlete.”
His family also is a very high priority. Alramahi commutes from his home in Westlake, about a 40-minute trip one way. He spends nearly all of his free time after academics and track with his family.
“My family instilled in me the importance of spending quality time together,” says Alramahi. “I’m thankful our strong sense of family has continued. My parents try to make every meet, and have supported me even at faraway Nationals meets. I appreciate them, because they are my main motivation. Without my parents and my siblings, I wouldn’t be close to where I am today. They’ve shaped me into who I am. Everything good from me comes from them. I’m eternally grateful and indebted to them for the effort they’ve put into supporting me.”
Tutskey very much enjoys coaching a faithful, family-oriented young man like Alramahi.
“Basheer is the epitome of a student-athlete. He is a coach’s dream,” Tutskey says. “He’s got his priorities straight with his faith, family, then academics, and then athletics. He does all the right things, and I know he will make all the right decisions. Track isn't the most important thing. He is deeply rooted in his faith, which is what makes him one of the most special athletes I’ve coached.”
An Inspired Future
While Alramahi still has a year-and-a-half left to go in his collegiate career, his eyes are still looking far into the future.
Of course, on the track, Alramahi wants to win championships. His leadership is also becoming evident in the program, a quality he works at consistently. Tutskey and others are glad but not surprised to see him grow in this role. In the classroom, a 4.0 GPA is a top goal. But the eventual goals are much higher.
Alramahi hopes to attend medical school and become a doctor, working in Emergency Medicine or Orthopedics.
“Basheer is going to be a special person in this world. He will save lives in his work,” says Tutskey. “One day, no one will know he ran track, he will be known for the impact he will have in the field of medicine as someone who makes a difference in the lives of others. Personally, he’s made an impact on my life, making me a better person and coach. He will leave behind a legacy and be talked about in this program for years. He will be an alum that this university will be very proud of one day.”
Alramahi is grateful for his John Carroll experience thus far, especially the people.
“The dedication the coaches have shown towards me is special. Without their wisdom and knowledge, I wouldn’t have been able to improve,” Alramahi says. “I also need to thank my teammates. The guys before me solidified the program and made me better on and off the track. My current teammates are some of my best friends. A lot of my success is owed to them. Overall, there are so many special connections at John Carroll. Everyone is warm and welcoming, and there is a sense of home because the community is so special.
"I owe a special thanks to Coach Tutskey, because without him and his belief in me, I wouldn't be half of the runner I am today,” Alramahi continues. “The dedication he puts towards the program makes it easy for me to want to give everything to help the program. It's not easy to make someone run as many 400s as I have, but I'm committed to him and his philosophy. He's made it such an enjoyable experience for myself, and I know everyone else on the team can testify the same. I'm thankful God put me in a program led by such a special and knowledgeable person. My connection with him is one of the most special connections I've made during my time at JCU, and I'll cherish it forever."
Alramahi is most certainly a special piece of the JCU community.
“I’ve been at John Carroll for 23 years, and Basheer is on my Mount Rushmore for the most special people I’ve met here,” says Mladenovic. “He is down-to-earth, humble, and also very funny. And for as good of an athlete and a student he is, Basheer is a better human being.”