The Bethel College Track and Field program is going into the 2007-08 season with great anticipation according to Head Track Coach Tony Natali despite the loss due to graduation of NAIA and NCCAA multi event All-American Geoffrey King. King holds school records in the 100m, the 200m, the 400m, and as a part of the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams. “Geoff was a tremendous athlete, and more importantly, a tremendous person. It will be hard to make up for his loss, but I feel like the group of athletes we have in our program this up coming season will most definitely get the job done,” says Head Track Coach Tony Natali. The Pilots finished last season second on both the men’s and women’s side in the always tough Mid Central Conference and had 20 NCCAA and six NAIA All-Americans in the process. With a solid group of veterans led by 16 seniors and the biggest group of newcomers in Bethel College Track history, the Pilots are poised to make another run at the conference championship and an impressive finish at NCCAA and NAIA Nationals.
The men will be led by returning NAIA All-American seniors Chris Warhop, Brandon Thomas, and Zach Burrington. Warhop and Thomas were part of the 4x100m relay team that finished 6th at NAIA Outdoor Nationals last May in Fresno, California, while Burrington finished fifth in the pole vault at that same meet. Other senior leaders for the Pilots will be mid distance runners Andrew Gray and David Prieb, thrower Travis LaVine, and vaulter Adam Short. Gray and Prieb were part of the 4x800m relay team that participated in California and finished 15th with a school record time of 7:51.48. The talented junior class consists of NAIA marathon participant Calon Naragon, the other two members of the national 4x800m relay team, Scott Robinson and Vincent Reel, and sprinter Nate Phillips. Naragon, who also set a school record at nationals, ran the marathon in 2:48.50. “We have a lot of expectations out of the senior and junior classes,” says Head Coach Tony Natali. “They have experienced a conference championship and many of them have also experienced national competition. That needs to feed the younger members of our men’s program,” added Coach Natali. A big sophomore class will be led by NAIA qualifiers, thrower JJ Jackson and 4x100m alternate BJ Austin. “JJ and BJ both know what it takes to succeed at the national level. I expect both of them to not only be back at NAIA’s next season, but I expect them to both be further along at that time of the season,” adds Coach Natali. Other sophomore’s include throwers Knox Capre, Brandon Hooven, and Jeff Hardman, sprinters Jontae Randolph and Brad Wilson, distance runners Jared Mead, Ryan Waybright, and Raymond Dutweiller, and jumper Alex Walsh. The group of 20 newcomers on the men’s side is the largest the Pilots have recruited. Leading the way in the sprint areas will be junior college transfers Trent Chupp and Jovone Palmer. Chupp will also long jump and comes in with a personal best 24’0 attempt. Junior college transfer Ryan Starkel, from Butler CC in Kansas, will help in the distance areas. Using their first year of eligibility, after being red shirted last season, will be thrower Eric Cody and jumper/hurdler JW Maierle. True freshman include thrower Phil Yike, sprinters/jumpers Henry Rivera, Austin Roark, and Diondre Lewis, distance runners Cory Naragon and Allen Burkett, mid distance runners Caleb Jackson and Jordan Heim, who will both also high jump, Drew Bishop who will also throw the javelin, and pole vaulter Kyle Klein. “This is a very talented group of newcomers. They will be counted on very heavily to contribute. For us to meet our team goals, each of our team members will have to maximize their abilities. We fully expect that to happen,” adds Coach Natali.
The women are led by NAIA Outdoor National qualifier senior sprinter/hurdler Kate Bishop. Bishop finished 16th in the 400m hurdles and was part of the 4x400m relay team that finished 19th in California last season. “Kate has accomplished a lot during her first three years at Bethel, but I fully expect her senior season to be her best yet. She has already qualified for national competition in many events and I believe that she can qualify in the multi event this season. Kate will be counted on heavily to lead the women’s team,” added Coach Natali. Other seniors include hurdler Kerri Goodrich, who was also part of the national 4x400m relay team, hurdler Emily Weaver, throwers Ashley Sparks and Natalie Young, distance runners Ashley Imhoff and Allsion Schuck, and pole vaulter Bekah Laman. The junior class for the Lady Pilots will be led by NAIA national qualifier in the 4x400m relay team Heather Rathbun. Joining Rathbun as juniors will be throwers Lacey Litteral, Brittany Cook, and Nikki Hinton, sprinter Calyn Zahl, hurdler Dawn Heckman, mid distance runners Shelby Morrow and Alison Gingrich, distance runner Mozy Thiel, and pole vaulter Danae Ellison. “As with the men, this group of upper classmen for the women is awesome. They will be great leaders for this team. They will set the tone for this season with the big numbers of newcomers joining our program,” adds Coach Natali. The sophomore class has three members that competed at NAIA Outdoor Nationals in California last may. Caitlyn Gager was an NAIA All-American in the pole vault by finishing fifth in that event. Fellow vaulter Ann O’Keefe finished 9th in that same event out in California. Sprinter Jessie Spearman was the other member of the 4x400m relay team at nationals. “The amount of national experience in our sophomore class for our women is great. They will be able to share with others about that experience and that will motivate others to achieve at that national level,” says Coach Natali. Other sophomores for the women include throwers Holly Farrer, Lyndee Flint, and Alicia Derr, and distance runners Becca Prieb, Ashley Wray, Katie Heisey, and Laura Miller. The women will have 26 newcomers joining their team this season. Transfers include junior NAIA national qualifier in the triple jump from Roberts Wesleyan Amanda Westcott, who will also pole vault, and mid distance runner Marcia Poliquin and thrower Stephanie Harwood, both transfers from West Virginia Tech. True freshman include throwers Nichole Arnold and Kristen Garst, distance runners Samantha Hartsough, Amber Wray, Irene Kirathi, from Kenya, and Brittany Replogle, sprinters/jumpers Kelly Hosaflook, Amy Hausner, Beenne Capre, Amberly Krajiniak, Kati Beutler, Jessica Dirr, Kayla Schrock, and Diamond Smith, and pole vaulters April Monawick and Aunalee Mustard. “This is a very impressive group of newcomers. I am so very impressed, not only in the sheer numbers, but the talent as an overall group is just terrific. The sky is the limit for this women’s team. We need to have great help in each class and we need to mesh as a unit. Once that is done, our goals for this team will be accomplished,” adds Coach Natali.
The indoor season kicks off on Friday, January 18 at Grand Valley State University. Other indoor meets include Invitationals at Rose Hulman, Taylor, Wabash, and DePauw, followed by NCCAA Nationals at Cedarville University in Ohio, and the NAIA Indoor National Championships in Johnson City, Tennessee on March 6-8. The outdoor season has the Pilots competing at Big 10 member Purdue University, Manchester, Goshen, the Indiana Intercollegiates at IUPUI, and at Olivet Nazarene before the MCCChampionships, the NCCAA Nationals at Indiana Wesleyan, and the NAIA Nationals in St. Louis, Missouri on May 22-24.
“We are looking forward with much anticipation to what the Lord has in store for us during this season. We know there will be highs and lows as in any season. We feel that as long as we stick together as one unit nothing can affect us. Our goals will be to maximize our individual talents, which in turn, will allow us to be the best team that we can possibly be. In doing so, we will honor God with how we act on the track, in the field, and in our daily lives to give Him the glory and honor that He deserves from us each day,” says Coach Natali.
Thanks to Bethel College Athletics for this article and their support of Bethel College Track and Field
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