Bryan College Triangle

by Sebastian Fischer
Staff Writer

Men’s and women’s track and field keeps waving the Bryan College flag on the national level. Traveling to the Niswonger Invitational hosted by East Tennessee State University (Johnson City, Tenn.) last weekend, the Lions achieved three national qualifying marks and several personal best results.

Junior Bryson Harper and senior Zach Buffington, who had already qualified for the NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championship the weekend before at Indiana University’s Indiana Relays (Bloomington), continued their successful streak, qualifying in additional disciplines. Read full story »

Triangle photo by Lana Douglas

By Sebastian Fischer
Staff Writer

Last week I had the opportunity to talk to Coach Rodney Stoker, head coach for both the men and women’s cross-country and track and field. Now in his sixth season at Bryan, Coach Stoker was named Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) men’s cross country coach of the year three times and led his team to three conference championships while producing seven NAIA All-Americans and 61 All-conference awards. Stoker, a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, resides in Dayton with his wife of 11 years, Kimberly, and their two children Owen Miles (8) and Ian Pace (4). I talked to him about results, expectations for the upcoming track season and his coaching philosophy.

The cross-country and track and field program is the only one in the Bryan Athletic Department with a packed schedule year-round. Aren’t you jealous that your colleagues get more time off?

Our schedule is different, no doubt that it gets packed with cross country in the fall followed by the track indoor and outdoor season. But all the other coaches still put in a lot of time too, and, of course, I love my job and want my athletes to be successful. I’m a very competitive guy and I always want to win. Read full story »

by Anna Kat Thomas
Staff Writer

Cross country team prepares to compete in nationals, held in Washington./Triangle photo by Anna Kat Thomas

The men’s cross-country team placed seventh at the NAIA National Championships Saturday in Vancouver, Wash., and junior Bryson Harper placed 27th to earn a spot on the NAIA All-America team.

Junior Ericka Simpson paced four Lady Lions, who competed individually, and finished the 5K course in 20:15, good for 211th place.

Recently the men were able to defend their title as Appalachian Athletic Conference champions against Montreat College (Black Mountain, N.C.), and Head Coach Rodney Stoker was named the AAC Coach of the year.

Going into the competition with the men’s team ranked sixth in the nation, Stoker said, “Rankings are great for recruiting, they are great for alums, fans and our school, but for our team it is meaningless. That day is what counts, so it is not about numbers, it’s about effort.” Read full story »

by Kaity Kopeski
Editor-in-chief

The men’s cross country team placed first in the Appalachian Athletic Conference tournament on Saturday, held at Montreat College (Black Mountain, N.C.), scoring 20 points and qualifying for the NAIA National Championships.

The Lions swept second through sixth places led by junior Bryson Harper. Claiming the third through sixth spots were sophomore Jason McLeod, senior Zach Buffington, senior Josh Bradley and sophomore Drew Thompson.

The women placed second in the conference with four runners, juniors Ericka Simpson and Alyssia Lindsay, senior Catherine Anderson and sophomore Liz Olsen, qualifying individually for nationals.

In cross country there are two ways to qualify for nationals, either win the conference as a team, or qualify as an individual. To qualify as an individual, the runner’s team has to place in the top six. The individual runner has to place in the top 15 runners, plus, once the winning team’s runners are eliminated, the runner be one of the top five runners.

Although the men’s team won the AAC championship, only the top seven runners will compete at nationals, according to head coach Rodney Stoker, who, after the conference win, was named AAC Men’s Coach of the Year.

“I felt this was one of the best races all year,” said Lindsay about the weekend meet. Lindsay said all the “small things” like 6:15 a.m. runs and workout sessions, early bed times and eating healthy, “came together,” setting the Lions apart from the other runners.

Now the runners are focused on Nationals, to be held in Vancouver, Wash., on Nov. 20.

Last year the men placed 27th at nationals. Stoker said the plan for nationals is “the same as it is with any race—to compete at the highest level possible and let the outcome take care of itself.”

by Ericka Simpson
Assistant editor

Men's cross country team placed fourth in the Berry Invitational (Rome, Ga.) last Saturday/Photo courtsey of Allie Clarke

Bryan College’s men’s and women’s cross country teams competed at the Berry Invitational (Rome, Ga.) on Sept. 11. The men placed fourth out of 15 teams.

Head Coach Rodney Stoker said that both teams entered the race to allow the younger athletes to gain experience at racing. He is not an advocate of racing often because it wears on the body, so he did not want his athletes to race hard the entire time but instead to be patient and “push down” the last mile. Read full story »