Bryan College Triangle

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 Lana Douglas
Staff Writer

As Bryan students are starting to study for finals and dreaming of sleeping in their own beds, the track & field team is preparing for the upcoming National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Men’s National Track & Field meet in May and for competition next year.

Head Crosscountry and Track & Field Coach Rodney Stoker. Photo courtesy of Lana Douglas.

Read full story »

by Britney Weber
Senior Staff Writer

Every year at the Junior-Senior banquet, seniors are given the chance to express their sentiment for the classmates and friends they will be leaving after graduation in a few short weeks.

From sage wisdom to satirical inside jokes, these wills contain snapshots of the best memories seniors hold from the past four years of their lives.

Alumnus Jeremiah Nasiatka, a 2009 graduate and former editor-in-chief of the Triangle, left the Triangle to Allison McLean, the current editor-in-chief. He also left the responsibility of teaching people how to pronounce his last name to his younger sister, sophomore Carlin Nasiatka.

Faith Ammen, who also graduated in 2009, left her younger brother, junior Elijah Ammen, sole control of the iPod® when driving to church.

This year, Bailey Payne is leaving a Speedo® to Josh Bradley.

Wills are submitted during the weeks before Jr-Sr banquet and compiled into a single classy document to be handed out to those in attendance at Jr-Sr.

Though most wills are written to the underclassmen, recipients also include close friends, as well as professors.

Senior wills provide the perfect closure to four years wrought with friendships, inside jokes and laughter.

To see the wills of current seniors, visit BryanTriangle.com next week.

by Britney Weber
Staff Writer

We see them out running nearly every day, whether it is warm or cold, sunny, raining or snowing. Sometimes even twice a day. They put hours into training their bodies, toning their muscles and refining their movements. P90X is a common phrase in their vocabulary. Nearly every weekend they trade extra sleep for long bus rides. Ice baths and ice wraps are routine. Even in the summer they receive emails outlining the workouts they are to complete.

All because they love running.

It’s no wonder with this high level of dedication that the Bryan College Track & Field team continues to set records. This season promises to be no different. Read full story »