NOV. 20 — Gillette Concludes Brilliant Career At Nationals
Tough conditions slow Leafs' top runner; Petkova All-American in women's race

Goshen College sophomore Petrana Petkova capped off an impressive cross country season with an All-American 12th-place finish at Saturday’s NAIA National Championships in Louisville, Kentucky. In the men’s division, senior Justin Gillette finished 134th.

Petkova’s finish was the highest ever for a Maple Leaf runner, male or female, in the national finals and concluded a season that saw her undefeated among NAIA Region VIII and Mid-Central College Conference runners. Her time of 18:17 seconds over the muddy Tom Sawyer State Park 5,000-meter course was her fastest of the season and just two seconds off of the Goshen College school record.

“Petrana ran a nice steady race,” said Doug Yoder, Goshen head coach. “After going through the first mile at the back of a group of runners bunched from 12th to 18th place, she moved up to the lead of that group by the end of the race. Course conditions were definitely a factor for the women’s and men’s races. She was able to move up to 12th place at the end of the race and felt that if conditions weren’t as they were, she would have been able to move up even further.”

A transfer from Central Methodist (MO), it was Petkova’s second cross country All-American honor after finishing 27th last season.

“She was pleased with her performance in finishing a lot higher in the standings, and of course, maintaining her All-American status,” Yoder said.

Senior Mirriam Kaumba of Oklahoma Baptist University, featured in a recent Sports Illustrated “Faces in the Crowd” profile, ran away from the 258-runner crowd, winning by nearly 50 seconds in 16:53.70. Simon Fraser College (British Columbia) won the team competition.

Running in the second race, Gillette ran a 27:05.85 clocking over an 8,000-meter course that also repeated the muddiest loop a second time in the extra 3,000 meters.

“The muddy conditions took away the ability for runners to accelerate and make moves on a pack in front of them,” said Yoder. “Justin had more of a rough time handling the course conditions. It was apparent from the early stages of the race that he was struggling to establish a race rhythm. The footing bothered him, and he wasn’t able to run the kind of race that he felt he is capable of running.”

The race concluded an outstanding cross country career for Gillette, Goshen’s first entrant in the men’s championships since Geoff Douglas in 1991. He holds 10 of the progam’s 25 fastest times, including the top four among seniors. Among class-level school records, he joins Douglas as the only athletes ranked among Goshen’s men’s top seven as a freshman (seventh), sophomore (third), junior (fourth) and senior (first). A three-time track and field All-American, Saturday’s event marked the first time a Goshen College male has at competed the national championships in all three running sports — cross country and indoor and outdoor track.

“While it was a somewhat disappointing finish, Justin can be proud of his running accomplishments and, most importantly, as a team leader,” said Yoder.

Soimo Kiplagat of Lindenwood University (MO) won the 259-finisher race in 24:17.20. Virginia Intermont College won the team title. To view all men’s results, click here. For women’s postings, click here.

A speical thanks to Lyle Miller, who contributed to this article.

NOV. 6 — Gillette Moves On To National Stage
Senior qualifies at regionals; team finishes eighth to conclude season

South Bend, IN — In a fitting end to a steadily improving career, senior Justin Gillette has finally been rewarded for four years of hard work in the Goshen College cross country program, qualifying for NAIA National competition at this weekend’s NAIA Region VIII Championship Meet at St. Patrick’s Park.

With the top five runners from each regional advancing to national competition — minus those individuals from national qualifying teams — Gillette’s 25:58 eighth-place finish was good enough for national qualification, as three Aquinas College runners finished in quicker times. With Aquinas qualifying for the national championship as a team, Gillette slid into the final individual qualifying slot Saturday, and was just four seconds slower than Marian College’s Michael Kurria, the fourth-best individual finish.

“It’s good to see Justin get to this point,” said Doug Yoder, Goshen head coach. “He’s had some injuries and some tough runs in regionals’ past, and it’s really fitting for him to end his career this way.”

After an Achilles injury last season and a pair of disappointing regional runs in his first two collegiate years kept Gillette away from the grand stage, it is persistence and patience that allowed the senior to reap the benefits this year: Gillette has steadily improved his times since his freshman season, and now has the opportunity to become Goshen’s first male All-American cross country runner in two weeks.

“Even though this is my first year as head coach, it’s easy to look back and see what Justin has done in four years compared to where he started,” Yoder said. “It’s really exciting to see a guy work so hard and then have that pay off in this fashion.”

And while Gillette will carry the Goshen College name proudly at the NAIA National Championships in Louisville, Kentucky on Nov. 20, the season concluded for the rest of his teammates Saturday at the regional meet. Freshman phenom Nick Adkins could not come up with the best run of his first collegiate season, finishing in 24th place in a time of 26:46 as the Leafs’ next best runner. Classmate Jake Gillette took home 49th place in a time of 28:11, while sophomores Alex Bouwman and Dom Fultz finished in 69th and 81st place, respectively.

“We had a number of runners perform well, and we had good team efforts for both our men’s and women’s team today,” Yoder said. “With the number of young runners we have, we can definitely build on the experiences of this year.”

As a team, Goshen finished in eighth place (190 team points) out of the 11-team field at the Region VIII Championship Meet, defeating Mid-Central Conference foes Bethel College (216 points) and Grace College (237 points) in the process. The Leafs also edged out Cornerstone University (254 points) in the 106-man event. Aquinas (41 points) ran away with the team championship and automatic team qualifier, while Spring Arbor University (83 points), Indiana Wesleyan University (92 points), Huntington College (144 points), Siena Heights University (152 points), Taylor University (153 points) and Marian (183 points) rounded off the field.

Marian’s Antony Kariuki won the individual championship at the meet, finishing in a time of 25:17.

Gillette will travel to the E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville on Nov. 20 for an 11:30 a.m. meet start time. For further details on the NAIA National Cross Country Championship, click here. For a complete list of national qualifying individuals and teams, click here.

Goshen Individual Results
Justin Gillette (8th) — 25:58.0
Nick Adkins (24th) — 26:46.0
Jake Gillette (49th) — 28:11.0
Alex Bouwman (69th) — 29:00.0
Dom Fultz (81st) — 29:54.0
Michael Amos (95th) — 31:28.0
Matt Troyer (100th) — 32:27.0
Sam Moyer (103rd) — 32:51.0
Jason Young (106th) — 33:52.6

OCT. 23 — Leafs Finish Sixth At MCC Championships
Gillette and Adkins take all-MCC honors; team looks to improve for regionals

Senior Justin Gillette Freshman Nick Adkins

Winona Lake, IN — Goshen needed every second from each of its top five runners in Saturday’s Mid-Central Conference Championships at Grace College, as a nip and tuck finish saw the Leafs finish in sixth place overall but just a point shy of fourth place.

Goshen finished with 128 team points on the wet and muddy Lancer course, as both Bethel College and Taylor University each finished with 127 points, tying for fourth place. The Leafs were led by senior Justin Gillette’s fifth-place finish in a time of 26:21, just a second off the fourth-place clip of Marian College’s Michael Kuria. Freshman Nick Adkins finished ninth overall in a time of 26:40, and was also a second off the eighth-place time, giving the Leafs a pair of all-conference performers among a tough 81-man field — the top 12 runners in the event are awarded with All-MCC honors.

“We ran exceptionally well today as a group, and being one point away from fourth place is a major move for us. We probably had many places that we could have picked up that spot. I’m very proud of Justin and Nick for their all-conference efforts, though. They are both very deserving and have shown in their performances throughout the season of being all-conference runners.”

While Justin Gillette and Adkins both flourished, freshman Jake Gillette had a rough day, finishing fifth for the Leafs and 46th overall in a time of 29:19, his slowest pace of the season. After being Goshen’s third-best runner throughout the year, a difficult day found the first-year athlete anxious for the NAIA regional meet in two weeks.

“Jake did not run particularly well today, but that’s part of the growing pains you go through as a freshman runner,” Yoder said. “He will bounce back and be just fine.”

With Jake Gillette’s performance, sophomores Dom Fultz and Alex Bouwman slid into Goshen’s third- and fourth-place slots, respectively, with Fultz finishing in 31st place overall (28:40) and Bouwman 41st (29:04).

Complete team results at the meet were: Spring Arbor University, 62 points; Indiana Wesleyan University, 64 points; Huntington College, 93 points; Bethel College, 127 points; Taylor University, 127 points; Goshen, 128 points; Marian College, 136 points; Grace College, 154 points; University of St. Francis, 252 points. For complete team and field results of the meet, click here.

“We’ll have our work cut out for us at the NAIA regional met, but there is definitely a sense of optimism for improving the team’s standing this year,” Yoder said. “We’re right there. We just need to make one final push.”

Goshen will travel to Bethel College in two weeks for the NAIA Region VIII Championships. Men’s meet time is slated to begin at 12:45 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 6.

Goshen Individual Results
Justin Gillette (5th) — 26:21.0
Nick Adkins (9th) — 26:40.0
Dom Fultz (31st) — 28:40.0
Alex Bouwman (41st) — 29:04.0
Jake Gillette (46th) — 29:19.0
Michael Amos (60th) — 30:45.0
Sam Moyer (71st) — 32:14.0
Matt Troyer (74th) — 33:40.0
Jason Young (79th) — 35:07.0
Lucas Vachon (80th) — 39:29.0

OCT. 16 — Goshen Tunes Up For MCC Championships
Team competes at Manchester Invite in last meet before conference title

Sandwiched: Freshman Jake Gillette (right) and sophomore Dom Fultz put the squeeze on a competitor Saturday at Manchester.

Curb ahead: Freshman Nick Adkins takes a turn in Saturday’s meet. Adkins finished second for the Leafs and fifth overall.

North Manchester, IN — Competing in its final intercollegiate match before next week’s Mid-Central Conference Championships, the Goshen College men’s cross country team showed some positive signs at the Manchester College Invite Saturday. Senior Justin Gillette again led the way for the Leafs, finishing second among scored runners and third overall in a time of 26:06, but had some big help in the squad’s efforts. Three Goshen runners notched personal bests on the afternoon, making head coach Doug Yoder pleased.

“It was good to see our guys run as well as they did considering it was such a cold and windy day,” Yoder said. “Our men are getting better each week, which is making for a continually improving top five.”

Goshen was paced by freshman Nick Adkins’ fifth place finish overall (26:24), while freshman Jake Gillette finished 39th in a time of 28:22. Sophomores Dom Fultz (28:28, 41st place) and Alex Bouwman (28:59, 48th place) each posted personal best times. Also posting a personal best was sophomore Sam Moyer, who at a clip of 31:53 (80th place) broke the 32-minute barrier for the first time in his collegiate career.

“Justin again led the team with a strong effort, and Nick followed him closely,” Yoder said. “We had some big performances turned in by Dom and Alex, and it was great to see Sam break the 32-minute mark. That’s a big accomplishment from where he started this season.”

John Ngigi won the meet as an unattached runner in a time of 25:36. Cody Hannie of Huntington College took individual medalist honors in a clip of 25:59. Complete team scores were: Huntington College, 86 points; Wabash College, 88 points; Earlham College, 88 points; Tri-State University, 102 points; Kalamazoo College, 104 points; Manchester College, 128 points; Goshen, 130 points; Cornerstone University, 174 points; Franklin College, 205 points; University of St. Francis, 264 points.

Goshen will next compete in the MCC Championship meet on Saturday, when the team travels to the course at Grace College. Men’s meet time is slated to begin at 12:30 p.m.

Goshen Individual Results
Justin Gillette (3rd) — 26:06.0
Nick Adkins (5th) — 26:24.0
Jake Gillette (39th) — 28:22.0
Dom Fultz (40th) — 28:28.0
Alex Bouwman (48th) — 28:59.0
Sam Moyer (80th) — 31:53.0
Matt Troyer (86th) — 33:16.3
Jason Young (88th) — 33:49.0
Lucas Vachon (92nd) — 37:20.0
Nathan Clark (Did not finish)
Michael Amos (Did not finish)
Brett Burnahm (Did not finish)
Adam Friesen (Did not finish)

OCT. 8 — Gillette Paces Leafs At Benedictine Invitational
Senior places second out of 145 runners in breaking the course record

Senior Justin Gillette

Lisle, IL — Setting a new course record and leading the Goshen College men’s cross country team to a sixth-place finish at the Benedictine University Eagle Invitational was all in a day’s work for senior Justin Gillette, as the All-American finished second overall in a time of 25:57.6 to pace the Leafs. Gillette, along with individual medalist Antony Kariuki (25:38.7 time; Marian College) each broke the old course record of 26:05.3 set by the University of Wisconsin Parkside’s Jason Matousek in 2002.

“We had many outstanding performances Friday,” said Doug Yoder, Goshen head coach. “Breaking the course record was great for Justin, but we had others that ran very well also. It was a good day for us overall.”

Goshen finished in sixth place with 165 points, just four points behind Mid-Central Conference rival Bethel College. Freshman Nick Adkins was next in line for the Leafs, posting a time of 27:21.9 and finishing 16th overall despite falling twice during the race. Classmate Jake Gillette finished 39th overall in a clip of 28:17.2, while sophomore Dom Fultz took home a 57th place finish in a time of 28:45.7.

A total of 145 runners finished the 19-team event. Final team scoring results were: North Central College (77 points); Elmhurst College (108 points); St. Joseph’s College (108 points); Marian College (148 points); Bethel College (161 points); Goshen (165 points); Concordia University (169 points); Lake Forest College (169 points); Illinois Central College (194 points); Robert Morris College (226 points); Harper College (259 points); Waubonsee College (325 points); Sauk Valley College (344 points); Chicago State University (358 points); Dominican University (390 points); Aurora University, Benedictine University, Morton College, St. Xavier University (no score).

Goshen will next compete in the Manchester College Invitational on Saturday. Men’s meet time is set for a 12 p.m. start.

Goshen Individual Results
Justin Gillette (2nd) — 25:57.6
Nick Adkins (16th) — 27:21.9
Jake Gillette (39th) — 28:17.2
Dom Fultz (57th) — 28:45.7
Alex Bouwman (78th) — 29:32.7
Michael Amos (99th) — 31:02.1
Sam Moyer (115th) — 32:29.0
Jason Young (121st) — 33:15.6
Matt Troyer (126th) — 34:03.3
Lucas Vachon (142nd) — 39:47.5
Nathan Clark (144th) — 41:13.6

SEPT. 24 — Goshen Shows Strength At Bethel Invite
Leafs take third place out of nine teams at NAIA Regional course

Senior Justin Gillette Freshman Nick Adkins

Mishawaka, IN — Getting a glimpse of the NAIA Regional course Friday afternoon at neighboring Bethel College, the Goshen College men’s cross country team showed some team grit by taking a third-place finish out of nine teams, including taking two of the top three individual places. Senior Justin Gillette (second overall, 26:00 time) and freshman Nick Adkins (third overall, 26:34 time) paced Goshen on a course the squad will see again on Nov. 11 — at the NAIA Region VIII regional competition.

“The meet went well for us,” said Doug Yoder, Goshen head coach. “It was good to be able to compete on this course and do well, seeing as how we’ll be back here again (at the regional competition) in November.”

Gillette and Adkins helped Goshen past Mid-Central Conference schools Grace College and the University of St. Francis on the day, as the Leafs finished behind only Taylor University and Bethel in team points.

“Our times are steadily improving, and we had some good showings out here today,” Yoder said. “Justin and Nick ran outstanding races. They are training well against one another, and it’s starting to show in their competitive times.”

Gillette’s younger brother — freshman Jake Gillette — was next in line for Goshen finishing 11th overall in a clip of 27:34. Sophomore Dom Fultz was the Leafs’ fourth quickest runner, taking home 40th place in a time of 29:30.

Taylor’s Lance Vanderberg took individual medalist honors in a time of 25:50, just 10 seconds quicker than Justin Gillette’s pace. Taylor won the team event with a combined time of 2:16:35 (51 points). Bethel was second in a time of 2:18:44 (67 points), followed by Goshen (2:19:23; 87 points), Manchester College (2:21:24; 107 points), Robert Morris College (2:24:15; 131 points), Grace College (2:28:39; 140 points), Concordia University (2:30:15; 177 points), Moraine Valley College (2:30:27; 181 points) and the University of St. Francis (2:33:34; 202 points).

Goshen will next compete in the Benedictine College Invitational on Oct. 8. Men’s race is slated to begin at 4:15 p.m.

Goshen Individual Results
Justin Gillette (2nd) — 26:00.0
Nick Adkins (3rd) — 26:34.0
Jake Gillette (11th) — 27:34.0
Dom Fultz (40th) — 29:30.0
Alex Bouwman (43rd) — 29:45.0
Michael Amos (50th) — 30:40.0
Jason Young (T-68th) — 32:52.0
Sam Moyer (T-68th) — 32:52.0
Brett Burnham (70th) — 32:54.0
Matt Troyer (75th) — 34:07.0
Daniel Constantine (77th) — 34:51.0
Lucas Vachon (81st) — 38:29.0
Adam Friesen (85th) — 41:27.0
Nathan Clark (86th) — 41:52.0

SEPT. 17 — Goshen Gets Shot At Indiana Intercollegiates
Squad tests itself against state schools; Gillette 26th-quickest overall

West Lafayette, IN — With nearly every Indiana state college competing at Friday’s Indiana Intercollegiates at Purdue University, the Goshen College men’s cross country team was able to get a good reading of just how they lined up against all state programs, regardless of school size or level of competition. In the end, the Leafs finished 12th out of 19 teams in the small school division and 18th out of a total 26 teams competing. Senior Justin Gillette set a new school mark by finishing 26th overall and ninth in the small school division — the best finish ever by a Goshen College runner in the history of the event.

“We had a decent day all around, and Justin ran a very good race,” said Doug Yoder, Goshen head coach. “It can be intimidating with so many runners and so many schools competing, but for the most part we stayed focused and ran our own races.”

Gillette was backed by freshman Nick Adkins who finished the meet in a time of 28:22, the 48th quickest pace in the small school division and 80th best clip overall. Classmate Jake Gillette took home 63rd in the small school division in a time of 28:55, while sophomore Dom Fultz paced a time of 30:39 en route to a 113th-place finish.

Goshen’s team point total of 501 outdid NCAA Division I Valparaiso University by a single point. For complete team and individual results from the meet, click here.

Goshen will next compete in the Bethel College Cross Country Invitational on Friday. Men’s race time is set for 5:45 p.m.

Goshen Individual Results (Finishes are small school division results)
Justin Gillette (9th) — 27:02.0
Nick Adkins (48th) — 28:22.0
Jake Gillette (63rd) — 28:55.0
Dom Fultz (113th) — 30:39.0
Alex Bouwman (124th) — 31:19.0
Sam Moyer (146th) — 34:19.0
Brett Burnham (148th) — 35:18.0
Matt Troyer (150th) — 36:45.0

SEPT. 11 — Adkins Paces Leafs To Fourth Place At Defiance
Freshman finishes second overall; Gillette takes third to lead team

Freshman Nick Adkins

Defiance, OH — An impressive effort by a freshman and a two-three individual finish helped lead the Goshen College men’s cross country team to a fourth-place team finish this weekend at the Defiance College Invitational. Freshman Nick Adkins paced the Leafs with an incredible clip of 27:06.4, finishing second overall and outdueling Leafs’ ace Justin Gillette (senior) who finished third overall with a time of 27:40.4. That duo helped pace Goshen, which defeated Manchester College and the host school in its fourth place finish.

“Nick Adkins had an outstanding meet placing second overall,” said Doug Yoder, Goshen head coach. “He showed great discipline and drive in doing this.”

The Leafs’ Jake Gillette was next in line, finishing 12th overall in a time of 28:35.7. Joe Whitman of Alma College won the individual medal, finishing in a time of 27:03.3. Complete team finishes were: Bethel College, 2:21:21; Alma College, 2:24:26; Tri-State University, 2:24:55; Goshen College, 2:25:44; Manchester College, 2:28:39; Defiance College, 2:40:52.
Goshen will next compete in the Indian Intercollegiates at Purdue University on Friday. Men’s start time is slated for 5:30 p.m.

Goshen Individual Results
Nick Adkins (2nd) — 27:06.4
Justin Gillette (3rd) — 27:40.4
Jake Gillette (12th) — 28:35.7
Alex Bouwman (32nd) — 30:41.9
Michael Amos (37th) — 31:40.5

AUG. 28 — Goshen Tunes Up For Season At Anderson
Gillette, Adkins lead pace in non-scored meet

Senior Justin Gillette

Anderson, IN — Acting as a tune-up for regular season competition, the Goshen College men’s cross country team participated in the Anderson University Scrimmage meet at Mounds State Park on Saturday. The event, classified as a scrimmage by the host school, was actually a non-scored meet with Goshen, Anderson and Earlham.

Senior Justin Gillette led the pace for the Leafs in the 6k event, clocking a time of 19:51. Freshman phenom Nick Adkins was next in line for the Goshen squad, running in a clip of 21:20. Classmate Jake Gillette — younger brother of Justin — finished 18th overall and third for the Leafs in a time of 21:47.

“This was a good opportunity for us to run a different course and see other runners as a prep for our season,” said Doug Yoder, Goshen head coach. “We’ll now continue to work as we prepare for next weekend.”

Goshen will next travel to the Wabash College Hokem Karem Invitational on Saturday. Men’s start time is set for 11 a.m.

Goshen Individual Results (6k race)
Justin Gillette (7th) — 19:51
Nick Adkins (15th) — 21:20
Jake Gillette (18th) — 21:47
Dom Fultz (24th) — 22:48
Alex Bouwman (25th) — 22:58
Sam Moyer (30th) — 25:45
Matt Troyer (26:32) — 26:32

APR. 23 — Yoder Takes Reins Of Cross Country Program
Long-time high school coach and current GC assistant accepts head position

Doug Yoder

Goshen, IN — Just two days after announcing the resignation of former head coach Lyle Miller, the Goshen College athletic department announced the hiring of Doug Yoder to take over the cross country program beginning immediately. Yoder, a long-time running coach at Goshen High School and current assistant coach for the Goshen College track program, becomes the institution’s sixth head cross country coach.

“We are very excited about having Doug Yoder join our coaching staff in a head coaching capacity,” said Ken Pletcher, Goshen College athletics director. “He brings many valuable years of experience from a very successful high school program, and he has shown his abilities as an assistant track coach for us this spring. We look forward to many successful cross country seasons under his leadership.”

Yoder takes over a collegiate program after 25 years of work in coaching track and cross country at Goshen High School. Yoder was an assistant boys’ track coach from 1979-1990 and was the head girls’ track coach for the Redskins from 1991-2003. Yoder added girls’ head cross country responsibilities in 1992, a position he kept until this fall. Yoder also directed the Goshen Relays track meet for six years and assisted in the process for seven years, while producing eight straight winning seasons in girls’ cross country and qualifying his team for regional and semi-state competition for the last six years. He has had at least one all-state academic performer on his team for the last eight years, and said he hopes to continue the balance of strong running and performance in the classroom at Goshen College.

“You look at distance running philosophically, and it’s something that’s hard to do, it’s time consuming and most other sports use running as a form of punishment,” Yoder said. “But in that framework I try to make it fun. I’ve learned a lot from my own running, and I think athletes can make a lot of connections from the sport to other areas of their lives, such as study habits and decision making.”

Yoder runs daily, and has participated in 35 marathons in the last eight years. He has twice qualified and ran in the Boston Marathon, and said he enjoys running with his athletes during practices.

“It’s not an everyday thing, but I enjoy running in practice as often as possible,” Yoder said. “That’s the way I’ve always coached, and I think there’s a lot of connection you can make to your athletes by simply being with them in running.”

Yoder is currently serving as an assistant track coach at Goshen College, specializing in distance running events. This is his first season with the Leafs’ spring program, while Yoder said he had hoped to join the cross country staff as an assistant coach in the fall of 2004-2005. With the resignation of Miller, however, Yoder saw an opportunity to pursue his dream job.

“Having this opportunity (to be a head cross country coach at the college level) is something I’ve always thought about doing, and I had envisioned taking the assistant coaching route to becoming a head coach,” he said. “But sometimes opportunity presents itself in alternate ways, and I’m really excited about the upcoming season.”

Yoder will also take over as director of Goshen’s athletic facility — the Roman Gingerich Center — in conjunction with his new coaching role at Goshen College. And while Miller left the program in solid condition, Yoder said he is excited to begin putting his own stamp on both the men’s and women’s teams.

“We have a good core coming back and it’s my hope to build around that core,” Yoder said. “I’m obviously a little bit behind in recruiting, but I think I can make a strong push over the next few months. Cross country is an individual sport but it’s also a team sport, and that’s the way I’ve always approached it. I want to have a balanced team, not just one or two strong runners with the rest of the athletes filling in spots.”

Yoder graduated from Goshen College in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in art. He completed his master’s degree in art from Ball State University in 1984. He also performed graduate studies at the University of St. Francis and Indiana University. Yoder has two sons currently playing on the Goshen College men’s soccer team — junior Kyle and freshman Adam — and lives with his wife, Vicki, in Goshen.

“I’m really excited about being here, and I know there’s been some turnover with cross country coaches here recently,” Yoder said. “I want to establish some continuity over the next several years. This is a great place to coach and to be around, and I see myself here for quite some time.”