NOV. 20 — Petkova Secures All-American Finish At Nationals
Sophomore 12th-fastest runner in nation; Gillette ends brilliant career in men'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 — Petkova Takes Regional Championship
Sophomore makes program history; team finishes sixth to conclude season

Forest stroll: A pair of Goshen runners glide through a wooded segment of St. Patrick’s Park at the NAIA Region VIII Championship Meet Saturday afternoon.

Brilliant career: Senior Melissa Lehman strides out to finish 21st overall in the 123-woman race Saturday. Lehman narrowly missed qualification for NAIA nationals.

South Bend, IN — For only the second time in school history, the Goshen College women’s cross country program has a NAIA regional champion. Sophomore Petrana Petkova won Saturday’s NAIA Region VIII Championship Meet at St. Patrick’s Park in a time of 18:19, the second-fastest pace in program history. Only Heidi Saunders’ time of 18:15 in 2002 was quicker than Petkova’s pace Saturday, as Saunders (2004 graduate and 2002 NAIA Regoin VIII champion) is the lone NAIA All-American performer in Goshen women’s cross country history. Petkova will now have a chance at becoming the program’s second All-American runner on Nov. 20, when she will travel to the NAIA National Championship Meet in Louisville, Kentucky.

“Petrana has done it all year, and we are excited about her accomplishment,” said Doug Yoder, Goshen head coach. “She ran a solid race today, and it was her goal to win it.”

Petkova’s pace on Saturday was 24 seconds faster than Siena Heights’ Krishawna Parker’s clip, the second runner to complete the race. And while Saunders did qualify for NAIA National competition in three of her four years as a Leaf, she became ill after her regional medalist finish in 2002, making the possibilities tempting for Petkova at the national race in two weeks.

“We’ll keep training hard from now until then, and hopefully she can put together another good run down in Louisville,” Yoder said.

And while Petkova’s championship was sweet, the team got a bitter taste after learning that senior Melissa Lehman just missed national qualification by a single runner. Her time of 19:45 on Saturday placed her 21st overall, while the top five runners from each regional — minus those from national qualifying teams — advance to national competition. With 15 of the top 20 runners coming from Siena Heights, Indiana Wesleyan and Aquinas College (all of which qualified as teams for national competition), Lehman was left just a single spot out of national competition, all by a mere three seconds. Marian College’s Jennifer Roberts’ took the final individual berth from the Region VIII meet, finishing in a clip of 19:42.

“Melissa ran her best time of the year to cap off an excellent career at Goshen College,” Yoder said. “If Spring Arbor University would have made it in as a team, Melissa would have gone as an individual entry. It’s a bit disappointing to be so close, but you can’t control the rest of the field. You have to run your best race, and Melissa did just that.”

As a team, Goshen finished in sixth place out of 12 teams at the event, garnering a total 133 points. Indiana Wesleyan finished in first (39 points) while Siena Heights (82 points) and Aquinas College (93 points) rounded off the top three. Spring Arbor (110 points) looked as if it would qualify for national competition as a team — thus qualifying Lehman as an individual — until the Cougars learned of an upset in another regional meet, thus bumping Spring Arbor out as a team qualifier.

Sophomore Laura Herr was the third Leaf to finish Saturday’s race, completing the course in a time of 20:07. Freshman Zorina Keyser wasn’t far behind, taking 47th place overall in a clip of 20:27. As the sixth-place team, Goshen defeated Mid-Central Conference foes Bethel College (206 points), Marian College (207 points) and Grace College (240 points), while also knocking off Cornerstone University (245 points) and MCC rivals Huntington College (270 points) and the University of St. Francis (328 points). One-hundred and twenty-three runners competed in the 5k run. MCC opponent Taylor University finished in fifth place with 128 points.

“We had a number of outstanding performances today, and we were very happy with our results,” Yoder said. “With the number of young runners we have, we can definitely build on the experiences of this year.”

Petkova will travel to the E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville on Nov. 20 for a 10:30 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
Petrana Petkova (1st) — 18:19.0
Melissa Lehman (21st) — 19:45.0
Laura Herr (34th) — 20:07.0
Zorina Keyser (47th) — 20:27.0
Rachel Yantzi (66th) — 21:08.0
Anna Mast (89th) — 22:07.0
Kassidy Cheek (98th) — 22:41.0
Sarah Valatka (110th) — 23:42.0
Lisl Hershberger (118th) — 25:33.0
Molly Moyer (119th) — 25:42.0

OCT. 23 — Leafs Take Fourth At MCCs; Petkova Champion
Goshen finishes just four points out of third; Petkova becomes school's third champ

Junior Rachel Yantzi Sophomore Petrana Petkova

Winona Lake, IN — A rainy day and muddy course set the backdrop for the 2004 Mid-Central Conference Championships at Grace College this Saturday, as the Leafs finished in fourth place overall while sophomore Petrana Petkova took home individual medalist honors.

Goshen — 93 team points — was just four points away from third-place Taylor University (89 points), while sixth-ranked Indiana Wesleyan University and 20th-ranked Spring Arbor University took home the first- and second-place team finishes, respectively. Petkova’s time of 18:45 was 21 seconds faster than the next quickest runner (Megan Pollock, Indiana Wesleyan) as Petkova became the third women’s MCC Champion in Goshen history, joining All-American Heidi Saunders (2002) and Maria Witmer (1992) in the school’s record books.

“We did exceptionally well today, considering the conditions and circumstances,” said Doug Yoder, Goshen head coach. “We really were not that far away from Spring Arbor, which is a ranked team. Petrana continues to dominate her opponents. It was good to see her come up with a very good run on a very important day.”

Petkova was followed closely by Pollock and others throughout the first mile, but then turned on the accelerator. She was not challenged for the remainder of the race. Senior Melissa Lehman finished second for Goshen in a time of 20:06 (18th place overall), while Laura Herr took 26th place in a clip of 20:18. Freshman Zorina Keyser had a difficult day, finishing 35th overall and fifth for the Leafs in a time of 20:41 after being in Goshen’s top three for the last two meets. Keyser’s tough afternoon was balanced by a breakout day for junior Rachel Yantzi, who finished with a season-best 20:56 time to grab 40th place out of 99 participants.

“Rachel had a break through run today that we had been hoping for all season,” Yoder said. “That was good to see. Zorina learned many lessons from her run. This team can definitely set their sights on trying to get an at-large bid to the national finals. With Zorina bouncing back next time, I think we could see some significant accomplishments yet to come.”

Final team standings at the MCC Championships were: Indiana Wesleyan, 32 points; Spring Arbor, 68 points; Taylor, 89 points; Goshen, 93 points; Marian College, 132 points; Bethel College, 144 points; Grace College, 164 points; University of St. Francis, 226 points; Huntington College, 227 points. For a complete list of all runners’ finishes and times, click here.

Goshen will next compete in the NAIA’s Region VIII meet in two weeks, as the event will take place at MCC rival Bethel College. Women’s start time to the meet is slated for 12 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6.

Goshen Individual Results
Petrana Petkova (1st) — 18:45.0
Melissa Lehman (18th) — 20:06.0
Laura Herr (26th) — 20:18.0
Zorina Keyser (35th) — 20:41.0
Rachel Yantzi (40th) — 20:56.0
Kassidy Cheek (62nd) — 22:04.0
Anna Mast (67th) — 22:22.0
Sarah Valatka (73rd) — 22:53.0
Lisl Hershberger (98th) — 27:19.0

OCT. 16 — Goshen Continues To Improve At Manchester
Leafs take second place trophy; sneak up on host Spartans

Keeping pace: Junior Melissa Lehman (left) and freshman Zorina Keyser stay in the top ten Saturday at Manchester.

No one around: Sophomore Petrana Petkova wins the 5k event Saturday without a contest.

North Manchester, IN — A frigid and windy afternoon at Manchester College didn’t deter the Goshen College women’s cross country team Saturday, as an extra runner was needed to determine the team champion at the Manchester College Invite. The Leafs and the host Spartans each finished the meet with 71 total points, as Manchester was declared meet champions as their sixth runner finished with a better time than Goshen’s sixth athlete. Nevertheless, Goshen proudly took home the second place trophy, as sophomore Petrana Petkova took individual medalist honors in a time of 18:48.

“Manchester had soundly beaten us three weeks ago at the Bethel Invitational, and today we were forced to break a tie using the sixth runner on our team,” said Doug Yoder, Goshen head coach. “All members of our team are making progress. That’s very encouraging to see as we progress into the heart of our season.”

Aside from Petkova’s outright win, Goshen was benefited from freshman Zorina Keyser’s breakout performance, as her seventh-place finish overall (19:59) marked the first time she broke the 20-minute barrier as a collegian. Junior Melissa Lehman was right behind Keyser, finishing eighth overall in a clip of 20:06. Sophomore Laura Herr rounded out a very tough top four, finishing in 11th place in a time of 20:23.

“Zorina had a great race, moving up to the number two runner on the team as well as breaking the 20-minute mark for the first time in her career,” Yoder said. “Petrana took control of the race early and ran well for the windy and cold conditions.”

Freshman Anna Mast was Goshen’s fifth runner in, clocking a time of 22:16. Sophomore Kassidy Cheek’s time of 22:23 could not compete with Manchester’s sixth runner — Karly Van Ort, 21:19 — giving Manchester the overall win by default.

Final team results were: Manchester, 71 points; Goshen, 71 points; Franklin College, 76 points; Earlham College, 81 points; Kalamazoo College, 105 points; Cornerstone University, 123 points; Huntington College, 167 points; Tri-State University, 220 points; University of St. Francis, 232 points.

Goshen will next compete in the Mid-Central Conference Championships on Saturday. That meet will take place at Grace College. Women’s start time is slated for 11:30 a.m.

Goshen Individual Results
Petrana Petkova (1st) — 18:48.0
Zorina Keyser (7th) — 19:59.0
Melissa Lehman (8th) — 20:06.0
Laura Herr (11th) — 20:23.0
Anna Mast (50th) — 22:16.0
Kassidy Cheek (54th) — 22:23.0
Sarah Valatka (67th) — 23:02.0
Rachel Yantzi (82nd) — 24:00.0
Lisl Hershberger (Did not finish)
Rachel Yantzi (Did not finish)

OCT. 8 — Leafs Take Second-Place Trophy At Benedictine
Team uses course-record time; personal bests to finish on heels of Division I team

Freshman Zorina Keyser Sophomore Petrana Petkova

Lisle, IL — With sophomore Petrana Petkova taking medalist honors and another Leaf posting a personal best time, the Goshen College women’s cross country team collected a second-place finish at Friday’s Benedictine University Eagle Invitational. Only NCAA Division I program Northern Illinois University could out-do Goshen’s effort, collecting 26 team points to the Leafs’ 90.

“We had many outstanding performances today, and are very pleased to finish as the second best team here,” said Doug Yoder, Goshen head coach.

Petkova’s time of 18:37.0 dismantled the old course record of 18:51.6 posted by Saint Xavier University’s Mary Farrell in 2001, while Northern Illinois’ Aicia Czajka’s second-place clip of 18:39.2 also beat that mark. Petkova was supported by senior Melissa Lehman’s time of 20:21.6 (good for 14th place overall) and freshman Zorina Keyser’s clip of 20:35.2 (18th place) — a personal best for the first-year runner.

“Petrana ran a very good race, and continues to dominate,” Yoder said. “Zorina ran particularly well for a freshman in this meet.”

Sophomore Laura Herr (20th place, 20:50.3) and junior Rachel Yantzi (44th place, 22:07.2) rounded off the top finishes for the Leafs.

A total of 144 runners finished the 23-team event. Final team scoring results were: Northern Illinois University (26 points); Goshen (90 points); North Central College (98 points); Marian College (119 points); St. Mary’s College (138 points); Bethel College (151 points); Lake Forest College (167 points); St. Xavier University (279 points); Aurora University (286 points); Chicago State University (306 points); Concordia University (308 points); Robert Morris College (339 points); Harper College (347 points); Waubonsee College (351 points); Dominican University (408 points); Sauk Valley College (436 points); Benedictine University, Elmhurst College, Illinois Central College, Morton College, University of St. Francis (IL), St. Joseph’s College (no score).

Goshen will next compete in the Manchester College Invitational on Saturday. Women’s meet time is set for a 11 a.m. start.

Goshen Individual Results
Petrana Petkova (1st) — 18:37.0
Melissa Lehman (14th) — 20:21.6
Zorina Keyser (18th) — 20:35.2
Laura Herr (20th) — 20:50.3
Rachel Yantzi (44th) — 22:07.2
Kassidy Cheek (51st) — 22:29.0
Sarah Valatka (94th) — 24:40.1

SEPT. 24 — Leafs Foreshadow Possible Success At Bethel
Goshen takes second at invitational; finishes above all MCC teams at event

Mishawaka, IN — Running on the same course that will serve as the site of the NAIA Regional meet this season, the Goshen College women’s cross country team put on a dominant performance Friday afternoon at the Bethel College Cross Country Invitational. Goshen took second place overall and first of all Mid-Central Conference schools participating, falling behind to only NCAA Division III Manchester College in the meet.

“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.”

Sophomore Petrana Petkova led the way for the Leafs, taking medalist honors in a time of 18:36. Senior Melissa Lehman wasn’t far behind in the 5k event, clocking a time of 20:01, good for sixth place overall. Sophomore Laura Herr rounded off Goshen’s top three, taking 10th place in a time of 20:27. Sixty-nine runners competed in the event.

“Petrana was not challenged at all and Melissa, Laura and (freshman) Zorina Keyser did a nice job for us,” Yoder said. “Our times are steadily improving. We’ll continue to train and work hard over the next few weeks in hopes of an even better performance here in regional competition.”

Manchester College won the team event with a combined time of 1:41:18 (38 points). Goshen was next in a clip of 1:41:12 (48 points), followed by Bethel (1:43:06; 56 points), Grace (1:46:06; 78 points), University of St. Francis (2:05:18; 148 points) and Concordia University (2:00:39; 164 points).

Goshen will next compete in the Benedictine College Invitational on Oct. 8. Women’s race is slated to begin at 3:30 p.m.

Goshen Individual Results
Petrana Petkova (1st) — 18:36.0
Melissa Lehman (6th) — 20:01.0
Laura Herr (10th) — 20:27.0
Zorina Keyser (13th) — 20:47.0
Rachel Yantzi (18th) — 21:21.0
Kassidy Cheek (23rd) — 21:50.0
Sarah Valatka (26th) — 22:55.0
Anna Mast (33rd) — 23:44.0
Lisl Hershberger (43rd) — 24:35.0
Molly Moyer (47th) — 25:40.0

SEPT. 17 — Goshen Thrives In Spotlight Of State Intercollegiates
Leafs take ninth among small schools; Petkova places second-fastest clip overall

West Lafayette, IN — With NCAA Division I programs well represented at the 2004 Indiana Intercollegiate cross country meet Friday, the Goshen College women’s cross country team proved it could run with anyone.

Sophomore Petrana Petkova led a charged Maple Leaf effort, finishing the race in a time of 19:06 — the second-fastest clip in the small school division as well as the second-fastest time overall. Her finishes were the best a Goshen runner has performed in the history of the meet, making Goshen head coach Doug Yoder proud.

“Petrana ran a very smart race and was just a second off the winning time (set by Lindsay Hattendorf of Indiana University),” Yoder said. “She should be proud of her effort, as should the rest of our athletes.”

Goshen got great efforts turned in by senior Melissa Lehman and sophomore Laura Herr, as the duo finished 34th and 52nd in the small school division, respectively. Lehman ran in a time of 20:21 while Herr finished at a 20:51 pace. Freshman Zorina Keyser wasn’t far behind, turning in a time of 21:35 en route to a 72nd place (small school division) finish.

The Leafs finished in ninth place out of 17 teams in the small school division, beating out Mid-Central Conference rivals Bethel College, Huntington College, Grace College and the University of St. Francis in the process. Goshen’s efforts were enough to land them in 16th place out of 25 total teams at the event. For a complete list of individual and team results at the meet, click here.

Goshen will next travel to Bethel to take place in a meet where the NAIA Region VIII regional competition will be held. Women’s race is slated to begin at 5 p.m. Friday.

Goshen Individual Results (Finishes are small school division results)
Petrana Petkova (2nd) — 19:06.0
Melissa Lehman (33rd) — 20:21.0
Laura Herr (52nd) — 20:51.0
Zorina Keyser (72nd) — 21:35.0
Anna Mast (104th) — 22:33.0
Kassidy Cheek (111th) — 22:48.0
Rachel Yantzi (117th) — 23:02.0
Sarah Valatka (122nd) — 23:18.0

SEPT. 11 — Petkova's Medalist Effort Leads Goshen
Partial squad produces admirable results at Defiance Invitational

Sophomore Petrana Petkova

Defiance, OH — Despite traveling with a limited squad due to injuries and illness, the Goshen College women’s cross country team came away with an impressive third-place performance at the Defiance Invitational Saturday, beating Alma College, Defiance College and Tri-State University in the process.

Goshen was led by sophomore Petrana Petkova, who finished in first place with a time of 23:38.4, nearly a full minute ahead of the next fastest competitor (Manchester’s Molly Sanders, 24:28.4. Petkova was followed by sophomore Laura Herr, who finished ninth overall in a clip of 25:29.9. The normally second-quickest Leaf, senior Melissa Lehman, was hampered by the cold bug and finished 11th in a time of 26:01.7.

“Petrana was in control of her race from the start,” said Doug Yoder, Goshen head coach. “Laura Herr ran a good race also. I was quite pleased with the team results considering we did not compete the full squad due to injuries and illness.”

Complete team results were: Manchester College, 2:08:05; Bethel College, 2:09:08; Goshen College, 2:10:51; Alma College, 2:12:29; Defiance College, 2:25:08; Tri-State University, 2:42:24.

Goshen will next compete in the Indian Intercollegiates at Purdue University on Friday. Women’s start time is slated for 4:45 p.m.

Goshen Individual Results
Petrana Petkova (1st) — 23:38.4
Laura Herr (9th) — 25:29.9
Melissa Lehman (11th) — 26:01.7
Anna Mast (23rd) — 27:38.8
Rachel Yantzi (27th) — 28:02.8

AUG. 28 — Leafs Participate In Anderson Scrimmage
Goshen doesn't take full team; runners get first look at competition

Sophomore Laura Herr

Anderson, IN — In an attempt to prepare for the upcoming season, the Goshen College women’s cross country team traveled to Anderson University Saturday, taking part in a non-scored meet at Mounds State Park. And although the Leafs did not take their full squad, a number of runners showed signs of good things to come in the 6k race.

Sophomore Laura Herr finished 15th overall and tops for Goshen in a time of 26:34, a pace quicker than her average from last season. Sophomore Kassidy Cheek was next in line for the Leafs, finishing in 21st place in a time of 28:15. Freshman Zorina Keyser was under a minute off that pace, recording a clip of 29:08 — good for 24th place in the meet.

“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 was without senior Melissa Lehman for the event, though she will compete in Goshen’s first regular season meet on Saturday. Administrative issues forced sophomore Petrana Petkova to run as unattached in the meet, though she did win the race in a time of 22:50. That clip was over a minute quicker than 2004 Goshen College All-American Heidi Saunders’ time of 24:15 on Saturday. Saunders also ran as unattached in the event.

Goshen will next travel to the Wabash College Hokem Karem Invitational on Saturday to begin its regular season. Women’s start time is set for 10:30 a.m.

Goshen Individual Results (6k race)
Laura Herr (15th) — 26:34
Kassidy Cheek (21st) — 28:15
Zorina Keyser (24th) — 29:08
Sarah Valatka (29th) — 30:29
Rachel Yantzi (30th) — 30:42
Anna Mast (32nd) — 31:11

MAY 26 — Goshen Adds Keyser To Dual Duty In 04-05
Local track and cross country standout to help two Leaf programs

Zorina Keyser

Goshen, IN — Even during preparations to send four team members to the 2004 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships this weekend, the Goshen College track and cross country program still found time to better itself this week, signing Goshen High School senior Zorina Keyser to a letter of intent. Keyser, a dual-sport star at Goshen High School for four years, will continue to run both track and cross country for the same-city college next year.

“Zorina has the ability to come in and help us in a number of ways in both track and cross country,” said Rick Clark, Goshen head track and field coach. “One of our challenges will be to see which track events will be her best at the college level because she possesses a nice combination of speed, strength, and endurance.”

Keyser primarily ran in the 200-, 400- and 800-meter dashes while in high school, posting personal best times of :29.0 in the 200, :62.0 in the 400 and 2:29 in the 800. Keyser also is a member of the GHS school record holding 4 X 800 and 4 X 400 relay teams, and Clark said that she might expand to other events next year. In cross country, Keyser has qualified for regional and semi-state competition in all four prep seasons, and ran a personal best time of 15:30 in the 4k distance — collegiate women compete in 5k races.

“Zorina is a very hard worker in both athletics and the classroom,” said Doug Yoder, Goshen College cross country head coach. “She brings a great attitude and is very goal-oriented. It will be great to be able to continue to watch Zorina grow both on the course and in the classroom.”

Keyser chose Goshen over the likes of IUSB, Tri-State University, Manchester College and St. Bonaventure University. She said she liked the fact that Goshen was close to home and had a good balance between academics and athletics. She said she plans to major in nursing.

“I really liked the environment at Goshen College on my visit, and enjoyed the girls a lot during my stay,” Keyser said. “The coaches at Goshen are proven, and I’m sure my running skills will improve so much under them. Both programs are really solid, and I wanted to be a part of them.”

Keyser joins Goshen College after a solid high school tenure in the classroom as well, maintaining the Leafs’ high academic standards for their student-athletes.

“It is very pleasing to have someone like Zorina coming into our program because she has been a hard worker in the classroom as well as on the athletic fields,” Clark said. “This combination should allow her to be successful and offer leadership in both academic and athletic areas in the future.”

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.”