DATE
EVENT/SITE
Fri., Sept. 16
National Catholic Invitational/South Bend, IN
Sat., Sept. 17
Knights Invitational/Grand Rapids, MI
Sat., Oct. 1
Greater Louisville Cross Country Classic/Louisville, KY
TBA
Fri., Oct. 7
Bethel College Invitational/Mishawaka, IN
5 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 22
NAIA Great Lakes Invitational/Riverside Park
TIME
4:15 p.m.
10 a.m.
Noon
Sat., Nov. 5
WHAC Championship/Riverside Park
TBA
Sat., Nov. 19
NAIA National Championships/Fort Vancouver, Wash.
TBA
AFFILIATION: NAIA Division II CONFERENCE: Wolverine-Hoosier (WHAC) 2010 WHAC FINISH: First in WHAC/13th at the NAIA National Meet
AQUINAS COLLEGE GENERAL INFORMATION LOCATION: Grand Rapids, Michigan FOUNDED: 1886 NICKNAME: Saints COLORS: Maroon/Grey PRESIDENT: Dr. Juan Olivarez ENROLLMENT: 2,518 students STUDENT-FACULTY RATIO: 15:1
SPORTS INFORMATION AND ATHLETICS SPORTS INFO DIRECTOR: Mike Wojciakowski SID PHONE: 616-632-2482 WEB-SITES: www.aquinas.edu, www.whac.net MEDIA GUIDE: Linda Nash VARSITY SPORTS: 18 ATHLETIC DIRECTOR: Terry Bocian ATHLETIC PHONE: 616-632-2474 FACULTY REPRESENTATIVE: Duane Ambrose :
SAINTS SOCCER HEAD COACH: Mike Wojciakowski ALMA MATER: Aquinas College (14th year) COORDINATOR: Dave Wood (17th year)
2010 Women’s Cross Country Schedule
Inside Cover
Table of Contents/AQ at a glance
1
Aquinas College
2
Grand Rapids, MI
3
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC)
4-5
Aquinas College 125th Anniversary
6
Roster
7
Season Preview
8
Coaching Staff
9
Meet the Team
10-11
1
Aquinas College, an inclusive educational community rooted in the Catholic Dominican tradition, provides a liberal arts education with a global perspective, emphasizes career preparation focused on leadership and service to others, and fosters a commitment to lifelong learning dedicated to the pursuit of truth and the common good. Aquinas College is rooted in the Dominican traditions of prayer, study, community and service, combined with a deep respect for truth, honesty and integrity. In this spirit, we strive to create an environment in which integrity is prized and practiced. We expect all community members to uphold these values through honesty, fairness, and respect for others.
2
Located on the eastern edge of Grand Rapids, Aquinas’ location allows students to reap the benefits of living in Michigan’s second largest city. With over one million people in the greater metropolitan area, Grand Rapids plays host to numerous festivals, concerts and cultural events each year. Aquinas’ campus creates a peaceful environment that is just moments away from the heart of downtown Grand Rapids. Residing on 104 wooded acres, the Aquinas College campus blends early twentiethcentury architecture with modern-day structures. The campus is home to over 107 species of trees and shrubs, winding woodland paths and inviting creeks and ponds. Only 30 miles from beautiful Lake Michigan for a relaxing afternoon.
3
Aquinas College
Cornerstone University
1607 Robinson Rd. Grand Rapids, MI 49506
1001 E. Beltline Rd. Grand Rapids, MI 49505
Founded: 1886 President: Dr. Juan Olivarez Nickname: Saints Colors: Maroon & White Enrollment: 2500 School Web Site: http://www.aquinas.edu Athletic Web Site: http://www.aquinas.edu/athletics/
Founded: 1941 President: Dr. Joseph Stowell Nickname: Golden Eagles Colors: Navy & Gold Enrollment: 1850 School Web Site: http://www.cornerstone.edu Athletic Web Site: http://www.cugoldeneagles.com
Concordia University
Davenport University
4090 Geddes Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48105
6191 Kraft Ave. SE Grand Rapids, MI 49512
Founded: 1963 President: Charles Winterstein Nickname: Cardinals Colors: Red, White & Black Enrollment: 600 School Web Site: http://www.cuaa.edu Athletic Web Site: http://www.concordiacardinals.com/index.php
Founded: 1866 President: Richard Pappas Nickname: Panthers Colors: Red, Black & White Enrollment: 2600 School Web Site: http://www.davenport.edu Athletic Web Site: http://www.dupanthers.com
4
Indiana Tech
Lourdes College
1600 E. Washington Blvd.. Fort Wayne, IN 46803
6832 Convent Blvd. Sylvania, OH 43560
Founded: 1930 President: Dr. Arthur Snyder Nickname: Warriors Colors: Orange & Black Enrollment: 1471 School Web Site: http://www.indianatech.edu Athletic Web Site: http://www.indianatech.edu/athletics
Founded: 1958 President: Dr. Robert C. Helmer Nickname: Gray Wolves Colors: Orange & Gray Enrollment: 2616 School Web Site: http://www.lourdes.edu Athletic Web Site: http://www.lourdes.edu/StudentLife/ Athletics.aspx
Madonna University
Siena Heights University
36600 Schoolcraft Rd. Livonia, MI 48150
1247 E. Siena Heights Drive Adrian, MI 49221
Founded: 1937 President: Sister Rose Marie Kujawa Nickname: Crusaders Colors: Royal Blue, Gold & White Enrollment: 4000 School Web Site: http://www.madonna.edu Athletic Web Site: http://www.madonnacrusaders.com
Founded: 1919 President: Sister Peg Albert, OP, PHD Nickname: Saints Colors: Navy Blue & Gold Enrollment: 1200 School Web Site: http://www.sienaheights.edu/ Athletic Web Site: http://www.shusaints.com
University of Michigan—Dearborn
University of Northwestern Ohio
4901 Evergreen Dearborn, MI 48128
1441 N. Cable Road Lima, OH 45805
Founded: 1959 President: Daniel Little Nickname: Wolves Colors: Maize & Blue Enrollment: 8500 School Web Site: http://www.umd.umich.edu/ Athletic Web Site: http://gowolves.net
Founded: 1920 President: Dr. Jeffrey Jarvis Nickname: Racers Colors: Red, Black Enrollment: 4000 School Web Site: http://www.unoh.edu/ Athletic Web Site: http://www.unohracers.com/
5
Aquinas College had its origins in the Novitiate Normal School begun by the Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids in 1886 in Traverse City. The Novitiate Normal School was transferred to Grand Rapids in 1911, and in 1922 it evolved into Sacred Heart (later Marywood) College. In 1931, the College was renamed Catholic Junior College. In 1940 the two-year program at CJC was expanded into a four-year bachelor's degree program and the name of the College was changed to Aquinas College. Aquinas College was originally located in downtown Grand Rapids. In 1945, the college bought the former Lowe Estate on East Fulton Street where it has remained until this day. In August 2011, Aquinas College will kick off a year's worth of festivities celebrating its 125 years of Catholic Dominican post-secondary education in Michigan. The celebration of the College's quasquicentennial (125th anniversary) will be highlighted by four signature events that will shine a spotlight on the values that have guided the College throughout its history: prayer, study, service, and community.
6
Name
Yr.
Hometown/High School (College)
Lesley Albert
JR
Belding, Mich./Belding
Brittany Andres
SO
Allendale, Mich./Allendale
Megan Byrne
SR
Amherst, Ohio/Amherst Steele
Kelsey Carpenter
SO
Grand Rapids, Mich./West Catholic
Alina Dhaseleer
JR
Charlevoix, Mich./Charlevoix
Jessica Dippel
FR
Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood
Miranda Downing
FR
Greenville, Mich./Greenville
Krystin Dreyer
FR
Gaylord, Mich./Gaylord
Jackie Katt
SO
Rockford, Mich./Rockford
Rachel Luehm
SR
St. Louis, Mich./St. Louis
Carly Plank
SO
Grand Rapids, Mich./Northview
Rachel Reyna
JR
Swartz Creek, Mich./Swartz Creek
Catie Rietsema
FR
Rockford, Mich./Rockford
Emily Sandula
SR
Saginaw, Mich./Nouvel Catholic
Jamie Sansone
FR
Joliet, IL/Lincoln Way Central
Allison Scheidel
FR
Sparta, Mich/Sparta
Rachael Steil
SO
Grandville, Mich./Grandville
7
The women's cross country team will look for their third straight WHAC Championship during the 2011 season. The Saints concluded 2010 with a 13th place finish at the NAIA National Championships in Fort Vancouver, Washington; the highest finish in school history for the women's cross country program. The Saints were led by WHAC Runner of the Year, Rachael Steil. The freshman led the Saints in every meet and placed 6th at the National Championships to claim All-American honors. Katy Cramer, Samantha Rinkus and Alina Dhaseleer were rewarded with All-WHAC honors for their performance at the WHAC Championships. The squad ran five of the top ten team times of all-time, including the school record performance from the 2010 WHAC Championships (Steil – 18:07, Cramer – 18:31, Rinkus – 18:47, Dhaseleer – 18:50 and Boynton – 19:00).
The Saints will look to veteran leadership and a strong work ethic to continue to elevate themselves to one of the premier teams in the nation in 2011. Rachel Luehm, Emily Sandula and Megan Byrne return as the seniors on the 2011 squad, while juniors Alina Senior Rachel Luhm Dhaseleer and Rachel Reyna have come into the season in great shape. The sophomore class looks very strong, spearheaded by the past two WHAC Runners of the Year, Carly Plank and Rachael Steil. Jackie Katt, Brittany Andres, Lesley Albert and Kelsey Carpenter join Plank and Steil as the heart of the team. First year runners who are looking to make a splash in the maroon and white include Catie Rietsema, Jamie Sansone, Allison Scheidel, Krystin Dreyer, Jessica Dippel and Miranda Downing. The ladies will start the competitive season on September 16th at the National Catholic Championships hosted by the University of Notre Dame. The Saints will also take part in the Calvin Knight Invitational which will take place the following day. Aquinas will then travel to the University of Louisville and Bethel College for some early October competitions. The Saints will close the season with the annual NAIA Great Lakes Challenge hosted by Aquinas College, the WHAC Championship and the NAIA National Championships contested once again in Fort Vancouver, Washington. Junior Alina Dhaseleer
8
MIKE WOJCIAKOWSKI Women's Head Coach
DAVE WOOD Cross Country Coordinator
MIKE WOJCIAKOWSKI Men's Head Coach -- A 1997 Aquinas College graduate, Mike Wojciakowski begins his 14th year as the Cross Country Coach and Assistant Track Coach at Aquinas College. "Woj's" success with the middle distance and distance runners has been exceptional. He has directed the men's and women's Cross Country teams to ten WHAC Championships, six Region VIII championships and twelve top 20 finishes at the NAIA National Championships, including a second place finish in 2004 (the highest national finish for any team in Aquinas College history) and a third place finish in 2008. An eleven time WHAC coach of the year, Woj's success on the track has been just as spectacular. The Saints have dominated the middle distance and distance events in the WHAC for the past 13 years under Woj's direction. He has sent numerous athletes to the indoor and outdoor national championships, 36 of them receiving All American recognition and has guided many runners to the Saints top five all time performance list. A USA Track and Field Level II certified coach in the distance events, Woj's knowledge, personal approach and work ethic has been responsible for developing the Saints distance program into one of the best small college programs in the nation. A four year varsity letter winner in both cross country and track for the Saints, Wojciakowski captained both teams during his senior year. An outstanding student as well as a runner, Wojciakowski earned Academic All American honors in cross country his senior year. Mike and his wife, Amorena, and their daughter, Cecelia (1), reside on the northwest side of Grand Rapids. DAVE WOOD Cross Country Coordinator -- Dave Wood begins his 16th season as the Coordinator of the Cross Country Team and Head Track & Field Coach. Wood's tenure has been nothing short of phenomenal. Wood has directed the men's and women's programs from the basement in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) to the head of the pack. The Saints' dominated in 2003 as they completed a clean sweep of the men's and women's WHAC indoor titles and captured the WHAC women's outdoor title. Success under Wood's direction hasn't been limited to the conference level. Competing at the NAIA National Championships both indoors and outdoors, Saints' athletes earned All-American honors 81 times including four NAIA National Champions and four runner-up finishes during Wood's tenure. The Saints' success under Wood comes as no surprise. The 1972 Michigan Class A mile champion and a middle distance standout at Central Michigan University, Wood has been developing team and individual champions at the high school, junior college and collegiate level since his first coaching assignment at Grand Rapids Union High School, his alma mater, in 1976. A USATF Level II certified coach in the sprints and hurdles, Wood came to Aquinas after an outstanding twelve-year stint as Head Cross Country and Track & Field Coach at Ferris State University. Wood was honored with a total of 10 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) "Coach of the Year" awards while guiding the Bulldogs to 11 GLIAC Championships in cross country and track & field. In addition to having his teams consistently ranked in the NCAA Division II top 20, Wood was recognized four times as NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region "Coach of the Year." His succes at the national level was highlighted by 35 All-Americans, three National Champions and a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships during his tenure as Ferris State's coach. 9
Lesley Albert
Brittany Andres
Megan Byrne
Kelsey Carpenter
Alina Dhaseleer
Jessica Dippel
Miranda Downing
Krystin Dreyer
Jackie Katt
10
Rachel Luehm
Carly Plank
Rachel Reyna
Catie Rietsema
Emily Sandula
Jamie Sansone
Allison Scheidel
Rachael Steil 11