Sports News

UNDER THE LIGHTS

Installation of new LED lighting is underway at Zimmerman Stadium (pictured) and Shanower Family Field. Without lighting, North Central College has not be able to host post-season conference and NCAA competition in baseball and softball. In addition, the lighting at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium was converted to more efficient LED fixtures, an improvement that will result in significant utility savings and an enhanced practice and competition environment for the nine athletic teams that use the facility.

NEW HEAD FOOTBALL COACH

New head football coach Brad Spencer.

Brad Spencer ’04 was promoted to head football coach, replacing Jeff Thorne who is joining the coaching staff of Western Michigan University. A member of the North Central coaching staff since his graduation, Spencer has served as the team’s assistant head coach and offensive coordinator since 2015, playing a key role in the program’s rise to national prominence in NCAA Division III. “Brad possesses all the important leadership and visionary qualities needed to carry on and elevate the traditions of Cardinal football,” said Athletic Director Jim Miller. “He’s been integral to establishing a winning culture and setting a high standard of excellence in academics as well as athletics. “Our football program will benefit from Coach Thorne’s time here for many years to come,” Miller added. “We all want to recognize and thank him for his leadership and role in elevating the program to a place of national respect.” Spencer began his new position in January. The rest of the full-time coaching staff returns to prepare for a third straight Stagg Bowl in 2022. “I’m honored and humbled to be following in the footsteps of John Thorne and Jeff Thorne,” said Spencer, who was a junior on the first North Central team coached by John Thorne. “They’ve been great coaching mentors for me and have built the program into what it is today. Our mission will continue to be the development of our young men, while giving them a first-class experience on and off the field.”

WRESTLING TEAMS ACHIEVE NEW FIRSTS

The North Central women's wrestling team.

The North Central College women’s wrestling team finished fourth and captured its first-ever team trophy at the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships in Adrian, Mich. Yelena Makoyed ’22 took home her second straight national title at 170 pounds. Setting a program record, the Cardinals came out of the event with 12 All-Americans. Makoyed and Asia Nguyen Smith ’23 were named All-Americans for the third consecutive season while Mateah Roehl ’24 won her second All-America award. Riley Aamold ’25, Niya Teresita Gaines ’25, Angelina Graff ’23, Tiera Jimerson ’25, Amani Jones ’25, Kim Nunez ’23, Sydney Petzinger ’25, Kendra Ryan ’25, and Sara Sulejmani ’25 are all first-time All-Americans. In addition, head coach Joe Norton ’10/M ’13 was named National Coach of the Tournament while being selected as the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Northwest Regional Coach of the Year following the Cardinals’ second-place finish at regionals.

Robert Precin ’23

Cody Baldridge ’22

At the national championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the men’s wrestling team took home a first-ever trophy in a tie for third place. This marks the first time in program history that the Cardinals placed at the national tournament and is the first time since 2013 that a CCIW team finished in the top four. Robert Precin ’23 capped off a perfect 38-0 season with his first individual national title, thanks to a 6-4 decision in the 133-pound championship match. Cody Baldridge ’22 defended his national title from a season ago by taking down his opponent via a 3-2 decision to claim his second individual national championship. Precin and Baldridge each earned their third All-America award while Robby Bates ’24 and Alex Villar ’24 each captured their first All-America recognition. The Cardinals won their 34th consecutive CCIW dual match on their way to another perfect 8-0 conference season. At the NCAA Division III Lower Midwest Regional Championships, North Central sent five wrestlers to the national championships on their way to a fourth-place finish at regionals. Head coach Joe Norton and his staff were honored as the Co-Regional Coaching Staff of the Year at the event. Julia Babinec ’22 Jamauri Spivery ’22

National performers highlight indoor track and field

Julia Babinec '22

Julia Babinec ’22 of the women’s track and field team won a dramatic 60-meter hurdle final at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships with a time of 8.607 seconds, besting the second-place finisher by .003 of a second. She is the program’s 17th track and field national champion across indoor and outdoor seasons. Also earning All-American honors was Alexandra Draves ’22, who took eighth place in the 20-pound weight throw with a distance of 57 feet, 3.50 inches (17.46 meters) to earn All-America honors for the second time in her career.

On the men’s side, Jamauri Spivery ’22 earned All-American honors at the indoor national championships by running a 6.83 in the 60-yard dash to claim fifth place in the event. Spivery’s time broke his own program record set earlier this season and he is the first Cardinal to be an All-American in the 60-yard dash event. Both the men’s and women’s programs took first place at the CCIW Indoor Championships.

Jamauri Spivery '22

MORE SUCCESSES THIS SPRING

As we go to press, several Cardinal athletic teams are on the road to stellar seasons.

• Starting their season a perfect 10-0, the men’s volleyball team was ranked fourth in the country by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, a program-best.

• The men’s tennis team is ranked for the first time in program history at No. 37 in the first installment of the rankings for spring 2022.

• After winning the CCIW title in fall 2021, the women’s tennis team broke a program record for most wins in a single season with 17.