Midwest Collegiate Conference News

[Women's Track & Field] Dreyer joins IWC as track and cross country coach

Adam Glatczak — 2008-09-05T08:26:36-06:00

MOUNT PLEASANT - Iowa Wesleyan College recently announced that it has hired Anne Dreyer as its track and field and cross country coach.

Dreyer, who began her position this week, replaces Lane Levine as head coach of both the men's and women's track and field teams at IWC. She also will be the coach for the men's and women's cross country programs, which were reinstated earlier this year and will begin competition in 2009-10 after a 10-year hiatus at Wesleyan.

[Men's Golf] St. Ambrose Men's Golf Team Ranked 15th in NAIA Preseason Coaches' Poll

Brian Thiessen — 2008-08-28T09:39:45-06:00

The St. Ambrose University men's golf team is ranked 15th in the Golf World/Nike Golf NAIA Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Fighting Bees received 88 points in the poll released on Wednesday, Aug. 27.

British Columbia, the defending NAIA National Champion, received six of the nine first-place votes to sit atop the poll. Oklahoma City picked up two first-place votes and is second in the poll while Oklahoma Christian received the other first-place vote and is third. Point Loma Nazarene and Berry round out the top five.

St. Ambrose will host 10 of the top 21 teams in the preseason ranking at the NAIA Preview Invitational at the TPC at Deere Run in Silvis, Ill., October 24-25.

[Men's Golf] SAU's Dusty Drenth wins Quad City Amateur Tour Player of the Year award

Brian Thiessen — 2008-08-25T13:18:32-06:00

Dusty Drenth capped a strong summer of golf by winning the Quad City Amateur Tour Player of the Year award on Sunday, Aug. 24. The St. Ambrose junior competed in six of the eight Tour tournaments, winning three times and finishing in the top-three two other times.

"It is a phenomenal accomplishment," said Drenth. "There are a lot of great players but this shows that my hard work paid off."

"It is an unbelievable accomplishment," said St. Ambrose head coach Jeff Griebel. "This speaks of his hard work and dedication to the game."

[Volleyball] Saints to Start Season in San Diego

Sly Grimm — 2008-08-25T09:31:33-06:00

Three top 10 teams in two days. That's how Head Coach Micah Cewe's 2008 Ashford Univeristy volleyball team will start its season. Traveling to San Diego, California to participate in the Seaside Invitational, the Saints will be tested early and often as their season begins.

[Volleyball] VITERBO VOLLEYBALL TO OPEN 2008 SEASON IN HAWAII

Eric Kunick — 2008-08-16T13:00:49-06:00

La Crosse, WI - The Viterbo University volleyball team will open the 2008 season this week as they travel to Hawaii from August 17-August 24th.

The V-Hawks open their competition schedule on Monday night when the play against Chaminade University. The V-Hawks will then play on Wednesday night against Hawaii Pacific University and on Thursday against the University of Hawaii-BYU. All schools on the V-Hawks schedule are NCAA Division II schools and will provide a major challenge this early in the season.

[MCC] New Athletics Website Launched at William Penn

Wade Steinlage — 2008-08-08T08:25:11-06:00

Oskaloosa--William Penn University Sports Information Director Wade Steinlage is excited to announce the launch of the school's new athletics website.

[MCC] St. Ambrose Tops In Nation with 16 NAIA Scholar Teams

Brian Thiessen — 2008-07-29T09:42:11-06:00

After winning 10 conference championships in 2007-08, St. Ambrose University student-athletes proved to be equally impressive in the classroom. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) recognized 16 St. Ambrose athletic programs as NAIA scholar teams. St. Ambrose and Hastings College led the NAIA with 16 scholar teams each.

The St. Ambrose dance and men's volleyball programs were not eligible for the award, meaning 16 of the 18 eligible programs received the honor.

[Men's Track & Field] St. Ambrose Freshman John Darmody Places 3rd at USATF Junior Olympics National Championships

Brian Thiessen — 2008-07-28T12:48:58-06:00

St. Ambrose University incoming freshman John Darmody finished third in the 1500-meter run at the USATF Junior Olympics National Championships recently. He ran a lifetime best time of 4:03.17 in the event. It was one of two top-10 finishes for Darmody.

"We knew John would be somebody that could come in and have an immediate impact," SAU track and field coach Dan Tomlin said. "Now he's shown he can run with the top athletes in the country. It's the kind of experience that is invaluable, and will raise expectations for not only him but the rest of the team as well."

Darmody, from Seattle, Wash., also took ninth place at the Junior Olympics National Championships in the 5000-meter run with a time of 16:08.32. He will compete for both the Fighting Bees track and cross country teams.

[Women's Basketball] Jennings named Mount Mercy women's basketball coach

Jason Furler — 2008-07-28T08:36:50-06:00

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Aaron Jennings, assistant men's basketball coach at Mount Mercy College, will take over the Mount Mercy women's basketball program, Athletics Director Scot Reisinger announced today.

[Men's Golf] St. Ambrose Men's Golf Coach Jeff Griebel Named to GCAA National Advisory Board

Brian Thiessen — 2008-07-22T13:37:23-06:00

St. Ambrose University men's golf coach Jeff Griebel has been appointed to represent the NAIA on the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) National Advisory Board. Griebel began his duties as the NAIA Representative on July 1. Griebel replaced David Lynn, who recently resigned as head coach at Oklahoma Christian, and will fill the position until a new member is elected at the GCAA National Convention in January 2009.

Griebel, who will begin his 27th season at St. Ambrose this fall, has been named the Midwest Collegiate Conference Men's Golf Coach of the Year 14 times and the NAIA Midwest Region VII Coach of the Year 18 times.

During his tenure at St. Ambrose, Griebel has coached eight First Team All-Americans. The Fighting Bees placed 14th at the NAIA Men's Golf National Tournament in the spring of 2008.

[Softball] DELONG STEPS DOWN AS VITERBO SOFTBALL COACH

Eric Kunick — 2008-07-16T13:20:52-06:00

La Crosse, WI - Viterbo University softball coach, Ryan DeLong, has announced that he has stepped down as V-Hawk softball coach. DeLong will stay on as V-Hawk volleyball coach as he prepares for his fourth season.

"I want to thank the university for the opportunity to coach the softball team," commented Coach DeLong. "It was just a difficult task heading up two programs with my expectations for both programs and the resources we have at Viterbo."

[Men's Track & Field] Ashford Hires Track and Cross Country Head Coach, also names Assistant Coach

Sly Grimm — 2008-07-16T10:29:06-06:00

Ashford University announced the appointment of Tyson Graham as the university's new Track and Field and Cross Country Coach, and Chris Adams as a graduate assistant for both programs. Graham will revive the Cross Country programs this fall, while also taking over the Track and Field programs which competed for the first time in 2008 after a year's hiatus.

[MCC] VITERBO UNIVERSITY TO ADD MEN'S AND WOMEN'S VARSITY BOWLING

Eric Kunick — 2008-07-15T18:19:56-06:00

La Crosse, WI - Viterbo University athletics director Barry Fried announced today that varsity men's and women's bowling would be added to the athletics department in 2009-2010.

"We're very excited to add men's and women's intercollegiate bowling at Viterbo," commented Fried."It's a great lifetime sport and one of the fastest growing sports in the country."

Fried also announced on Tuesday that Pla-Mor Lanes and the university have agreed on a partnership for Pla-Mor to be the home practice and competition facility for the V-Hawks.

[Softball] Two Grand View Players to Represent U.S.

Molly Brown — 2008-07-07T10:04:28-06:00

Tom Barton, The Des Moines Register

Des Moines, Ia. - Two players on the Grand View College softball team will take their bats to the Dominican Republic to play with the USA International team.

Kelsey Karaidos of Windsor Heights, a 2005 Urbandale High school graduate, and Grand View teammate Paige Jensen, a Valley High School grad, will be part of an 11-person team composed of players from across the country. They will compete against international teams during four of the eights days. They leave July 22.

[MCC] St. Ambrose hires Sports Information Director

Bruce Billingsley — 2008-06-17T08:16:00-06:00

Athletic Director Ray Shovlain announced today that Brian Thiessen has been named the Sports Information Director at St. Ambrose University. He will begin his duties on July 7. Thiessen, a 1996 graduate of St. Ambrose, has spent the past two years as the SID at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois.