HEAD COACH ROB MALLINDER

Though he is just entering his fourth year as head coach of men's and women's cross country and track, Rob Mallinder is already highly decorated.

Mallinder has been named Heart of America Athletic Conference Coach of the Year for women's cross country all three seasons and was named Region V Coach of the Year in 2000 and 2002. His athletes have received NAIA All-American recognition eight times and Academic All-American recognition 14 times. Under his leadership, 75 athletes have participated at nationals.

Mallinder received his bachelor's degree in exercise science from Truman State University in 1997 and his master's of liberal arts in management degree from Baker University in 2000. He is certified as a Level II coach by the United States Track & Field Association in both sprints, hurdles & relays and endurance.

The native of New Zealand earned a second-place finish and two third-place finishes at the provincial level before attending Truman State on a track scholarship. At Truman, Mallinder was a nine-time MIAA all-conference performer and a two-time member of the MIAA all-conference academic team. His 4x400-meter relay team provisionally qualified for nationals.

GRADUATE ASSISTANT COACH SARAH THRALL

Sarah Thrall will be a graduate assistant for the Baker cross country team as she works towards her master's degree in Athletic Administration at the University of Kansas.

Thrall received her bachelor's of science degree in physical education from Springfield College in Massachusetts in 1999. She ran cross country and track for four years at Springfield. She was all-regional in cross country in 1997. She was All-New England in the 3,000-meter run and all-conference in the 1,500-meter run and was named to the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference Honor Roll in 1998 and 1999.

After graduating from college, Thrall was an assistant cross country and track coach for both the boys and girls teams at LaBelle High School in LaBelle, Fla.