2006
Atlantic Sun Men's Coach of the Year Brian Baker is entering inhis ninth full
season as the Director of Track & Field and Cross Country atGardner-Webb
University.
In only the Runnin' Bulldogs third season in the Big SouthConference, the GWU
cross country and track & field teams continued to succeedin both the
athletic events and in the classroom in 2010-11.
GWU's
men's and women's cross country teams both had strong seasons in2010, as the
women's team, who were all returners from the previous season,finished in
sixth-place overall at the 2010 Big South Championshipmeet. On the men's side, comprised of five
freshmen and five returners, GWU finished ninth overall as ateam.
While
both teams' battled through injuries and tough competitionthroughout the
season, setting individual personal best times throughout theyear, the Runnin'
Bulldogs were also rewarded for their work in theclassroom. Seniors Laura Scott and Paul Steinke
both earned a spot on the 2010 Big South All-Academic Teams,while for the GWU
women's cross country team earned USTFCCCA All-Academic TeamHonors.
The
2010 indoor track & field season was highlighted by thebreaking of four
GWU school records, 11 individuals earning all-conference honorsand the
setting of over 60 personal best records throughout the season.Hutschalik set
the school record in the weight throw event with a mark of 19.27meters at the
conference championships, while sophomore Josiah Stanton-Brooksset a new GWU
record in the 1000 meter run with a time of 2:32.52 at theLiberty Open. On the women's side, sophomore thrower
Ashlei Alexander set new school records in both the shot put(13.41 meters) and
the weight throw (16.19 meters) at the Big SouthChampionships.
Earning
all-conference honors for the 2011 season was Alexander, who wonthe shot put
event (13.41 meters), senior Carrie Long, who took second in thepole vault
event (3.60 meters), Sarah Herd, who placed third in the highjump (1.68
meters), and the 4x400 meter relay team of T'Keyah Bell, CherishRichardson,
Amara Isbell and Ivana Hughes earned all-conference honors aswell with a
second-place finish overall (3:56.02).
On the men's side, Hutschalik picked up a first-place finish inthe
hammer throw (19.27 meters), senior Johnathan Rucker recorded athird-place
finish in the 60-meter hurdles (8.09), junior Travis Rogersplaced third in the
weight throw (17.49 meters) and Stanton-Brooks earned asecond-place finish in
the 800 meter run (1:55.19).
During
the 2011 outdoor season, GWU sent Hutschalik to the NCAA EastRegional Meet, had
freshman Carson Sears named the 2011 Big South Freshman of theYear, saw six
school records fall, seven different athletes earnall-conference honors and
over 60 personal best marks set throughout the season. Senior Diana Palka set a new GWU record
in the women's 3000-meter steeplechase with a time of 11:20.46at the
Carolina's Cup, while both Ann-Marie Howell and Carrie Long seta new women's
pole vault record with a mark of 3.75 meters. Alexander set anew record in the
shot put event at the Big South Championships with a distance of13.88 meters,
while Hutschalik reset his GWU school record in the hammer throwwith a new
best mark of 61.08 meters. Rucker
set a new school record in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of14.39, while
Stanton-Brooks set a school record in the 1500 meter run with atime of
3:56.44.
Receiving
all-conference honors was Alexander, who took first-place in theshot put
(13.88 meters) and second-place in the hammer (49.97 meters),while Howell
placed second in the pole vault (3.70 meters) and freshmanKristen Hurley
earned all-conference with third-place finish in the women'sheptathlon (4179
points). On the men's side Hutschalik
picked up a first-place finish in the hammer throw (60.81meters), Rucker
placed second in the 110-meter hurdles (14.40) and Clint McManusplaced second
in the pole vault event (4.60 meters).
Sears earned all-conference honors and was tabbed the 2011 BigSouth Men's
Freshman of the Year for his second-place finishes in both thehammer (57.39
meters) and the discus throw events (46.60 meters).
In
the classroom, both senior Carrie Long and redshirt-seniorChristoph Hutschalik
were named both the Big South Indoor Track & FieldScholar-Athletes of the
Year, as well as the Big South Outdoor Track & FieldScholar-Athletes for
the season, putting both on the indoor and outdoor Big SouthAll-Academic
Teams.
Long,
who was a nominee for both the 2011 Big South Woman of the Yearand the 2011
NCAA Woman of the Year, received
the Big South Conference's prestigious George A. ChristenberryAward for
Academic Excellence, graduating from GWU with a perfect 4.00grade point
average in Biology.
In the fall cross country season, both the men's and women'steams finished in
eighth-place respectively at the 2009 Big South Conference Meet,while juniors
Laura Scott and Jason Wenzel were both named to the 2009 BigSouth All-Academic
Teams. Wenzel, who holds a perfect 4.00 cumulative gradepoint average,
while working toward a degree in Economics and Finance, wasnamed the 2009 Big
South Cross Country Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
The 2009-10 indoor track & field season was highlighted bythe breaking of
four GWU school records, four individuals earning all-conferencehonors and the
setting of a prolific amount of personal best records throughoutthe season.
Junior Evan Brusich set the new GWU school record in the men'sheptathlon with
4780 points at the conference championships meet, while fellowteammate Nick
Kelly set a new school record in the 1-mile run with a time of4:18.32 at the
Big South Indoor Championships. Redshirt-junior ChristophHutschalik also set a
new GWU record at the conference meet, as he turned in a schoolrecord distance
of 17.80 meters (58'04.75") in the men's weight throw event.GWU's relay unit
of Kelly, Josiah Stanton-Brooks, Charlie and Paul Steinke set anew school
record in the distance medley relay, turning in a time of10:29.47 at the
Niswonger Invitational hosted by ETSU on January 22-23.
Brusich took third in the men's heptathlon to earnall-conference recognition,
joining redshirt-sophomore Christoph Hutschalik who garneredall-conference
honors with his third-place finish in the weight throw event. Onthe women's
side, junior Carrie Long placed third overall in the women'spole vault event
to earn all-conference honors for the third time in her careerat GWU, while
freshman thrower Ashlei Alexander picked up all-conferencehonors with a
second-place finish in the women's shot put event at theconference
championship meet.
Senior Kayla Morgan and Hutschalik also earned postseasonconference awards for
their work in the classroom, as each was named to theirrespective Big South
All-Academic Teams.
Like the 2009-10 indoor season, the 2010 outdoor season washighlighted by an
abundant of strong individual performances week-in and week-out.While both the
men's and women's teams each finished seventh overall in theteam standings at
the 2010 Big South Outdoor Championships, the individualperformances
throughout the season were very strong as two student-athletes -Paul Steinke
and Christoph Hutschalik - qualified for the NCAA East Regoinalsmeet, four
school records were broken, four student-athletes earnedall-conference honors
and over forty-five personal records were set during the springseason.
Sophomore distance runner Nick Kelly set a new GWU school recordin the 5000
meter run with a time of 14:57.94 at the Charlotte 49er Classic,the Bulldogs
first outdoor meet of the season. Junior Diana Palka also set anew school
record in the opening meet, as she turned in a time of 11:48.77in the 3000-meter
steeplechase event. Fellow teammate Christoph Hutschalik brokehis own GWU
school record in the men's hammer throw, as he turned in a markof 59.05 meters
(193'9") at the Georgia Tech Invitational, while on the women'sside senior
thrower Brieanna Thompson also set a school record in the hammerthrow with a
mark of 51.25 meters (168'2").
At the 2010 Big South Outdoor Championships, junior Evan Brusichpicked up
all-conference recognition with his second-place finish in thedecathlon, while
freshman Clint McManus garnered all-conference honors with athird-place finish
in the men's pole vault event. Senior sprinter PaulSteinke won the 400
meter hurdles event with a time of 52.17 to earn all-conferencerecognition,
while on the women's side Carrie Long took third-place in thewomen's pole
vault event to be tabbed all-conference.
Both Paul Steinke and Carrie Long also received postseasonconference honors
for their work in the classroom, as both were named to the 2010Big South
All-Academic Team for the outdoor track and field season.
In its first year in the Big South Conference, the cross countryand track &
field programs all faired well in 2008-09, as the women's crosscountry team
finished 32nd overall at the NCAA Southeast Regional meet, theindoor track &
field teams set two new GWU records en route to fifth-placefinishes in both
men's and women's standings at the conference championship meet,while the Runnin'
Bulldogs outdoor track & field teams sent fourstudent-athletes - Kelly
Brides, Paul Steinke, Adam Reed and Christoph Hutschalik - tothe NCAA East
Regionals, setting five new school records along the way.
In 2008-09, the Runnin' Bulldogs had nine all-conferenceperformers in indoor
track & field, highlighted by senior Jake Didion being namedthe men's Most
Outstanding Field Performer for the Conference meet, and nineall-conference
performers in outdoor track and field.
The Runnin' Bulldogs also received honors for their work in theclassroom in
2008-09, as Victoria Argus was named to the All-ConferenceAcademic Team for
indoor track & field, while Paul Steinke and Kelly Bridgeswere both named
to the All-Conference Academic Team for the outdoor track &field season.
The 2008 GWU women's cross country team was honored as a 2008NCAA Division I
All-Academic Team by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross CountryCoaches
Association, one of 160 NCAA Division I schools to receive thehonor.
Not to be outdone, the 2008-09 women's indoor track & fieldteam was
honored by receiving the Big South Conference Team SportsmanshipAward for the
winter season, sharing the award with High Point.
During the 2007-08 season, the Runnin' Bulldogs last in theAtlantic Sun
Conference, Baker's group of talented athletes posted 17 schoolrecords.
Individually, nine conference titles were won during the year.Four of the
student-athletes - Caryn Daane, Jerel Langley, Carrie Long andElizabeth
Maxwell had performances that were good enough to allow them tocompete at the
NCAA East Region.
During the 2006-07 campaign, his team recorded 25 school-recordmarks. Four
student-athletes - Jake Didion, Elliott Haynie, Langley andMaxwell - garnered
a spot at the NCAA East Region Championships with Didion andLangley earning
top-10 finishes.
The Runnin' Bulldogs had multiple individual champions at theconference meet
during the indoor and outdoor campaigns. Cody MacArthur andMaxwell were each
named the Most Outstanding Field Events Performer under Baker'sguidance.
Baker led a banner year for the Runnin' Bulldogs in 2005-2006.GWU finished
third at the 2006 A-Sun Indoor Track & Field Championshipson both the men and
women's side, setting the bar high for the outdoor championshipsin Clermont,
Florida.
Baker's men blitzed the field en route to the school'sfirst-ever Atlantic Sun
Conference team title, running away from the field as MacArthurwas named Most
Outstanding Field Events Performer and Dobson Collins earnedMost Valuable
Freshman honors.
The GWU women also finished strong outdoors as the program tiedits highest
finish ever by taking second.
In the 2005-06 academic year, both the men and women proved tobe strong
competition throughout the season, with four men and two womengarnering A-Sun
Athlete of the Week honors.
With the track & field programs each looking strong, andboth cross country
programs showing steady improvement, Baker has his operationheaded in the
right direction on all fronts.
Prior to his current role, Baker served the Runnin' Bulldogs ashead cross
country coach and assistant track coach, but accepted his newrole following
the conclusion of the 2003 outdoor season.
An expert in the distance events, Baker provides Gardner-WebbTrack & Field
with a high level of national experience and knowledge - as wellas respect -
from his many years of involvement at collegiate track's highestlevel of
competition.
During his time in Boiling Springs, the GWU distance corps hasimproved by
leaps and bounds - with each member of the team posting newpersonal records on
a regular basis.
A product of the nation's most storied Division I track programat the
University of Arkansas, Baker is no stranger to success on thetrack or the cross-country
course.
Baker, who ran professionally with New Balance until recently,is also quite
experienced on the international level as well.
A 1994 graduate of Arkansas with a degree in kinesiology, Bakerwas a key cog
in the Razorbacks' domination of NCAA Division I cross countryand track in the
early 90's. He ran on Arkansas teams that won national titles in1990 (Indoor
and Cross Country), 1991 (Indoor), 1992 (Cross Country), 1993(Indoor, Outdoor,
and Cross Country), 1994 (Indoor and Outdoor). Twice (1992-93and 1993-94) the
Razorbacks won the NCAA Division I triple crown, with nationalchampionships in
cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track. In addition toteam success,
Baker won individual national titles in the Indoor DistanceMedley Relay and
the Outdoor 5,000-meter run as a senior (1994).
Baker was a two-time individual conference cross countrychampion and
5,000-meter run champion as well, winning one title each in theSWC and the
SEC. Arkansas captured 12 total conference championships as ateam during
Baker's career, including three SWC titles and nine SECtitles.
He was an alternate for the 1996 Olympic Team in the 5,000-meterrun and
finished ninth in the 3,000-meter run at the 1999 World IndoorTrack &
Field Championships held in Japan. In 1995, he placed 10th inthe 5,000-meter
run at the World University Games. Baker is also a former memberof the U.S.
World Cross Country Team (1996 and 1997) and finished third,receiving a bronze
medal at the Pan American Games. In 2001, Baker competed in theChiba Ekiden
relays in Japan.
The Batesville (Ark.) High graduate was a three-time prep statechampion in
cross country and two-time outdoor state champion in the 1,600mrun and 3,200m
run
In June of 2004, Baker was inducted into the Arkansas Track andField Hall of
Fame. Baker was also inducted into
the Batesville Area Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.
Baker has two boys, Quinn Addison Baker (7) and Ian York Baker(5).
