The Bruins Fall sports teams finished their seasons with four National Championship titles and many individual player awards. Competing in almost 100 combined soccer matches, cross-country meets, golf tournaments and volleyball matches over the Fall season, the Bruins came to win, and win they did.
Men’s Soccer
The Bruins men’s soccer team won the DII National Championship for the second year in a row, defeating Grace Christian University with a single goal late into match. After 85 hardfought minutes with no goals, sophomore Hodari Twishme scored his first goal, and the biggest one of the season. The Bruins defense held on after that, fighting for the last five minutes to national championship victory.
Eight players earned All-Region honors this season: Rylan Boldt, Ian Arendse, Mario Figueroa, Dallas Albert, Chris Monczewski, and Peter Waddy were named 1st team All-Region. Conley Burk and Luke Morcos were named 2nd team All-Region. Figueroa was also named South Region Player of the Year in Division II.
The NCCAA named coach Greg Fulton, now in his second year as the head coach of the Bruins, as the South Region Coach of the Year for Division II this season.
Women’s Soccer
Due to their previous overwhelming success in DII, the women’s soccer team now competes in the NCCAA DI. The Bruins fought hard in the DI National Tournament, with a 1-0 loss to Oakland City University to finish the season. The Bruins finished with a 14-7-1 record.
Five players were named to the All-Region teams for NCCAA DI: Gabriela Gonzalez, Anna Grace Abrams, and Mia Marks were named First Team All-Region, and Kayle Stevenson and Korbyn Griffith were named Second Team All-Region. Gonzalez was also named South Region Player of the Year for Division I.
Volleyball
For the fifth straight season, the Bruins volleyball team brought home a national title. The Bruins defeated Arlington Baptist School, winning the NCCAA DII National Championship 3-1 against the Patriots.
Individually, Kiersten and Katherine Hoopes, both freshmen, earned 1st-team All-Region honors. Senior Emma Riddle earned 1st- team recognition, and Katelyn Landkrohn was given an honorable mention.
Cross Country
The Bruins men’s and women’s cross country teams have a combined 10 straight national titles. The men’s team won its 7th title in a row, finishing with 20 points. They ran against eight teams and 70 athletes. With 29 points, the women’s team won its third straight national title, running against five teams and 53 runners.
Five runners earned All-American honors this season, including Joanna Lain on the women’s team, and Douglas Stone, Sol Shafer, Ryan Heying and Michael Steurer on the men’s team. Stone and Steurer are three-time NCCAA All-Americans. Ken Roach earned DII National Coach of the Year for men’s and women’s cross country.
Golf
The men’s team golf team earned their best finish ever in the NCCAA tournament, placing 3rd and only one stroke behind 2nd place Cedarville University. Jason Ross and Timmy Smith tied for 13th indivually at the tuornament, with Grant Bagwell and Ethan Craddock also tied for 15th place.
