2010 Olivet College Cross Country

Estab l ished in 1844,Olivet College is a private,liberal arts institution locatedin south central Michigan,between Battle Creek andLansing. Olivet was one of thefirst institutions in America toadmit women and minorities.The college is dedicated to itsv i s i on o f Educa t ion fo rInd i v idua l and Soc ia lResponsibility, and remainstrue to its roots by providinga quality higher education toall, regardless of gender, raceor financial means. Olivet College is home to more than 1,100 students,who study under The Olivet Plan. In this unique educational experience,students engage in both curricular and co-curricular programs thatcombine real world experiences with lectures and service learning.

Olivet College offers more than 50 majors leading to a bachelor ofarts degree, a Master of Arts in Teaching degree and a Master of BusinessAdministration in Insurance degree, in addition to dual degree programs

with two higher educationinstitutions in Michigan. Olivetis accredited by the NorthCen t ra l Assoc ia t i on o fColleges and Schools.

The co l l ege o f fe rsopportunities for students toget involved in more than 20c lubs and organ izat ions.Approximately 40 percent ofall Olivet students participatein a th le t i cs on a non -scholarship basis.

Olivet consistently hasone o f the mos t d i ve rse

student populations of any private institution in Michigan. In a typicalyear, the student body includes 19 percent minority students andinternational students from six countries. All of this makes the campuscommunity a microcosm of the world – an ideal place for learning to liveand work in the global society of the 21st century.

ABOUT OLIVET COLLEGE

ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT STAFF

Title Name Office phone #Director of Athletics Heather Bateman 749-7189Assistant AD for Facilities Korey Heppeard 749-7592Assistant Athletic Director Glen Metcalf 749-7779Assistant Athletic Director/SWA Karine Walters 749-6689Administrative Assistant Chris Bramer 749-7512Sports Information Director Geoff Henson 749-7602Head Athletic Trainer Aaron Gunther 749-4167Assistant Athletic Trainer Karen Miller 749-4169Strength & Conditioning Coach Chris Stewart 749-6685Faculty Representative Janine Peters 749-7659Faculty Representative Charlie Wilson, Ph.D. 749-6649

NOTE: All office phone numbers have a 269 area code.

HEAD COACHES

Sport Name Office Phone #Baseball Ted Mahan 749-4184Men’s Basketball Gene Gifford 749-7674Women’s Basketball Nicole Burford 749-7156Men’s Cross Country Jeff Kavalunas 749-7757Women’s Cross Country Karen Lutzke 749-6686Football Rich Hulkow 749-4183Men’s Golf Kevin Allard 749-7669Women’s Golf Bill Maas 749-7567Men’s Soccer Chad Wiseman 749-6611Women’s Soccer Hans Morgan 749-7155Softball James Farnum 749-6604Swimming and Diving Jake Taber 749-7195Women’s Tennis Mary Anne McMullen 749-7131Men’s Track and Field Jeff Kavalunas 749-7757Women’s Track and Field Karen Lutzke 749-6686Volleyball Lynnette Moster 749-6677Wrestling Brandon Brissette 749-7671

CUTLER ATHLETIC COMPLEX

ATHLEATHLEATHLEATHLEATHLETIC DEPTIC DEPTIC DEPTIC DEPTIC DEPARTMENT DIRECTORYARTMENT DIRECTORYARTMENT DIRECTORYARTMENT DIRECTORYARTMENT DIRECTORY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

About Olivet College Inside Front CoverAthletic Department Directory Inside Front CoverQuick Facts 1Table of Contents 1Preview Story 2Coaching Staff 2Rosters 3Meet the Comets 3-Inside Back Cover2010 Schedule Back Cover

1

For all of the latest information, including rosters,press releases and statistics on

Olivet College athletics, please visit:

www.olivetcollege.edu/athletics/

2010 OLIVET COLLEGE CROSS COUNTRYQUICK FQUICK FQUICK FQUICK FQUICK FACTSACTSACTSACTSACTS

GENERAL INFORMATIONLocation Olivet, Mich.Founded 1844Enrollment 1,145Acting President Bill KurtzDirector of Athletics Heather BatemanColors Red and WhiteAffiliation NCAA Division IIIConference Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

COMET CROSS COUNTRYHead Men’s Coach Jeff Kavalunas

Alma Mater Grand Valley, 1987Head Women’s Coach Karen Lutzke

Alma Mater Michigan State, 1985

SPORTS INFORMATIONSports Information Director Geoff Henson

Office Phone (269) 749-7602FAX Number (269) 749-7170Cell Phone (616) 902-0338Home Phone (517) 543-2683E-mail [email protected]

CREDITSThe 2010 Olivet College Cross Country Guide is apublication of Olivet’s Office of College Relations.

The guide was designed and written bySports Information Director Geoff Henson with editing by the

college relations staff. Individual pictures weretaken by Russ Waldo of Visual Sports Network or

Mike Gorecki of SPI Photo.

CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS READY TO RUNA new era is ready to start for the Olivet College cross country programs,

as Jeff Kavalunas and Karen Lutzke begin their first season as head coachesof the men’s and women’s teams, respectively.

The men’s team welcomes back three runners, Brock Hubbard (BattleCreek/Harper Creek), Alex Johnson (Atlantic Mine/Houghton) and SerafinLlerena (Bangor), from last year’s team.

Featuring 10 runners, the women’s team is one of the largest in schoolhistory. Junior Brittany Marshall (Canton, Ga./Woodstock) leads the group.Senior Katie Yahrmarkt (Sparta) returns after being sidelined the entire2009 season with a foot injury. Other returning runners include senior KaylaGreen (Mason) and senior Laura Markin (South Lyon). Junior Courtney

Jeff Kavalunas begins his first season as headmen’s cross country coach in 2010. He also servesas head coach of the men’s track and field program.

Prior to joining the Olivet staff, Kavalunas washead cross country coach at Lawrence (Wis.)University in 2008. He has also served as headtrack and field/cross country coach at Ferris StateUniversi ty f rom 1996-2008 and Northwood

University from 1991-96. Kavalunas was also a graduate assistant crosscountry/track and field coach at Central Michigan University (CMU) from1988-91.

At Ferris, Kavalunas’ teams won three Great Lakes Intercollegiate AthleticConference (GLIAC) championship teams. He coached 24 All-Americans, 48NCAA national championship qualifiers, 64 conference champions and 37school record holders. At Northwood, Kavalunas coached two All-Americansand 15 NCAA national championship qualifiers. During his tenure at CMU,the Chippewas won the 1988 and 1989 Mid-American Conference CrossCountry championship. Both years, the team also competed at the NCAADivision I National Championships.

Kavalunas holds Level III certification in middle distance/distance andLevel II certification from USA Track and Field. From 1996-2008, he was amember of the executive committee for the US Track and Field and CrossCountry Coaches Association. Kavalunas also holds Level II certification inmiddle distance from the United Kingdom/England Athletics.

Kavalunas earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from GrandValley State University in 1987 and a master’s degree in exercise sciencefrom CMU in 1990. At Grand Valley, he ran cross country and track, earning1986 All-Conference honors in cross country.

Karen Lutzke is in her first season as headwomen’s cross country coach in 2010. She alsoserves as head coach of the women’s track and fieldprogram.

Lutzke has an extensive coaching background.She began her collegiate coaching career as headwomen’s cross country/assistant women’s track andfield coach at Michigan State University (MSU) from

1990-98. Lutzke then spent a year as Olivet’s head men’s and women’scross country/head women’s track and field coach. During her time at Olivet,she coached Kathy Hughes, the only cross country and track NCAA All-American in school history. After leaving Olivet, she was at CMU for 10 years.From 1999-2003, Lutzke was assistant women’s track and field/cross countrycoach and from 2003-2009, she served as head women’s track and field/cross country coach.

At CMU, Lutzke coached three Mid-American Conference (MAC)championship teams and was named MAC Coach of the Year three times.She was also selected as the 2004 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field RegionalCoach of the Year. Overall, she coached 30 All-MAC selections in track andfield and eight All-MAC selections in cross country.

Lutzke earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from MSU in1985. She participated in cross country and track and was a member of thecross country team, which placed fourth at the 1981 NCAA Division I NationalChampionships. Lutzke earned All-American honors in cross country. Afterher collegiate career, she was a USA Olympic Trials qualifier in the 10,000meter (1984 and 1988) and 5,000 meter (1984).

HEAD MEN’S COACH

JEFF KAVALUNAS

HEAD WOMEN’S COACH

KAREN LUTZKE

COACHING STAFF

2

Osborn (Dorr/Wayland Union) is also back after not running her sophomoreyear.

Sophomore Abbey Leightner (Jackson/Western) along with freshmenAnna Krausz (Lyons/Portland), Sondra Riske (Springport) and Liz Stewart(Vermontville/Maple Valley) will be competing in a collegiate meet for the firsttime.

“I am looking forward to the season,” said Lutzke. “I am excited aboutthe number of runners on the team, as we look to improve and be morecompetitive in the conference.”

Olivet’s schedule includes hosting the 2010 Michigan IntercollegiateAthletic Association Jamboree Sept. 25 at the Olivet Golf Club.

MEN’S TEAMNAME YR. HOMETOWN HIGH SCHOOLBrock Hubbard So. Battle Creek Harper CreekAlex Johnson Jr. Atlantic Mine HoughtonSerafin Llerena Sr. Bangor Bangor

ROSTERSWOMEN’S TEAMNAME YR. HOMETOWN HIGH SCHOOLKayla Green Sr. Mason MasonAnna Krausz Fr. Lyons PortlandAbbey Leightner So. Jackson WesternLaura Markin Sr. South Lyon South LyonBrittany Marshall Jr. Canton, Ga. WoodstockCourtney Osborn Jr. Dorr Wayland UnionSondra Riske Fr. Springport SpringportLiz Stewart Fr. Vermontville Maple ValleyKatie Yahrmarkt Sr. Sparta Sparta

MEET THE MEN’S TEAM

BROCKHUBBARD

SophomoreBattle Creek/

Harper Creek H.S.

SERAFINLLERENA

SeniorBangor/

Bangor H.S.

ALEXJOHNSON

JuniorAtlantic Mine/

Houghton H.S.

3

MEET THE WOMEN’S TEAM

KAYLAGREEN

SeniorMason/

Mason H.S.

ABBEYLEIGHTNER

SophomoreJackson/

Western H.S.

BRITTANYMARSHALL

JuniorCanton, Ga./

Woodstock H.S.

ANNAKRAUSZ

FreshmanLyons/

Portland H.S.

LAURAMARKIN

SeniorSouth Lyon/

South Lyon H.S.

COURTNEYOSBORN

JuniorDorr/

Wayland Union H.S.

4

HIGH SCHOOL: Anna graduated fromPortland High School and ran cross countryand track. Her personal best times were 21:10in the 5K, 13:00 in the 3,200-meter run and 5:50 inthe 1,600-meter run. MAJOR: Biology.

2009: Kayla ran cross country for the firsttime last year and posted personal best timesof 24:20.2 in the 5K and 30:38 in the 6K.MAJOR: Vocal music performance.

2006: Laura earned a letter as a member ofthe cross country team, recording season-best times of 21:13 in the 5K and 28:03 in the 6K.2010: She is returning to the team for her senior season.MAJOR: Visual arts with commercial design concentration.

2010: Abbey is running cross country for thefirst time. MAJOR: Criminal justice.

2008-09: As a freshman, Courtney ran crosscountry and played softball. In cross country,she had season-best times of 24:10 in the 5Kand 28:42.5 in the 6K. 2009-10: As a sophomore, shedid not participate in either sport. MAJOR: Special education.

2008-09: Brittany earned her first varsity crosscountry letter with season-best times of 22:01 inthe 5K. She also earned a letter on the track andfield team. 2009-10: Last year, Brittany postedseason-best times of 21:11 in the 5K and 25:49 in the 6K.She also ran on the track team and helped the 4x100 and4x400 relays break the school record. MAJOR: History education.

MEET THE WOMEN’S TEAM

SONDRARISKE

FreshmanSpringport/

Springport H.S.

LIZSTEWART

FreshmanVermontville/

Maple Valley H.S.

KATIEYAHRMARKT

SeniorSparta/

Sparta H.S.

HIGH SCHOOL: Liz graduated fromMaple Valley High School. She earned fourletters each in basketball and track, and threeletters in volleyball. MAJOR: Biology.

HIGH SCHOOL: Sondra graduated fromSpringport High School and participated incross country, track and cheerleading. Sheearned four varsity letters in each sport.MAJOR: Undecided.

PRIOR TO OLIVET: Katie transferred to Olivetfrom North Central College in Naperville, Ill.2008: She ran cross country for the first time atOlivet, posting season-best times of 23:11 in the 5Kand 26:38.9 in the 6K. 2009: Due to a foot injury, Katie missedmost of the season. MAJOR: Biology with pre-med concentration.

2010 SCHEDULE

SEPTEMBER10 @ Jackson Community College

Invitational ......................... TBA25 MIAA JAMBOREE * .......... 11 A.M.

AT OLIVET GOLF CLUB

OCTOBER8 Michigan Intercollegiates

@ Oakland ........................ TBA16 @ Manchester (Ind.) Colllege

Spartan Invitational ........... TBA30 MIAA Championships *

@ Calvin ....................... 11 a.m.

NOVEMBER13 NCAA Division III Great Lakes

Regional @ Hope ............ TBA20 NCAA Division III Nationals

@ Wartburg (Iowa) ............ TBA

BOLD and CAPS denote home event* - denotes MIAA event