Athletics | 8/7/2007 12:00:58 PM

Welcome, WOU fans and former players to Alum Watch. This section will include notes on former Wolves that are still playing or accomplishments and transactions by WOU alums that are now in the coaching ranks.


If you have an item for us on a former Western Oregon player, please send to blunckr@wou.edu.


Waechter named pitcher of week


BROOKLYN, N.Y.: Brooklyn Cyclones pitcher Nick Waechter, a Roseburg High School graduate who starred at Western Oregon University in Monmouth, was named the New York-Penn League Pitcher of the Week last Monday.


Waechter, 22, went 2-0 with a 0.90 earned run average over two starts. He struck out 16 and walked none, and only allowed one earned run in 10 innings.


The 6-foot-3, 200-pound right-hander has made seven starts this season for the Cyclones, a Single-A affiliate of the New York Mets. He's 2-2 with a 4.64 ERA, with 33 strikeouts and 11 walks.


Waechter missed most of his first pro season with an injury. He played three seasons at Western Oregon, earning pitcher-of-the-year honors in the west region and second team All-American laurels.


Brooklyn had a 25-10 record through Wednesday.


Former WOU linebacker wins AD award


Santiam High School athletic director Vic Lease has been named the Oregon class 2A Athletic Director of the Year award. The award, given by the Oregon Athletic Directors Association, honors the Dallas native and former Western Oregon linebacker. Lease played at WOU from 1989 to 1993, and was a second team All-Columbia Football Association selection as a senior. Lease also coaches the Wolverine football team at Santiam, located east of Salem.


Webster honored, Meewsen gets head gig


Former WOU baseball standout Casey Webster was recently named the Capital Conference Coach of the Year. Webster led his Gladstone High School team to the Capital Conference title and state tournament berth, finishing with a 17-1 record in league play. The Gladiators were 20-7 overall. Webster, a member of the Western Oregon Hall of Fame, still holds the Wolves career records in home runs (29) and triples (11)...After 19 years as a varsity assistant coach, Jeff Meewsen is now the head boys basketball coach at Glencoe High School. Meewsen, who played on some of WOU's outstanding hoop teams in the early 1980's, is a Hillsboro native who played on some legendary prep teams coached by WOU Hall of Fame inductee Barry Adams.


Former WOU standout Chris Angel on ESPN2 on Monday


DENVER, Colo.--Former Western Oregon star and current Colorado Crush defensive back Chris Angel will play Monday on ESPN2, 7:30 p.m. (Pacific), when the Crush host the Utah Blaze.


Colorado will be playing the remainder of their regular season on Russell Athletic ESPN Arena Football Monday in the final four Monday night games of the regular season. Angel, in his fourth AFL season, has 76.5 tackles and 7 interceptions for 95 yards this spring.


An Albany native, Angel played at WOU from 1998-2001, setting a then-NCAA Division II record for most solo tackles in a single season with 92 (2000). He was selected to play in the Hula Bowl as a senior.

Colorado ESPN2 TV Schedule:
(All times are Western)
Week 14, Monday, June 4: Colorado @ Utah, 7:30 p.m.
Week 16, Monday, June 18: Chicago @ Colorado, 7:00 p.m.
Week 17, Monday, June 25: Dallas @ Colorado, 7:00 p.m.


Baumgartner named Arizona coach of the year


GLENDALE, Ariz.--Former Western Oregon player and assistant coach Jeff Baumgartner has been named the Arizona 5A Coach of the Year.


Baumgartner, who was a relief pitcher for the Wolves from 1996-99, and also served as an assistant coach at WOU. His Sandra Day O'Connor High School squad went 29-6 this spring and won the Northwest Region Championship


Jeff's assistant this year was another WOU graduate, his father Bill Baumgartner.


Former Wolves updates


Former WOU defensive back, Antar Brame, will play for the Alaska Wild of the Intense Football League this spring. Brame, a Portland native (Madison HS), played the past two seasons for the Tri-Cities Fever. The team is based in Anchorage. Brame played at Western Oregon in 2002 and 2003, earning All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference honors as a defensive back and return specialist.


Former Wolves catcher Greg McCarthy (2002-05) is now an assistant coach at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, teamming up with another former WOU standout, Tucker Brack, who is the Storm's head coach. McCarthy, who played two seasons in the San Francisco Giants organization, asked for his release a few weeks ago from the franchise. He was an all-region catcher for WOU, and is the school's career RBI leader.


Pitcher Nick Waechter, a draft pick of the New York Mets last spring, is still at extended spring training with the club in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Waechter, the 2006 NCAA Division II west region pitcher of the year, had only one appearance last summer with New York's "A" club, the Brooklyn Cyclones, before spending the rest of the year on the disabled list. He is expected to be assigned to a long-season "A" club for this summer.


Former WOU star Chris Angel on ESPN2 tonight
Brame, Tyner, Day also still sporting professional dreams


Former Western Oregon University football star Chris Angel and his Colorado Crush Arena Football League team will play on ESPN2 tonight (4 pm Pacific) at the Philadelphia Soul. The game is the first of five Crush contests that will be televised this spring on ESPN2.


Angel, a four-year starter in the defensive backfield for the Wolves from Albany, Ore., is in his fourth season with the AFL. In the Crush' season opener, Angel had seven solo tackles during a 44-42 loss to the Grand Rapids Rampage.


6-0, 205 pounds, Angel played for WOU from 1998-2001. He is Western Oregon's all-time leading tackler with 312. He was a free agent signee with the Oakland Raiders in 2002 and was in their fall camp, but was let go prior to the start of the season.


Another former WOU defensive back, Antar Brame, will play for the Stockton Lightning of the AFL2. Brame, a Portland native (Madison HS), played the past two seasons for the Tri-Cities Fever. A 5-11, 195-pound wide receiver/defensive back, Brame's squad will open its 2007 season on March 31 at the Spokane Shock. Brame played at Western Oregon in 2002 and 2003, earning All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference honors as a defensive back and return specialist.


Western Oregon's all-time basketball assist leader Kevin Tyner just recently completed his first professional season in Germany. Tyner, a 6-0 guard, averaged 23 points a game for the Tries-Karden Kangaroos, leading the Region Alliga in scoring. The Kangaroos finished 17-5 and in fourth place. Tyner (Portland/Central Catholic HS), who had 600 assists for the Wolves as a four-year starter from 2003-06, currently has tryouts with teams in the upper divisions of Germany and other countries.


WOU's all-time leading scorer Robert Day is playing again for the Portland Chinooks of the International Basketball League. Day, from Portland's Benson High School, scored 2,110 points for the Wolves from 2001-04. He averaged 14.6 points a contest for Portland last year. The Chinooks opened its season earlier this month with a 139-120 win over the Vancouver Volcanoes. The Chinooks, who play their home games at Portland State's Stott Center, will play at the Salem Stampede on April 7. The Stampede play their games at McKay High School.


Winemiller named head coach at North High School


Former WOU football player Dylan Winemiller has been named the new head football coach at North High School in Phoenix, Arizona.


The 34-year-old, who was already the head track and field coach at the school, will now also lead one of the top programs in the area. The Mustangs play in the Class 5A Metro Region. They will open their season on Sept. 1 against Gilbert Mesquite.


"I talked with many of my guys, my Western Oregon brothers during this process," Winemiller said. "Former teammates and coaches like Arne Ferguson, Blaine Bennett, Bob Bass, Stacy Collins, and Jay Minyard, among many others were an encouragement and sounding board for me."


In addition to the advice from WOU people, Winemiller also will have a former Wolves great on his staff in Brian Greene.


Minor League Update


Injuries have bitten two former WOU standouts in professional baseball this summer.


23rd round draft pick Nick Waechter of the New York Mets pitched two innings for the Brooklyn Cyclones in June before discovering a stress fracture in his forearm, and he has not played since. Catcher Greg McCarthy just returned to action with the Augusta Greenjackets (San Francisco Giants), after missing nearly two months with a elbow and forearm strain. The 2005 conference player of the year had a short rehabilatation stint with the Arizona Giants (Rookie League), where he hit a home run with his father Kevin in the ball park.


To get daily updates on either player, log on to minorleaguebaseball.com.


Former WOU linebackers together in Alabama


Two former All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference linebackers are now playing on both sides of the ball for the Tennessee Valley Vipers of the Arena 2 Football League.


Jon Apgar just joined the squad, located in Huntsville, Alabama, this month. Dave Morrill played for the Vipers in 2004, and joined the team again in June. Both play linebacker and fullback for Tennessee Valley.


Apgar was the GNAC co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2005, while Morrill was a four-year starter and all-conference player who last played for the Wolves in 2002.


The Vipers next game is on Saturday, July 29 against the Birmingham Steeldogs.


WOU assistants land head coaching jobs


Western Oregon assistant coaches Josh Rainey and Jessica Farnsworth have been named head coaches at two different community colleges in the state.


Rainey, who spent the past two seasons as an assistant in the women's basketball program, has been selected as the head coach at Southwestern Oregon CC. The Monroe native, who also assisted for one season with the WOU men's program in 2003-04 , earned his master's degree at Western Oregon.


Farnsworth, an assistant last year in the WOU softball program, has been tabbed as the co-head coach at Clackamas CC. She will team with veteran leader Paul Fiskum, who has led the Cougar program for the past 19 seasons.


Farnsworth, who was the Central High School head coach from 2003-05, was also a standout player at both Clackamas CC and Western Oregon. A Salem native, she was the Valley League Player of the Year while at Sprague High School in 1998.


Kurt Robinson, an assistant this past year with the WOU women's basketball team, will join Rainey and the Lakers in Coos Bay as an assistant coach.


ALUMS SHINE IN POST-COLLEGIATE CAREERS


A number of former Western Oregon standouts are currently enjoying post-collegiate careers in a variety of sports.

Former WOU running back Ivan McCrae is now a quarterback for the Polk Pioneers of the National Nineman Football League. He threw four TD passes to help lead his team into the national semi-finals during a win over the Springfield Buzzards on June 17. The Pioneers will now face the Cascade Steel in the finals on June 24 (2:30 pm) at Sweet Home High School.

WOU's all-time leading scorer Robert Day averaged just over 16 points a game this season for the Portland Chinooks of the International Basketball League. Day canned 18, including a late back-backing three-pointer during a 119-115 win over the Salem Stampede on June 15 at the Salem Armory.

2005 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year Greg McCarthy is on a short rehabilitation stint in Arizona for an injured elbow. He is expected to return shortly to the Augusta GreenJackets. The standout catcher was hitting .250 in eight games for the long-season Class A franchise of the San Francisco Giants before the injury.

Jeff Charleston, a three-year all-star at WOU as a defensive end, has signed a contract with the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Charleston, a former Central High School standout, spent his final year of collegiate eligibility at Idaho State. He signed with the Texans as a free agent.

On May 20, 2006, the Tricities Fever and former Western Oregon defensive back Antar Brame defeated the Lincoln Capitols 117 to 6 for a franchise record score during a National Indoor Football League contest. During the game Antar had a team leading (3) interceptions which tied the league single game record.


McCarthy is a Greenjacket again


Former Western Oregon catcher Greg McCarthy is a member of the Augusta GreenJackets of the South Atlantic League. The GreenJackets are a Class "A" franchise owned by the San Francisco Giants. The 2005 west region co-player of the year has been in Augusta less than a week, is off to a hot start with a .400 average (6-for-15), with three runs scored and three RBI.


Brame's team hits century mark


WOU defensive back Antar Brame (2002-03) and his Tri-Cities Fever NIFL (National Indoor Football League) team left no doubt during a 102-20 win over the Big Sky Thunder during a recent game in Kennewick. The Fever will have an even battle on its hands this Sunday (May 14) when they travel to the undefeated (7-0) Rapid City Flying Aces (Michigan). Brame is a starting defensive back for Tri-Cities, who is 6-1 on the season.


FRANZ EARNS NATIONAL HONOR


Former Western Oregon distance runner Brett Franz, now an assistant coach at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri, has been named as a TrackBrain.com National Assistant Coach of the Year.


Franz, in charge of Lindenwood's distance runners, helped guide his team to its second straight NAIA national indoor championship. He coached four NAIA All-Americans, including Aaron Rono who won the mile and finished second in the 3,000-meters.


TrackBrain.com, a developer of Palm and Pocket PC coaching software, such as Multi Runner Split Timer, has agreed to sponsor the NAIA's National Assistant Coach of the Year program, as well as other national coach of the year awards.


BENNETT LANDS COACHING JOB WITH SPARTANS


Former Western Oregon head football coach Blaine Bennett is now the Assistant Head Coach and Wide Receivers Coach at Michigan State University. Bennett, who spent the past five seasons at Purdue, joins the staff of John L. Smith at MSU.


The 41-year-old was WOU's head coach from 1995 to 2000 as the Wolves began the transition from the NAIA level to NCAA Division II. The Wolves went 7-3 and advanced to the NAIA playoffs in 1997 and were ranked as high as No. 12 in the national poll. Bennett had a 27-32 career record at WOU.


FORMER WOU CORNERS NOW LOCKING DOWN FOR TRI-CITIES


Former Western Oregon cornerbacks Antar Brame and Elton Seals are now playing for the Tri-Cities Fever in the National Indoor Football League.


The Fever opened its 2006 season last week with a 44-41 win over the Billings Outlaws, and will travel to Cheyenne to play the Wyoming Cavalry on Friday, March 31.


Seals played for the Wolves in 2000 and 2001, while Brame put on a Wolves uniform in 2002 and 2003. Both players were All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference selections during their tenures in Monmouth.


Franz leads first team to top national finish




First-year cross country coach Brett Franz ('03) led his Lindenwood University squad to conference and regional titles this fall at the Missouri school. Franz was named the Heart of America Athletic Conference men's coach of the year, and earned the same title for NAIA Region V. The Lions finished third overall at the NAIA national championships, and had the top two runners in the race. Franz's Lady Lions were 15th at the national championships, and finished second in the HAAC and Region V meets.


WOU Alums Enjoy Successful Fall Seasons


A number of former Western Oregon University athletes are enjoying successful seasons at the prep level this fall.

Kristi Tomlin, who was Kristi Waldrop as a standout setter at WOU in 1998 and '99, was named the Valley League Coach of the Year last week. Her McNary High School team reached the 4A state semi-finals, the first Valley League team to accomplish that since 1983--when Judy Lovre's Corvallis squad won the state title. Tomlin's Celtics lost in the semi's to eventual state champ Ashland.

Fellow alum setter Tara Wilson, who played for Lovre from 1998-01, was an assistant coach this year at Burns HS, which finished third in the 3A state tournament.

Shane Hedrick ('85) has his Central Panthers in the 3A playoffs, after cruising through the Valco League unblemished. He was named the league's coach of the year. Hedrick has a host of former WOU players as assistant coaches, including Jake Ositis '03, Mark Dreiling '03 and Matt Olafson '05. Central will host Baker on Saturday, Nov. 19 at WOU (1 pm).

Scappoose head coach Sean McNabb has his team in the playoffs again (3A), hosting Sutherlin this weekend. McNabb ('88) was named the Cowapa League Coach of the Year.

Other WOU alums with football teams in the post-season include Jeff Jacobs ('88) at Vale HS (2A), Greg Lawrence's ('83) No. 1 ranked (3A) Sherwood Bowmen, and Craig Ruecker's ('70) Redmond squad (4A). Erik Davis ('99) was the offensive coordinator at high-scoring Pendleton. Midwestern League champ Sheldon hosts Sprague this weekend, led by head coach Marty Johnson '79. West Salem's Shawn Stanley ('94) led his young school to the 4A playoffs for the first time, and Terry Schloth '93 has his Reynolds team in the 4A playoffs again.


Other WOU alums who are head coaches include: Dave Johnson (Baker), Craig Walker (Bend), and as assistants Rob Kool (Lakeridge) and Scott Vang and Mick Dougherty (Barlow).

If we missed someone (and we surely did), please let us know by writing to blunckr@wou.edu.


WOU alum finds place undefeated Perrydale


WOU alum Dave Shewey was recently featured in the Salem Statesman Journal for his success as a coach at Perrydale High School. The full text of the article is here.


Dangler Works for Orioles


Former Western Oregon baseball player Dave Dangler, a pitcher for the Wolves in the late 1960's and early 70's, is now a baseball scout for the Baltimore Orioles.


Dangler's coverage area is the Pacific Northwest. He was previously a scout for the Florida Marlins in Alabama

Bryan Beban is the Assistant General Manager for Media Relations for the Eugene Emeralds, and has been for many years. The Emeralds are also a member of the Northwest League, and are a farm club of the San Diego Padres.

Former WOU Sports Information Director Tim Clodjeaux is now the SID at St. Francis College in Illinois. Clodjeaux was the SID at Western Oregon from 1992 to 1996, and worked with the Chicago White Sox prior to that.


WOU PUBLICIST MIKE BOOTH PASSES AWAY


Former Western Oregon sports information director Mike Booth passed away in his sleep in August 18, 2005, at his home in Keizer, Ore.


Mike served as the Wolves athletic publicist from the late 1970's into the early 1980's. He also served as the sports information contact for the Evergreen and Cascade Conferences, and was later the athletic director at Warner Pacific College.


Mike continued to follow the Wolves with passion, even when he could no longer attend games. Mike is survived by his wife Karleen, his son Chad (who attended WOU) and his mother Betty Booth.


ARIZONA GROUP SPORTS WOU CONNECTION


Four former Western Oregon athletes and coaches are now making their mark at a number of high schools in the Phoenix area.


Jeff Baumgartner, former pitcher on the Wolves squad and brother of former WOU head coach Terry Baumgarnter, is in his third year as head coach at Sandra Day O'Connor HS in Glendale. He has led the Eagles to the state playoffs in each of his two years at the helm, the only two years that the school has been in existence.


Lenny Doerfler, former WOU football assistant coach, is in his second year as the head offensive line coach at O'Connor HS. He helped lead the Eagles to the new school city championship last year. He is teaching and also coaching track and field at the school.

Ryan Ridenour, former WOU assistant baseball coach, is now the athletic director at Boulder Creek HS in Anthem, Ariz. (ten miles north of Phoenix). Ryan also coached the North Valley Stampede (AAA Legion) where his team won the Phoenix legion league with a 22-4 record last summer. He is teaching two health classes at BCHS.


Another former baseball assistant, Joe McDonald, is the athletic director for the Deer Valley Unified School District where he oversees 14 schools. He is also the head baseball coach, head cross country coach and math department chair.


TYNER EARNS SUMMER LEAGUE HONOR


Western Oregon senior-to-be point Kevin Tyner helped his team reach the final four in the Great Northwest Summer League basketball championships this past weekend.


Tyner, who played for the Sonics, was named to the all-tournament second team, which was played at Jefferson High School. Gonzaga's Derek Raivio and Thomas Gardner led the Warriors over the Lakers in the championship game, while Tyner's Sonics lost to the Blazers in the third-place game, 143-130.


Tyner had 27 points and 13 assists against the Blazers, but it wasn't enough to overcome Salim Stoudamire's 60 points, and Antoine Stoudamire added 40.


COWDEN GETS EAGLES BASEBALL JOB


Longtime assistant Rob Cowden is now the head baseball coach at Eagle Point High School .


Cowden, 32, an Eagle Point native, has been an assistant coach for the Eagles in baseball and wrestling for the past nine years, and has been a football staff member for seven. A former prep star in football, wrestling and baseball at Eagle Point, Cowden then went on to earn all-conference honors at WOU. In 1995, he was the Wolves MVP and helped first-year coach Terry Baumgartner lead the squad in the NAIA regional tournament.


KOHLMEYER'S GROUP TO HOST SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT


Former WOU standout softball player Andi Kohlmeyer is helping promote the cause of breast cancer awareness, hosting a tournament this weekend in Salem .


The 2005 Play for the Cure tournament will be held at Wallace Marine Park , Saturday and Sunday (Aug. 20-21). Co-ed teams from throughout Oregon and southwest Washington will participate, and a ceremony will be held both days to honor breast cancer survivors.


Kohlmeyer, who is in WOU's all-time career top 10 list in eight different categories, was an all-conference and academic honoree from 2001-04. She is now the women's health coordinator at the YMCA in Salem .


HOKANSON RETURNS TO OREGON


Former WOU assistant softball coach Mick Hokanson as accepted a job as an assistant coach at the University of Oregon .

Hokanson, who was an assistant to Willie Rucker in the 1990's, was most recently an assistant at the University of Alabama at Birmingham . Prior to that he was the head coach Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake, Wash.


BIAMONT IS P.I.L. ATHLETIC DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR


Marshall High School (Portland) athletic director Tim Biamont has been named the Portland Interscholastic League's AD of the year.


The Seaside native ran track and played football at Western Oregon in the 1980's. At Marshall, he has also coached track and football. He became the school's athletic director two years ago.


PIL Athletic Director Greg Ross told the Portland Tribune that Biamont is extremely well-organized, has great character? and is a great role model for the students at Marshall. Ross praised Biamont's willingness to work on issues such as sportsmanship with Marshall's athletes and student body.


GORDON EARNS HONOR


Jonathan Gordon (B.A., Speech Communication, 2001) was named the NCAA Division II Pacific Region nominee for the American Volleyball Coaches Association's inaugural Grant Burger Media Award. Gordon, now beginning his fourth year as the Sports Information Director at Central Washington University, was one of eight winners at the Division II level and was one of 29 finalists nationwide for the award. Gordon spent four years as a student assistant in the SID office at WOU prior to his 2001 graduation.


JOLLEY NAMED TIGERS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR


Marc Jolley (B.A., English, 2000) was recently named defensive coordinator for the varsity football team at Tigard High School. In addition to his duties on the Tigers' coaching staff, Jolley will join the teaching faculty at THS in the language arts department this fall. Next spring, he will also begin his fifth year as the assistant coach for the Tigers' varsity fastpitch softball team, coached by his wife Connie (B.A., Health, 2000).


McCARTHY CALLED UP TO GREENJACKETS


Western Oregon catcher Greg McCarthy has been called up to the Augusta Greenjackets of the South Atlantic League.


The Greenjackets, an "A" level farm club of the San Francisco Giants, is currently on the road playing the Charleston Riverdogs. They will return home on August 3, to host the Rome Braves.


McCarthy, the 2005 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year, was hitting .333 with the Giants of the Arizona Rookie League prior to his call-up. He had four doubles, two runs and 11 RBI in 18 games.


FORMER WOLVES REACH FOOTBALL SEMI'S


Western Oregon's Antar Brame and Brinton Smith, former defensive backs for the Wolves, will play in the National Indoor Football League semi-finals this Saturday (July 23) in Odessa, Tex.


Brame and Smith play for the Tri-City Fever (Kennewick, Wash.). The Fever, 11-5 on the season, recently knocked off previously undefeated Everett and will now take on the 16-0 Roughnecks.


Brame was a starting cornerback for the Wolves in 2002 and 2003, and was also an All-GNAC return man. Smith played in 2000 and 2001.


GITS SAVES THE DAY (Again)


Former Western Oregon pitcher Mike Gitts picked up his 13th save of the season on Sunday (July 24) when his Chico Outlaws defeated the San Diego Surf Dawgs, 2-1.


Gitts, who holds WOU's singles season and career saves records, played for the Wolves in 2000-01. The 6-5 right-hander pitched one perfect inning against San Diego to help the Outlaws improve to 28-29 on the season, in front of 2,157 at Nettleton Stadium.


The Chico Outlaws play in the Golden Baseball League.


McCarthy Homers Again


2005 Western Oregon catcher Greg McCarthy hit the second professional home run of his career on Wednesday (July 20), during a 7-5 win over the Padres in the Arizona Rookie League.


McCarthy's team (the Giants) lead the league by a game (17-7) over the Royals. The '05 GNAC Player of the Year is fourth on the squad in hitting with a .314 average. He has four doubles and nine RBI in 14 games. In that win over the Padres, the catcher threw out the only base runner who tried to steal on him.


BARREAU LANDS PSU COACHING JOB


2004 Western Oregon alum Matthew Barreau has been named the assistant coach in charge of distance running for the Portland State University track and field program, announced by Viking head coach Kebba Tolbert on July 5.


Barreau served this past season as an assistant coach at division II national power Adams State (Colorado), and has also assisted at WOU and Oregon State.


FRANZ BEGINS SECOND SEASON AT WILLIAM WOODS


Former standout runner and student Brett Franz has accepted a new post as the head cross country and assistant track coach in charge of distance at Lindenwood University.


Frant spent this past season as an assistant in both sports at William Woods University.


Franz is a former All-GNAC academic selection and four-year letterwinner at WOU (1999-2003). Lindenwood is an NAIA school located in St. Charles, Missouri. The Lions won the NAIA indoor national championship last winter, and the Lindenwood men were third at the both the cross country and track and field national championships.