Tag: Cross country

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Feature: Patrick Hager

Patrick Hager (left) with men's cross country team - Courtesy of Houghton Highlander Athletics
By Abigail Bates ('26)

Patrick Hager is in his 10th year of being the Head Cross Country and Track & Field Coach at Houghton University. Under his leadership, the program has won conference championships in cross country for women in 2019 and the men in 2023, as well as broken numerous records.

Coach Hager first came to Houghton when he was searching for full-time coaching jobs after finishing his two year tenure at Messiah University as a graduate assistant coach. He was offered the position and immediately accepted in the fall of 2014.

He explained that he has learned a lot since working at the university, especially from the student-athletes he works with.

“They energize me,” he stated, “and honestly push me to be a better man. I do think I hold my position in high regard in terms of my ability to influence and be a positive figure in the lives of 40-60 student-athletes a year. This ‘burden’, of sorts, really pushes me to adjust any bad attitude, or negativity that might try and peak to the surface.” 

Sophomore Noelle Linenfelser (‘26), a member of the women’s cross country team, has been positively impacted by Coach Hager in both her running and as a person, during her time at Houghton.

“I see Coach Hager impacting other students every day,” Linenfelser expressed. “He invests time and thought into every one of his athletes, developing personal training plans that will fit each individual to be able to help them reach their fullest potential.”

Linenfelser explained that runners in cross country and track & field programs will often peak performance-wise in their second and third year, before potentially declining. Comparatively, it is amazing that there are so many athletes in the program at Houghton who continue to progress throughout their four years.

“I have no doubt that this is thanks to Coach Hager’s hard and very intentional work, and I am so grateful to have him as a coach,” Linenfelser stated.

Matthew Webb, the Director of Athletics, is optimistic about the continued success under Coach Hager’s leadership. He described the culture Hagar has built in cross country and track & field as one of discipline and excellence.

“Honestly,” Coach Hager disclosed, “I think our program is in as good of a place from a culture and performance standpoint as it’s ever been.”

Coach Hager wants to maintain this quality in the program, while continuing to reach for breakthroughs. In the future, he would like to have someone qualify for the NCAA Championships, and pave the way for future student-athletes to do the same. Even so, Coach Hager remarked that it means more to him to see success in athletics when there are solid relationships with those he is working with.

“Every summer,” Webb commented, “it seems as if Coach Hager is attending multiple weddings of his former athletes.”

One of Coach Hager’s favorite things about being a coach at Houghton are the wedding invitations. At the weddings, there always tends to be a handful of past and present student-athletes (or as many as 33, in the case of Miller-Domaracki’s wedding).

“Being [a part] of this,” Coach Hager stated, “I think encapsulates my goal for the program. To get so connected with each other through the vehicle of athletics that we can celebrate important life events together, years later.” ★

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Campus News

Cross Country Competes In NCAA Regionals

On Saturday, November 12th the Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams wrapped up their season at the NCAA Atlantic Cross Country Regional Championship in Glassboro, NJ.

houghton.edu
houghton.edu

These races, hosted by Rowan University, marked the first time any Houghton team or individual has competed in an NCAA Championship event.

Head coach, Patrick Hager said, “The opportunity to compete in the NCAA Regional means a chance to run with the best in NCAA Division III. This meet is the only way to qualify for the NCAA National Championship race.”

Last year, both cross country teams finished out their season at the NCCAA National Championship. “While the NCCAA is a great organization to be a part of, the NCAA is bigger and more competitive,” said Hager.

Reflecting on the races, Hager said, “The women ran the best race since I’ve been coach here. They went out a little fast, but finished well. Every single one of them set a personal record (PR) in the 6k race and they were able to beat a conference opponent, St. John Fisher, who beat them at the Empire 8 Championship.”

He continued, “The men had a bit of a rough day. They are young, and the season wore on them a bit. But, we can’t overlook what a good experience it was for them. Even with a tough race, a few of the men were able to pull through with PR’s.”

Ella Hotchkiss ‘16  finished first for the women in a time of 23:51.8. Behind her was a strong pack of Shelby Langlois ‘20, Gwen Stokes ‘20, and Rachel Hummel ‘17 who all finished within 22 seconds of each other.

“For Hotchkiss and Karah Ashley ‘16, this was their last collegiate cross country race,” said Hager.“ It was great to see them both PR by around 1:30, what an ending for both of them.”

Hotchkiss attributes her success to her coaches and teammates. “I had no idea what would happen going into this season, now that it’s over I cannot believe the outcomes.”

In the men’s 8k race, Daniel Burdo ‘20 finished first for the Highlanders in a time of 27:36.8, a big PR. He was followed close behind by Cory McCarty ‘17 who finished in 27:43.6. Both McCarty as well as Daniel Schulz ‘17, who finished fourth for the team, finished with their best times of the season.

Ashley said, “We had a lot of freshman on our team this year. It was great to see so many of them compete at this high level meet. Of the 14 who competed at Regionals eight of them were freshman. They really stepped up and helped us accomplish what we did at this race.”

In his reflection, Schultz said, “All the hard work put into this season, guided by our Coach, led us to the success we had this past weekend. We have a lot of teammates that came and gave it their all every race, and this race was certainly an example of that.”

McCarty credited the men for running their fastest average time of the year, although they did not receive many PR’s overall. For McCarty, “The best part of the season was how close the team grew. I am extremely proud of this young team and the potential they have.”

He continued, “As we move into our track season, I’m excited to see our team grow significantly more as Christians, students, and athletes.”

NCAA Atlantic Cross Country Regional Championship hosted 303 runners. The Houghton women finished 26 of 49 teams, and the men finished 31 of 51 teams.

For the NCAA competition, the top seven runners from each team were allowed to compete. This is the first year Houghton has been eligible for post-conference NCAA competition.

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Campus News Sports

Cross Country Teams Finish Strong

The Houghton cross country team had great success on their home course at the Field of Dreams on Saturday, October 8. The Highlanders competed against six teams, with both the men and women taking second place.

Photo by: Nate Moore
Photo by: Nate Moore

According to head coach, Patrick Hager, almost everyone on the women’s side ran a lifetime personal record, and both teams beat Allegany County rival Alfred State. “Alfred’s beat us the past couple of years, so it’s nice to see us get a win over them,” said Hager.

The Highlanders of Houghton competed against Roberts Wesleyan, Penn State Behrend, Alfred State, Keuka, Finger Lakes Community College, and Elmira. Penn State Behrend took first place in both the men’s and women’s races.

The men and women had several athletes finish in the top 10, and both teams ran faster than they have in the past three years.

Reflecting on the team’s success, Rachel Hummel ‘16 said, “It was really rewarding for all of us to have months of training visibly pay off, especially at the last home meet of the season.”

Hummel finished sixth in her race, right behind teammate Ella Hotchkiss ‘18 who placed fifth. Gwen Stokes ‘20, finished close behind finishing eighth. All three competitors finished within 15 seconds of each other.

“Running alongside some of my closest friends is a huge motivator. We’ve been through alot together in training and I think we would all say that we couldn’t and wouldn’t do it alone,” said Hummel.

Stokes attributed their success to their committed mindset of racing as a team and not just as individuals. “Running together as a pack is really nice and motivational because it really makes you remember that you aren’t doing this for yourself, you are running for your teammates,” she said.

On the men’s side, Tyler Deuschle ‘20 was the first finisher for the Highlanders, placing sixth. Not far behind was Matthew Gostomski ‘19 placing tenth, Daniel Burdo ‘20 placing eleventh, and Cory McCarty ‘17 placing thirteenth.

“We have some very strong underclassmen guys who have really brought a lot of success to our team. I’m excited to see them led the team and keep improving over the next several years,” said captain Aaron Eisenhardt ‘17.

Hager commented, “This is the closest team I’ve had the pleasure of coaching. The freshmen really adjusted quickly and mix well with the upperclassmen personality. I think everyone will look back on this season with a big smile because of how close the team got.”

According to Hager, the meet resulted in the best overall races for the cross country teams in his three years as a coach. The meet was also the biggest home invitational they’ve hosted.

“We got confidence at this meet, and our athletes know that they’re fit and capable of running even faster in a few weeks. We pride ourselves on having a pretty consistent team, and peaking well at the end of our season. After competing so well, it’s fun that we still have a couple of championship races ahead,” said Hager.

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News

New KPFH and NPEC Operating Hours Inconvenient for Students, Faculty, and Staff

With the opening of the new Kerr-Pegula Field House (KPFH), complete with workout facilities accessible to students and faculty, it was anticipated traffic at the Nielsen Physical Education Center (NPEC) would be significantly reduced. However, many within the Houghton community are still unhappy.

ABurdoGym HoursCMYKThe new hours of operation of both the KPFH and the NPEC have become an inconvenience for students and faculty alike. The problem, for many, is caused by the later opening times of both fitness centers not opening its doors until 8 a.m. The result of the changed times are the students and faculty, who typically exercised in the early morning, having difficulty finding time to workout or are unable to workout altogether.

Melissa Bell, a sophomore and thrower for Houghton’s track and field team, has had difficulty juggling studies and preseason workouts with the KPFH hours. Bell said, in general, the KPFH weight room isn’t open long enough. “It is only open for four hours out of the day,” she said. “It gets really crowded in the afternoon, when I usually go to lift.”

“Athletes need to get into the facilities, and everyone has busy schedules. Early morning hours would be helpful.” She said, “ I don’t like getting up early, but if either building were open at 6 a.m., I would go do 6 a.m. lifts to have more time for other things during the day and avoid the rush.”

Faculty and staff members are also frustrated with this situation. Brian Webb, the college’s sustainability coordinator and intercultural student programs cordinator , expressed his frustrations about the new operating hours. Webb, a husband and father of young children, works 3 jobs and is currently enrolled in graduate school at Harvard Extension School. For him, this means that the only time he can exercise is in the early morning. He said this is true for many faculty and staff. Webb stated any other time would mean “missing out on time spent with my wife and children.” He also stated  “the free access to fitness facilities were a great benefit of working at Houghton College, but now this is of almost no value.”

Athletic director, Harold “Skip” Lord said there are obvious “safety, liability and financial issues involved” in the decision to cut the early morning hours in the Neilson and the KPFH. In response, Webb suggested Houghton consider having exercisers sign a waiver if they wish to work out in the morning, or perhaps the implementation of a “buddy-system.” He stated during the early morning hours there were “never proctors previously, and there were no major problems.”

There may soon be action taken to accommodate the concerns raised by members of the community. According to Lord, the athletic department has been taking input from the community, as requested in the initial all-campus e-mail. He stated, “There have been enough requests for morning hours that we have been looking for ways to fund coverage.” Lord also said  he planned to discuss possible solutions with the Vice President of Student Life, Rob Pool.

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News

Changes Made to Cross Country Course

This summer Houghton’s maintenance crew made significant changes to the cross-country course. Alterations included widening the course path and changing the overall route. The new course aspects will be vital as the college prepares to host nearly 500 athletes for the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Cross Country National Championships on November fifteenth.

Cross-country head coach, Patrick Hager, elaborated on the changes, “They cut out a section by the tree of life and there is a portion that goes through the center of the [soccer] field that is now part of the course as the start and finish.” Hager also elaborated on the widening of the course and stated, “It’s important because for NCAA the course needs to be 110 meters wide, so the widening of the course was necessary to make that happen.”

Patrick HagerThe widening of the course will also allow runners to be better able to pass one another in competition and reduce the chances of contestants cutting corners or running outside the lined course to gain position.

Senior cross-country member, Jonathan Lewis, appreciates the changes made to the course, but was disappointed with some aspects. Lewis said, “I personally don’t like the course as much. The previous course took us down a path that was scenic and that part is no longer in the current course.”

Lewis also commented on the versatility of the course, and the college’s ability to now hold larger meets and invitational events. He said, “It will allow us to host nationals which is a great incentive.”

This benefit of hosting larger meets and events is something Coach Hager is very excited about. From a recruiting perspective, Hager stated, “I think it’s going to be big because of the exposure from hosting the National Championship.”

He explained the surface of the course is nicer and recognized Houghton College employee, Dan Wolcott, as a necessary part of the process. Hager said, “He has been instrumental in this whole thing of providing a quality training surface.” Hager feels he and his team are being taken care of here, and there is a community that cares about how the team is doing and wants to see them succeed.

While Hagar thinks the course will benefit the future of the college, Lewis is unsure, he said, “Honestly I don’t know if the course change will benefit the college, yet in the long run it will allow us to hold larger meets.” This ability, he said, “Is good for the college.”

The course alterations provide a greater opportunity for the course to receive more exposure from hosting different events. Recently, on October 4, the course was used for the homecoming 5k fun run.

Junior, and participant in the race, Ashley Schenk, reflected on the race and the changes she noticed. “I definitely enjoyed running on the new course,” she said. “It felt like we were backtracking less with the new course than last year when I ran the race.” According to Schenk the most noticeable change was in the end of the course, she said, “There was a longer straight away where we were running toward the people, which made it more fun.”

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Stories In Focus

New Coaches Join the Highlanders

Houghton welcomed two head coaches and six assistant coaches to the highlander coaching staff this year, bringing a season of change for nine athletic teams. Among the teams that welcomed new coaches include cross country, track and field, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s lacrosse, field hockey, softball and women’s basketball. Numerous Houghton alumni have returned to take roles of volunteer assistants as well.

Jordan Cady, senior and member of the track team, expressed his positive outlook toward welcoming a new coach saying, “I’m looking forward to seeing how this season plays out. It’ll be much different than years past, but with change comes growth. God’s been with us through this transition and He’ll continue to run along side us throughout the season.”

Patrick HagerPatrick Hager was named head coach for both men’s and women’s cross-country and track and field programs. Hager previously served as graduate-assistant coach at Messiah College for the past two years. Prior to his role at Messiah, Hager worked as the first ever head cross-country coach at Rosemont College for two years.

“It seemed like Houghton was the fit for me, I prayed a lot about it and took a chance,” said Hager as he discussed his new job. He described being a full-time head coach as, “Everything I thought it would be,” as he discussed his excitement for the cross country and soon-to-be track season.

Hager spoke of his impressions of Houghton so far saying, “The community here is second to none. Even the support from the other coaches, no one’s overlooked. It’s nice to know there’s intentionality within the administration.”

Women’s lacrosse looked closer to home, welcoming Amanda Zacchigna, a 2014 Houghton graduate, as head interim coach. Rachael Snelgrove, former women’s lacrosse will continue to be a consultant to the program, while remaining head coach for the field hockey program.

“Coach Rachael Snelgrove laid an exceptional foundation for the team as she served as the head coach for the past two years; her involvement this year will come in the form of a mentor to me as I transition into this new position,” said Zacchigna.

Snelgrove also spoke of her role to the women’s lacrosse team saying, “I am there to help the transition run smoothly- to help Amanda with all of the finite administrative details- and to be a listening ear for her.”

“I am extremely excited to be able to serve the women as their coach,” said Zacchigna, “I understand where the program came from and what it has accomplished thus far; and I am invested in pushing these accomplishments even further.”

Joining Zacchigna as assistant coach is Marissa Meassick, Houghton 2014 graduate. Meassick will also work alongside Snelgrove as assistant field hockey coach.

Men and women’s soccer welcomed new assistant coaches as well. John Carpenter, 2014 Houghton graduate, will serve as men’s soccer assistant coach, while Erin Miller, 2014 Houghton graduate, will assist with the women’s program.

When speaking with Carpenter about his new role and shift from player to coach he said, “As a player you are constantly being told information by your coaches. Now that I am on the other side of that, I am not only trying to help the guys in that aspect, but also take in and learn from the rest of the coaching staff, what it takes to be successful from the coaching side.” Carpenter briefly added, “In this first season I am really trying to find the ways in which I can most benefit this team.”

Miller spoke in similar ways of her new role, “In the last couple months, I have had to transition my mindset as a player to a coach and find the most effective ways to translate those ideas to other players.” When speaking of the challenges she has faced as a new coach, she offered, “Finding the balance between knowing when to step in and when to allow the team to bond together and step up themselves is something that I constantly have to keep in check.”