GoFundMe helping #9 Brock Klosterman, Linfield Football Linebacker

GoFundMe helping #9 Brock Klosterman, Linfield Football Linebacker

The gofundme posting which follows concerns Linfield football player/linebacker #9 Brock Klosterman of Tigard.

See Brock Klosterman’s Linfield football biography at this URL:

https://golinfieldwildcats.com/sports/football/roster/brock-klosterman/15865

URL source of the GoFundMe posting:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/brocks-medical-therapy-travel-expense-fund

If you would like to support the fundraiser, go to the GoFundMe URL. If you have questions, please contact organizer Mindi Person via the contact box at the GoFundMe page. Click on the rectangular box to the right of her name.

Brock's Medical, Therapy & Travel Expense Fund

Hi, my name is Mindi Person and I am the mom of a Linfield University Football player and would like to share a fundraiser to help cover medical needs, travel expenses and future therapy/recovery expenses for Brock Klosterman.

 

On Saturday, during the D3 quarterfinal game in Texas, Brock, who is a Linebacker, was injured on a play late in the game. At first, to those of us in the stands, it appeared he might have a concussion and he remained on the sidelines while in obvious discomfort. After the game, the team doctor told his parents, dad Fritz and stepmom Erin, that they should decide if he could travel home on the flight with the team or go to the ER - in his words he could go either way. As parents often know better, and Brock seemed to be deteriorating, they quickly drove him to the nearest ER in Temple, TX.

 

Upon admitting Brock to the ER, they determined he had multiple internal injuries including contusions to his heart, lungs and kidneys as well as a hemorrhaging adrenal gland. His stats were low, he was not getting enough oxygen with his lungs filling with fluid and his heart rate and blood pressure were extremely low as well. Within a short time, Brock was intubated and headed to the ICU.

 

In the three days he has been in the ICU, there have been highs and lows. His blood pressure and heart rate have been worrisome, but are finally beginning to improve. However, he has now developed an infection in his lungs and the fluid that had been draining returned. Brock is a fighter and the cardio doctors are pleased with the improvement in his heart and his fever from the infection appears to have broken today. Hopefully, they will move him out of ICU to a regular bed in the hospital in the next day or so.

 

As any of us can imagine, this has been so stressful for his family and they have incurred so many extra costs already in a hotel room, rental car and then having to rebook flights home when Brock is ready to travel and to bring Brock home as he was supposed to return with the team. It is unknown how expensive medical bills will be, while he does have insurance, we all know how much the things insurance doesn't cover can add up- especially after days in the ICU and considering he will need some therapy when he returns home as well.

 

I recognize this time of the year is often hard on the household budgets, and if donating to this fund is any strain at all for you - please just send up prayers or thoughts for positive healing for Brock and love to his family. This could have been any one of our kids all the years they have played football and we just want to show that we take care of our own!!

 

Roll Cats Forever!!!

Mindi

 

• Today by Mindi Person, Organizer

We can't possibly thank all of you enough for your generosity!! Not only have you shown you care with your donations, but with your messages which Brock, Fritz and Erin are reading and with your hearts and prayers!!

 

We have already had a handful of people in the Temple area reach out, including the sports department at UMHB, to offer up help and offers of meals, coffee, blankets, laundry and places to sleep! You all are wonderful and again, saying "Thank You" doesn't seem nearly enough!!!

• Today by Mindi Person, Organizer

Today has been mostly positive news and meant that Brock has moved from the ICU to a general hospital bed. This means he has been able to get better rest, albeit in a sitting position to help keep his heart rate and blood pressure up.

 

Brock's kidney function has now returned to normal and all his other numbers are still improving. There are still a number of milestones he needs to pass in order to be released from the hospital including being off the steroids that he is taking for the adrenal gland, more positive heart function and being off the oxygen tank entirely. His blood pressure is still really low, but the dr says that is also due to his youth. His overall breathing is still lower than needed as well, but that has to due with the bruising on his lungs in addition to the infection.

 

Today he also had another heart echocardiogram and it shows progress but one area of his heart is healing slower than the rest, an indication of his viral infection/myocarditis.

 

He has a heart MRI scheduled for tomorrow morning, this afternoon they are modifying his medications. If he continues to improve, optimistically, they could release him from the hospital with a mobile heart monitor for a few weeks as a precaution.

 

To pass time, Erin and Fritz are treating him to movies of the 90's, as he is a captive audience for now!! Your messages have meant the world to them all and the donations will help make the financial burden much less a worry! Thank you from all of us!!

 

UMHB ends Dec. 4th Linfield Football's quest for 2921 NCAA title in Belton, Texas

 

UMHB ends Linfield Football's quest for  2021 NCAA title in Belton, Texas

Dec. 4, 2021 from Linfield Sports Info 

BELTON, Texas – Linfield quarterback Wyatt Smith passed for 442 yards and three touchdowns but the No. 7 Wildcats were outscored 49-24 by second-ranked Mary Hardin-Baylor Saturday in a highly anticipated quarterfinal matchup of NCAA Division III unbeatens at Crusader Stadium.

 Champion of the Northwest Conference, Linfield (11-1), saw its quest for a national championship derailed by the Cru in the playoffs for the third time since 2016.

 UMHB (13-0) advances to the Division III semifinals on Saturday, Dec. 11, against Wisconsin-Whitewater. The game site will be announced Sunday by the NCAA.

 Smith, a Gagliardi Trophy semifinalist, had an exceptional afternoon passing, completing 42 of 51 throws without an interception. But he was sacked five times by the UMHB defense, including two each by Khevon Shepard and Sante Parker.

 Wildcats receiver Joel Valadez caught 13 passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns and Connor Morton had seven receptions out of the backfield. Linfield's running game was held to 30 net yards on 24 attempts.

 UMHB quarterback Kyle King also posted a career day behind center, passing for 345 yards and six touchdowns. Brandon Jordan pulled in three of those scores while Benton Martin caught two TDs and K.J. Miller had the other.

 Linfield drew first blood, capping its opening possession with a 21-yard field goal by Andrew Starkel. The Wildcats had marched 14 plays to the UMHB 4-yard line, but three straight running plays netted just a single yard, forcing the Wildcats to settle for the chip-shot field goal.

The Cru answered five minutes later, connecting on a 58-yard halfback option pass from Miller to Jordan.

 The Wildcats again marched deep inside Cru territory, but the UMHB defense tightened and Starkel's 31-yard field goal try on fourth down was no good, leaving the score at 7-3.

 Midway through the second quarter, Jordan pulled in his second TD catch from King from 11 yards out, capping a 13-play, 80-yard drive and pushing the Crusader lead to 14-3.

 Linfield advanced as far as the UMHB 25, but a Devon Murray's fumble after a catch was recovered by Jefferson Fritz. Five plays later, following King's 57-yard bomb to Martin, the Cru led comfortably, 21-3.

 Smith kept the Wildcats within striking distance, finding Connor McNabb on a 70-yard catch-and-run. Starkel's extra point made it 21-10 in favor of the hosts.

 Jordan and King hooked up once more before intermission, this time from 20 yards away, to take a commanding 18-point advantage.

 Linfield forced UMHB to put on its opening drive of the second half, and Smith and the Wildcats marched 65 yards to the end zone in six plays. Valadez corralled Smith's pass at the 30 and raced to the goal line, pulling the 'Cats to within 28-17.

 King passed for two more scores in a three-minute span midway through the third quarter, first a 15-yarder to Miller followed by a 41-yard rainbow to Jordan, extending the Cru's lead to 42-17.

Smith drew the Wildcats to within 42-24, hitting Valadez for a 10-yard score with 12:37 remaining.

The Cru added the icing on the cake as King hit tight end Gary Ruckman for a 4-yard score with 3:05 left.

With three scoring passes on Saturday, Smith became Linfield's all-time leader in touchdown passes (111), moving in front of former Wildcats All-American Brett Elliott's long-standing record of 110. Smith also eclipsed the career mark for touchdowns responsible (120), moving ahead of Sam Riddle's standing record of 118.

 In his final game as a Wildcat, senior safety Tyler Bergeron made eight tackles, including five unassisted. Ben Baxter added seven stops and Travis Swanson was credited with six.

'CAT SCRATCH -- Temperature at kickoff was 71 degrees . . . Linfield outgained UMHB 442-403 but went 5 for 16 on third down. . . the Wildcats forced no defensive turnovers and allowed the Cru to rush for 135 yards. . . Smith's 42 pass completions was also a career-best and stand as the second-highest single-game completions total in program history. 

Wildcatville Q&A with Sonny Jepson, Class of 1973

 

Far Post Soccer Supply in downtown Portland near Providence Park, 2016. Linfield Oak Leaves yearbook, 1973. 

WILDCATVILLE -- Your name is William Howard Jepson III. How, did get your "Sonny" nickname?

SONNY -- My legal name honors the fact I was named after my grandfather, whom I adored. The nickname was one I had been called from as early as I can remember. My parents thought calling me "Bill", which my father went by, didn't fit my personality. Fortunately, boxer Sonny Liston and singer Sonny Bono, blazed the trail for me to not be teased about it.

WILDCATVILLE -- Where were you born and where did you grow up and go to school K-12?

SONNY -- I was born in Miami Beach, Florida, in 1949, after my parents moved from Panama. From Florida we moved to Longview, Washington, when I was barely a year old. I remained there through junior high. In Longview, I went to elementary school (K-6) at Kessler and junior high (7-9) at Monticello. I had a really enjoyable time in Longview, with good friends and some success in sports. If it were not for my folks getting a divorce, I'm sure I would have stayed in Longview for many years.

My mother remarried. We moved to Vancouver, Washington, weeks before high school started. If we’d stayed in Longview, I would have attended R. A. Long High School. In Vancouver, I enrolled at Hudson Bay High. I was only there a couple of months because things were not working out between my mother and me. I moved to Salem, Oregon, and lived with my dad.

At South Salem, I had a great high school experience. That was primarily due to my participation in athletics. My senior year (1966-1967), our 1966 football team was undefeated. South only had three touchdowns scored against it in the regular season. But, in the state championship game at Civic Stadium in Portland, we lost to Hillsboro. South’s coach, Marv Heater, and Hillsboro’s coach, Ad Rutschman, were Linfield grads and played football at Linfield for Coach Paul Durham.

WILDCATVILLE -- Why did you attend Linfield?

SONNY -- Due to South’s football success my senior year, some schools were interested in me becoming a student-athlete and playing football. I spoke with the coach at University of Puget Sound, an assistant at Washington State, and ultimately visited Linfield. In addition to Coach Heater three of the other four South coaches were Linfield grads. That helped steer me there. I met on campus with Coach Durham. I made my decision to attend Linfield as I rode back to Salem on my motorcycle.

WILDCATVILLE -- What year did you graduate from Linfield?

SONNY -- Having first started at Linfield in the fall of 1967, I should have graduated in 1971. I graduated in 1973 with a dual major in business and economics. When I went to enroll in the fall of 1968, Arnold Mills, the Linfield (financial) controller, said I still owed $300 from the previous semester. So, I could not enroll. Coach Rutchman had just begun his coaching football at Linfield after moving from Hillsboro High. (That happened after Coach Durham moved from Linfield to the University of Hawaii.). Coach told me that we'd work something out. But, I was somewhat in a dark place, so I elected to leave Linfield, with hopes of earning enough money to return the following year. I had been on my own for nearly two years. It was the 1960s and I was definitely a "free spirit." Also felt I needed to figure out what I was going to do with my life.

After a year and a half of what I call my "magical mystery tour" I decided I needed to get back to Linfield. It was finals week in December, I called Coach Rutschman. He told me to make my way to McMinnville. I did. I was working at a motel in Eugene, and hitchhiked to Mac two days later.

Coach was great, and I owe him so much. Although he couldn't offer me a football scholarship until the following fall, I was able to borrow my tail off, and reenrolled. At one point I had three work-study jobs during the semester. While they were not terribly demanding physically, they did help teach me the importance of time management.

One summer in McMinnville I worked for Ez Koch at City Sanitary, hauling garbage. My day began at 5:30 in the morning. I'd return to campus at about 12:30 to 1:00 in the afternoon and take a quick nap. Then, I worked at the McMinnville plywood mill, White City Plywood (which became Coast Range Plywood) from 3-11:30 p.m., with my dear friend Joe Simpson, classmate and Linfield football teammate. It was hard work, but the money was good, which fit my requirements. I'm very proud I was able to graduate in 1973, with honors, and also paid back every penny of my state and federal loans.

WILDCATVILLE -- When you graduated from Linfield was your career goal different then when you started at Linfield?

SONNY -- Ever since I was a child, I wanted to be a dentist. That was my goal when I enrolled at Linfield. My career path changed due to a 7:40 a.m. Intro to Biology class during football season. I wisely dropped that class the last day I could without it appearing on my transcript.

After coming back to Linfield, I started taking business classes, including from Dave Hansen, Bruce Baldwin and Levi Carlile. They sparked my interest in business and economics as majors. Also, a ‘shout out’ to Clancy Hinrichs (physics prof), who was definitely one of the better teachers I had. All four of them made subject matter interesting and provided the motivation for me to start to take school seriously.

WILDCATVILLE -- What is your career history after Linfield, starting with your first job until the present?

SONNY -- While at Linfield, I took an internship at the McMinnville Branch of U.S Bank. That led to working in  Portland for the bank. That was a wonderful experience. The bank was very good to me, providing great opportunities. After five and a half years I got restless, and started looking at other options. In 1980, I bought a small contracting company that did siding and windows – the weatherization craze had just kicked in to gear – and, surprising to me, endured that for 22 years. Homeowners were great, but contractors and real estate agents/ property managers, not so much. In 1993 I also opened a retail soccer store in Portland, the Far Post Soccer Supply. Both my daughters had become active in soccer, and I also enjoyed it. The store was primarily meant to be somewhat of a hobby, but it continued to grow, as the sport itself became the fastest growing youth sport in the U.S.

I sold the contracting company in December 2002 after a very good friend shared that he had cancer. That made me think life is too short to not enjoy a job. I then just “hung out” at the soccer store, and let my staff pick on me. It's been a good 28 year run with this soccer store, but I am very happy to be selling it. Why sell? It's not fun having a brick and mortar store in downtown Portland. And, it’s not fun to have Nike as one of my store’s main suppliers. Furthermore, the sport itself, as well as many of the people involved have changed. Instead of the pure enjoyment of having kids involved in the sport, people, and companies like Nike, are now primarily driven by the monetary aspect that the game provides, which is something that was never my motive.

WILDCATVILLE -- Grandkids?

SONNY -- I married a Linfield classmate, Madeline Rosenberg, in 1972. We had two children, and then divorced in 2001. My youngest daughter, Ali is married, and lives in Santa Clarita, California. I’m proud of her. She and her husband, Evan Dorhmann, from Portland, have gifted us with three grandchildren: Montgomery, age 6; Memphis, age 3, and Redding, three months. They all have July birth dates. There are not enough words to describe the joy these grandkids bring to us. We are very fortunate, as both my wife and I expected that all our “grandchildren” would have 4 legs (as in dogs).

After a several year courtship, in 2017 I married Felice Moskowitz. She’s a grad of Beaverton’s Sunset High School. We were introduced by Linfield classmate Lynne Wintermute. Felice and I have a very good life. We live in Beaverton, but also spend time in our home in Arizona outside of Tucson.

WILDCATVILLE -- Influential people in your life?

SONNY -- There has been many, including some of whom I didn't realize the impact they would have on me until I got older. I already mentioned Dave Hansen and Bruce Baldwin, who to this day still remain very good friends. Of course, also Coach Rutschman. I’ve told him if he had not provided me the path to return to Linfield, I really don't know if I'd be around today.

I have also been blessed with having numerous good fiends throughout my life; in fact too many to list. Each of them have provided strength, guidance, laughter, and just loads of fun over my lifetime. I can't express the importance that good friends have played in my life.

WILDCATVILLE -- Hobbies? Travel?

SONNY -- I haven't had time for hobbies over the last few years. Golf used to be my passion. I've been fortunate enough to go to Scotland and Ireland three times for golf, and also played many of the better golf courses in this country. However, about seven or eight years ago, golf and I were not getting along. So, I quit golfing with the promise I would take game up again after retirement. I love the game, as well as the comradery with my friends, which is primarily why we bought our Arizona home in one of those 55-plus, ride-around-in your-golf-cart communities.

I have always enjoyed traveling. Felice and I have found time to do quite a bit. Highlights include a safari in South Africa. We’ve taken several cruises, including one to the Greek Islands. Felice heritage on her mother's side is rooted in the island of Rhodes in Greece. We did an amazing one week rafting trip in the Grand Canyon, with Steve Pickering (Linfield grad, Linfield football teammate) and his wife, Ann.

In 2015, Felice and I celebrated our 66th age milestones, by driving part of historic Route 66. That was great fun and we recommend it for all to consider. Opt, as we did, to stay in hotels/motels in which you’d never consider staying and eating food you’d never consider eating.

Covid has put a damper on our travel of late, but we toured Panama in May 2021. On our bucket list is to travel to Iceland to see the Northern Lights, do another European River cruise, and go to Portugal. I want to walk  the Camino de Santiago (The Way) in Spain to commemorate working 54 years.

WILDCATVILLE -- Final comments?

SONNY -- Thank you for this opportunity to share part of my story.

NCAAD3 national football playoffs: In Minnesota, Linfield sinks Saint John’s, 31-28, advances to quarterfinals

NCAAD3 national football playoffs: In Minnesota, Linfield sinks Saint John’s, 31-28, advances to quarterfinals

From Linfield Sports Info 11/27/2021. Photo by Kelly Bird, Linfield Sports Info

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Andrew Starkel's 23-yard field goal with 1:01 remaining proved to be the margin of difference in the Linfield Wildcats' epic 31-28 second-round NCAA Division III playoff victory over previously unbeaten Saint John's (Minn.) Saturday at Clemens Stadium.

Linfield (11-0) advances to play Mary Hardin-Baylor (12-0) on Saturday. UMHB defeated Birmingham-Southern 42-7 on Saturday. The NCAA will confirm host sites for the quarterfinal round on Sunday.

Saint John's, champion of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, ended its season at 11-1.

Linfield quarterback Wyatt Smith threw three touchdown passes, including two to Joel Valadez and the Wildcats shrugged off a shaky start to earn the program's first win over the Johnnies in four playoff tries.

Smith was sacked three times on the Wildcats' opening drive, but eventually found sufficient protection as the game wore on. The fifth-year senior completed 28 of 40 for 273 yards and three touchdowns.

Valadez, a first-year Wildcat, caught 13 passes – two short of the Linfield single-game record – for 102 yards. McNabb had eight catches out of the back field for 64 yards.

Linfield safety Tyler Bergeron made a game-high 10 tackles for the Linfield defense, which held Saint John's to 4 of 15 on third-down plays. The Wildcats made the most of two Johnnies turnovers, cashing in 10 points as a result.

After SJU took a 7-0 lead with just under 10 minutes to play in the second quarter, the Wildcats countered with Valadez's 7-yard TD grab six minutes later.

Connor McNabb, who rushed for a game-high 73 yards, scored on a three-yard dive with 11 seconds to play before intermission, giving the Wildcats momentum heading into the halftime locker room. The go-ahead score was set up by Blake Rybar's recovery of a muffed punt, spotting the ball at the SJU 20-yard line. Three plays later, McNabb knifed over from the 3, putting the Wildcats in front to stay.

Linfield twice led by two scores, 28-14 after Valadez's second TD catch from Smith with 2:17 left in the third quarter, and 31-21 when Starkel converted the chip-shot field goal.

To their credit, the Johnnies refused to go away quietly, cutting the margin to 28-21 and then 31-28 on a pair of touchdown passes by SJU quarterback Chris Backes.

After Backes hit Blake Patrick to pull within 31-28 with 1:02 left, Franco Keplinger recovered the onside kick for the 'Cats, sealing the victory in Linfield's favor.

CAT SCRATCH
Saint John's outgained Linfield just barely, 326-324…the Wildcats did not commit a single turnover on the day…With 108 touchdown passes to his credit, Smith is closing in on the Linfield career record of 110 TD tosses set by 2005 Gagliardi Trophy winner and current Linfield offensive coordinator Brett Elliott...Saturday's attendance was 2,378.

https://golinfieldwildcats.com/news/2021/11/27/football-linfield-tops-st-johns-31-28-advances-to-ncaa-quarterfinals.aspx

Linfield Football Coach Paul Durham, players: Nov. 20, 1956, McMinnville N-R/News-Register (click on photo, see a larger version)

From Nov. 20, 1956, McMinnville N-R/News-Register reprinted in the Nov. 23, 2021, N-R: “Thank you, Dr. Stagg, say these members of the Linfield College football team and coach Paul Durham as they send coach Paul Stagg of Pacific University a Linfield varsity “L.” Pacific’s victory over Lewis & Clark Saturday night meant that Linfield won the NWC football championship for the first time in 21 years. Standing are, left to right, all-conference guard Vic Fox, guard Howard Morris and end Jerry Beier. Seated are Durham and quarterback Ron Parrish.”

Links to YouTube video clips Redlands @ Linfield football NCAAD3 playoff game 11/20/2021

NCAAD3 playoff game vs. Redlands 11/20/2021
https://youtu.be/kiWZNPOvrG4

Linfield runs out of Memorial Stadium tunnel onto Maxwell Field before Redlands at Linfield Football NCAAD3 playoff game 11/20/2021, McMinnville, Oregon
https://youtu.be/K_usNaw12Q8

Linfield defensive sideline huddle during Redlands at Linfield Football NCAAD3 playoff game 11/20/2021 in McMinnville, Oregon
https://youtu.be/S8jaAuTZqlk

Banner: Linfield Football NCAAD3 playoff game in McMinnville, Ore., vs. Redlands 11/20/2021
https://youtu.be/qFCmMiw2s0A

OSAA email 11/16/2021 to Oregon high school athletic directors about Coach Ad Rutschman's book

Email sent out 11/16/2021 by OSAA (Oregon School Activities Association) to Oregon high school athletic directors about book "Winning with Class: The Story of the Hall of Fame Coach Ad Rutschman," by Coach Rutschman,

‘What a great ride; the family story of David Lum,' Linfield Class of 1958

‘What a great ride; the family story of David Lum'

Hardcover book (124-pages) by David Lum (Author) with Michael L. Marlitt. Edited by Beverly Warren-Leigh

 

Publisher: ‎Timelines, Inc., Portland, Ore. (Jan. 1, 2014)

ISBN-10: ‎132026199X

ISBN-13: ‎978-1320261999

LINFIELDER RON CALLAN DOES 2021 FOOTBALL PLAY-BY-PLAY FOR LINFIELD, OREGON STATE

LINFIELDER RON CALLAN DOES 2021 FOOTBALL  PLAY-BY-PLAY FOR LINFIELD, OREGON STATE

 Twice during the 2021 college football season, Linfielder Ron Callan (Linfield Class of 1974) has done broadcast play-by-play on emergency basis.

 

Ron is sideline reporter for Oregon State University games’ Beaver Radio Network broadcasts. He is also play-by-play “voice” for broadcasts of OSU women’s basketball.

 

=LSN/Linfield Sports Network’s football broadcast “voice” Joe Stuart’s mother, Maria Stuart, 56, died Oct. 13, 2021. She was co-owner of McMinnville’s R. Stuart & Co. Winery and instrumental in the International Pinot Noir Celebration in McMinnville.

 

Because of her passing, Joe did not work the Oct. 16 Linfield home game football win over Pacific. In that game’s LSM streamcast, Ron did play-by-play joined by Dave Hansen’s color commentary.

 

(By beating Pacific, Linfield extended its national streak of consecutive winning seasons to 65. See photo by Ron posted here taken after the game from the Memorial Stadium broadcast booth showing Maxwell Field activities.)

 

“Our hearts go out to Joe and his family. To help Joe and Linfield, I enjoyed the chance to work with Dave and broadcast my alma mater’s game,” said Ron. “Doing play-by-play for Linfield and Oregon State in the same season is special for me.”

Link below to replay of 10/16/2021 Pacific at Linfield Football/LSN streamcast which runs 3:47.06. Starts at 2:51.

https://golinfieldwildcats.com/watch/?Archive=76&sport=21&category=4&type=Live

 

=OSU play-by-play “voice” Mike Parker did not work the Nov. 6, 2021, OSU at Colorado game after testing positive for COVID-19. Ron did play-by-play with color commentary but Jim Wilson.

 

POSTSCRIPT— In 2014, Ron did play-by-play for an Oregon State football game due to the funeral of Mike Parker’s father.

Same story posted at BWC-Linfield Facebook and Linfield U Alumni  Facebook.

LINFIELD TO RESUME MEN’S WRESTLING, ADDS WOMEN’S WRESTLING

 

LINFIELD TO RESUME MEN’S WRESTLING, ADDS WOMEN’S WRESTLING

…..

Chad Hanke to lead men's and women's wrestling programs

From Linfield Sports Information 11/3/2021. Appeared in 11/4/2021 McMinnville N-R online and 11/5/2021 in print with headline, “Linfield hires Dayton alum to revive wrestling program”

https://golinfieldwildcats.com/news/2021/11/3/mens-wrestling-chad-hanke-to-lead-mens-and-womens-wrestling-programs.aspx

Chad Hanke has been hired to lead the relaunch of collegiate wrestling at Linfield University.

Director of Athletics Dr. Garry Killgore announced the hiring of Hanke as new men's and women's wrestling coach on Wednesday, November 3. Linfield recently unveiled plans to revive its dormant men's wrestling program while also adding a new women's wrestling program.

"Chad is an excellent person to be our first head wrestling coach in years," said Killgore. "He has great street credibility, both as a competitor and as a coach. He is very well-connected on the West Coast and has good connections back East. His work ethic, positive attitude and his ability to connect well with his athletes will all serve him well in getting this program 'off to the races.'"

Hanke said he is "honored and excited to lead Linfield student-athletes into a new era with wrestling. Linfield already has a long and rich history of success in athletics. I'm looking forward to continuing that success with the men's and women's wrestling programs.

"I'd like to thank the leadership at Linfield University and the Athletics Department, especially President Miles Davis, Director of Athletics Garry Killgore and everyone associated with Restore College Wrestling," said Hanke. "It takes a tremendous amount of commitment and dedication to restore a wrestling program and I'm ready for the challenge."

Hanke brings seven years of coaching experience as well as an accomplished amateur wrestling career at Oregon State University and nearby Dayton High School.

His collegiate coaching experience includes two years as an assistant coach at Cal State-Bakersfield (2018-20) and three years in a similar role at American University (2005-18). He also spent one season as a volunteer assistant coach at Oregon State (2014-15).

During his time at Cal State-Bakersfield, Hanke coached five NCAA qualifiers and three conference champions. At American University, he tutored nine NCAA qualifiers, including university freestyle national champion Jeric Kasunic.

He also spent time working at the senior level at the USA Regional Training Center (2013-15). His most recent coaching position has been as a volunteer assistant with McMinnville High School.

As an amateur wrestler, Hanke was a four-year starter and twice competed at the NCAA Division I Championships. He piled up 113 career victories over his four seasons. As a senior in 2012-13, he compiled a 35-5 record that included a Pac-12 title in the 285-pound weight class.

Hanke also competed as a a senior-level athlete for four years at the National Regional Training Center, twice winning the FILA Junior national championship in 2008 and 2011. In 2012, he was invited to participate in the USA Wrestling Olympic Team Trials.

His most recent competitions came with the Titan Mercury Wrestling Club, where he was crowned a FILA University National Champion at the 97-kilogram weight class in 2014.

The Linfield men's wrestling program is expected to compete against regional colleges and universities such as Pacific (Ore.), Corban, Southern Oregon, Eastern Oregon, Warner Pacific, Simon Fraser and Simpson (Calif.).

In addition to the above-mentioned schools, the women's program will likely see action at the Oregon Classic at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds each January.

In the postseason, Linfield will compete at NCAA Division III regional and national championship tournaments.

Linfield fielded an intercollegiate varsity wrestling program up until 1985 but the program was disbanded. With Hanke as its new coach, Linfield has the opportunity to fill an underserved niche within the Pacific Northwest, according to Killgore.

"Chad's first goal is to recruit 20-plus student-athletes. From there, he will continue to grow both the women's and men's programs to 25-40 student-athletes in each program. I anticipate that our student-athletes will be highly competitive at the NCAA III level."

A handful of current student-athletes are competing in wrestling currently as a university club program. Linfield will begin competing on the intercollegiate level beginning in the fall of 2022.
#

In Oct. 1956, at Linfield College, Tye Steinbach, conducts Red Cross water safety instruction course

Photo cutline from Oct. 22, 1956, McMinnville N-R/News-Register:

At Linfield College, Tye Steinbach, pool manager, conducts a Red Cross water safety instruction course. Graduates will be qualified liafeguards and swimming instructors. Students must complete more than 30 hours of classwork during the course. Steinbach expects to choose four members of the class to help with instruction at the new pool and two others for lifeguards. Two more lifeguards will be needed during the summer.

Note from Wildcatville in November 2022:

Tye Steinbach was the father of Nancy Susan Steinbach Haack (Linfield Class of 1969) and Kathleen "Kathy" Ann Steinbach Washburn (Class of 1968). In 1956, the year this photo was taken, the Steinbach family – Nancy and Kathy  and parents Tye and Ellen Steinbach -- moved to McMinnville from Portland when Tye became director of the McMinnville city pool and coach of the McMinnville Swim Club. He was also the first Linfield swim coach. Linfield started its swimming program in the 1957-1958 academic year, according to a story in the 2-7-1958 Oregonian. That story (headline: 'Cat Tankers Form Team) mentions the “new swimming program at Linfield. This is the first year the Wildcats have entered competitive swimming …”