Elissa Collopy
eac001@marietta.edu
Marietta College’s Track and Field team has experienced dramatic change from their previous season to now.
Before the season began in August, two coaches left to start new jobs with other schools. Coach Wunderlich, who was in charge of javelin, jumps, pole vault and multi athletes, is at Dartmouth where he was an undergraduate. Coach Evans, who was in charge of sprints, is at Yale.
“The opportunity to come back to my alma mater and give back to the program that shaped my athletic career was too attractive to turn down,” Wunderlich said.
Evans also commented on his new position.
“Professionally, the opportunity to work at Yale, one of the most prestigious universities in the world, was too much to pass up,” he said. “That was really the ultimate factor in my decision to leave Marietta—it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
Senior Jen DeSantis, a member of the track team, said she has nothing against any of the coaches that left.
“Congratulations to them,” she said.
Senior Simon Sanders said he doesn’t blame them for leaving.
“I would have done the same thing; it was a great opportunity,” he said. “I’m not mad at all and I wish them the best.”
A search for a new head coach began last August, but did not end with one in place.
According to MC Director of Athletics Larry Hiser, there was a pool of 64 applicants. The search committee selected ten prospects for phone interviews and narrowed the search from there. When the time came to invite several to campus, a handful withdrew.
“Sometimes it was because they were involved in a search with us and their home institution found out about it and they were counter-offered immediately,” Hiser said.
He also said money was an issue. A couple prospects asked how much salary would be, and when given the range, they withdrew.
“A couple cases said they were making that much or more now and didn’t really want to take a pay cut,” Hiser said.
In December, three of those applicants were brought to campus, two of which were offered the job, but declined after accepting positions elsewhere or staying at their current institutions.
“We had an accepted offer, a cleared background check, and we had a letter of appointment,” Hiser said. “After the letter of appointment you hardly ever lose anybody—this is the first time I have lost a candidate after signing a letter of appointment.”
Hiser said this was a very late withdrawal.
The second prospect was counter-offered at his home institution after MC’s initial offer and the third prospect did not seem to be a fit for the team.
“As the first two coaches fell through, it was really hard for us as a team,” DeSantis said. “We were tired, and it was time for us to have a coach.”
Hiser announced in December two interim head coaches for the upcoming track season—Andy Knapp and Zach Logan. Knapp and Logan oversee both the men’s and women’s programs this season while searching for a permanent head coach. According to DeSantis, the team was relieved when the administration “finally” hired them.
Hiser said Knapp and Logan were named interim coaches to provide the team with stability and leadership.
“This was to make sure [the team] had a person to go to, clear instruction on their event and to just have stability in the leadership program,” Hiser said.
However, the morale of the team has decreased with the uncertainty of the season looming ahead.
“I felt abandoned, but I just have to deal with it,” Sanders said. “I mean, this is what I love to do; that’s why I’m still here.”
Not all team members are as optimistic, however – many have decided to leave.
“In August, we had a total number of about 50 members of the track team,” DeSantis said. “We are now down to a total of 23 members combined, men and women.”
Sanders said this hit the team hard when his companions quit.
“[Spirit] still hasn’t recovered yet, and honestly it probably won’t until this time next year,” he said.
In light of this drastic decrease, Sanders said Logan has already helped to recruit runners.
With all of these changes occurring in preseason and during season, the team is trying to look at the bright side.
“We’re just in a transition; we have to rebuild morale and numbers,” Sanders said.
DeSantis said her dedication has been tested multiple times.
“However, this is giving me the chance to learn…what it truly means to have coaches that support you,” she said.
Hiser noted the students’ vexation.
“They should be frustrated,” he said.
As the season continues, students are hopeful for the future of the team.
“My hope for graduation is that my teammates receive a coach that can help truly rebuild this program,” DeSantis said. “We work hard every day to be the best that we can be, and right now in this situation, that’s all that we can really do.”
The search has been officially suspended, as it is no longer posted anywhere; however, the unofficial search continues.
“We are optimistic about a candidate right now that hopefully could be done as soon as next week or the week after—it’s just not public,” Hiser said.
If this prospect accepts the position, they will start on July 1 at the end of the fiscal year.
“This is not a good time to leave your program and come to another, so we’re going to have to finish this year, even the outdoor season, with the current staffing that’s set up as is,” Hiser said.
