After 13 years and 106 NCAA All-Americans on the women[apos]s side, as well as six years and 32 All-America honorees with the men[apos]s squad, Beth Alford-Sullivan enters her 14th year at the helm of the Nittany Lion women[apos]s program and her seventh campaign as the Director and Head Coach of Track and Field/Cross Country, overseeing both the men[apos]s and women[apos]s programs.

Sullivan[apos]s decorated resume is undoubtedly among the most impressive in the country, as it includes two NCAA [quote]Trophy[quote] Team finishes, six Big Ten team titles, one Big Ten [quote]Triple Crown,[quote] as well as three individual NCAA Champions, and one NCAA Champion relay.

Since taking the reigns of both the men[apos]s and women[apos]s programs in 2006, Sullivan has remained steadfast to the vision of having two programs in the top tier of the conference and the NCAA, with both the men[apos]s and women[apos]s squads making outstanding statements during the 2011-12 campaign, highlighted by the Nittany Lions[apos] haul of 12 USTFCCCA First Team All-America finishes on the year.

Sullivan continued to coach the Nittany Lions to countless milestones in 2011-12, including a head-turning performance of 3:01.52 by the men[apos]s 4×400-meter relay at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The relay rewrote the record books on numerous occasions in 2012, setting the indoor school record at 3:05.22 at the Alex Wilson Last Chance, and following up with a second-place standing at the NCAA Indoor Championships – the highest-ever finish by a Nittany Lion relay at NCAA Indoors. The Lions clipped off the own record little by little over the outdoor season, beginning the year at 3:07.19 – all the way down to 3:01.52, with the foursome of Aaron Nadolsky, Brandon Bennett-Green, Casimir Loxsom, and Brady Gehret on both All-America squads.

Sullivan would also oversee an outstanding effort from the Nittany Lion throws contingent at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, with underclassman duo Laura Loht, and Lauren Kenney providing a three-four finish in the women[apos]s javelin, to go along with a fourth-place showing from Joe Kovacs in the men[apos]s shot put.

Through the course of the 2011-12 campaign, Sullivan also coached a grand total of eight individual Big Ten Champions, and two conference champion relays. Kicking off the conference accolades was then-senior Caitlin Lane, who captured top individual honors at the Big Ten Cross Country Championships, and parlayed the effort into the 16th-place and All-America standing at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Lane[apos]s finish – which was the second highest in Sullivan[apos]s Penn State tenure – paced the Lions to a 13th-place finish in the team standings – the best finish from the PSU program in nearly two decades.

Penn State Track and Field/Cross Country
Under Beth Alford-Sullivan …

* 138 NCAA All-Americans
* 78 Big Ten Individual Champions
* 16 Big Ten Champion Relays
* 24 Coach of the Year Awards
* 27 USTFCCCA Regional Athletes of the Year
* 8 Big Ten Championship Records
* 4 NCAA Champions
* 5 Big Ten Athletes of the Year
* 6 Big Ten Team Titles
* 7 Big Ten Freshman of the Year
* 3 Olympians
* 2 World Championship Qualifiers
* 2 IAAF World Junior Medalists
* 2 NCAA Trophy Teams
* 4 Penn Relays Wheels
* 1 Big Ten Triple Crown

Program Success …

Under Sullivan, the Nittany Lion women[apos]s team has become a national mainstay, scoring at the national meet in last 11 NCAA Outdoor Championships, and 10 of the last 11 NCAA Indoor Championships. The women[apos]s squad has also recorded top four [quote]trophy team[quote] finishes in two of the last four years, placing fourth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2008 and 2010.

Since taking over the women[apos]s program in the fall of 1999, Sullivan has guided the Nittany Lions to a grand total of 13 top 25 finishes at the NCAA level, including top 10 efforts from the women[apos]s team in 2003, 2008, 2009, and 2010. The men[apos]s program has followed suit, earning top 25 standings in the last six NCAA track and field competitions, including an 11th-place standing at the 2011 NCAA Indoor Championships – the second-highest indoor finish in men[apos]s program history.

The Nittany Lions success under Sullivan does not end on the track, however, as the Nittany Lion women[apos]s track and field and cross country teams have earned United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches[apos] Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic honors in each of her 13 seasons at the helm of the program. Both the Nittany Lion men[apos]s and women[apos]s cross country squads earned the academic standing, via grade point averages of 3.0 or better for the 2011 fall semester, while the women[apos]s program once again achieved the feat in the spring of 2012. In fact, the 2009-10 version of the women[apos]s squad was named USTFCCCA [quote]Scholar Team of the Year[quote] for the outdoor season, which is awarded to the team with the highest NCAA finish with a 3.0 GPA.

The Nittany Lions also been consistently recognized as one of the most successful programs in the NCAA, with the men[apos]s team earning 11th place in the 2010-11 [quote]John McDonnell Program of the Year[quote] standings. The award honors the institution that has achieved the most success in each academic year (spanning the cross country, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field seasons) based on the institution[apos]s finish at the NCAA Division I Championships. Sullivan[apos]s women[apos]s squad has also been heavily recognized nationally, placing 17th in the [quote]Terry Crawford Program of the Year[quote] rankings for the 2010-11 seasons.

In 2010, the Nittany Lion women placed third in the Program of the Year standings, following only perennial stalwarts Oregon and Florida. The men have also been consistently mentioned in the rankings, as Sullivan[apos]s men[apos]s squad was recognized for the honor in 2009, finishing 14th.

A Record-Breaking 2012 …

Led by the 4×400[apos]s sizzling NCAA performance, the Nittany Lions once again laid claim to numerous Penn State records. In fact, Sullivan-coached athletes now hold all but six school records on the women[apos]s side, with then-sophomore Bekka Simko taking down the Nittany Lions[apos] long-standing record in the women[apos]s 800-meters this past spring, running 2:03.09. The women[apos]s squad would also reset several additional school bests during the 2012 campaign, with Lane running 2:44.24 to better her own indoor 1000 record, and the women[apos]s DMR of Lane, Ije Iheoma, Simko, and Kara Millhouse going 11:05.16.

Sullivan and the Nittany Lions continued to excel outdoors, thanks to Simko[apos]s effort, as well as a school-record 32:57.33 from Millhouse in the 10,000. Simko and Millhouse were also the bookends on the record-setting DMR during the outdoor season, along with teammates Iheoma, and Marta Klebe. The squad ran 11:08.41 on their way to the top of the charts.

The records continued to roll in on the men[apos]s side in 2012, with Creese leading the charge indoors with his Collegiate, American Junior, and Penn State record 2:19.53 for the 1,000-meters. Casimir Loxsom also took hold of the men[apos]s 600-meter school standard at 1:16.66. The men[apos]s 4×400 (Nadolsky, Bennett-Green, Loxsom, and Gehret) would end the season at 3:05.22 – also an all-time Penn State best.

Kovacs, who tore through the competition during the 2012 outdoor campaign, launched a lifetime-best 69-2 (21.08) at the most opportune time, finishing fourth in the shot put at the US Olympic Trials – finishing as the top collegiate in the field, and just inches shy of a spot on the US Olympic Team.

A Banner 2010 …

In 2010 Sullivan[apos]s men[apos]s and women[apos]s squads experienced unparalleled success, highlighted by a fourth-place finish from the women[apos]s team at the NCAA Outdoor Championships – the squad[apos]s second [quote]Trophy Team[quote] finish in the last four years. The NCAA effort also included a national-title victory from then-senior Bridget Franek in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

The Nittany Lion women were just as successful on the Big Ten stage, capturing team titles in cross country, and indoor and outdoor track and field to earn the coveted conference [quote]Triple Crown.[quote] The cross country victory was the first in program history, led by an individual victory from Franek. Meanwhile, the women[apos]s outdoor victory not only completed the 2009-10 [quote]Triple Crown,[quote] but was the program[apos]s third-straight outdoor conference victory.

Along with the women[apos]s fourth-place effort at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, Sullivan[apos]s men[apos]s squad also made a splash nationally, claiming a pair of top 25 standings, including a 14th-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships – the program[apos]s highest finish in nearly two decades. The men would go on to tie for 23rd outdoors, which was also the first top 25 finish since 1993. Individually, the Nittany Lion men earned a trio of bronze-medal finishes at the NCAA Championships, with Ryan Foster (800-meters) and Joe Kovacs (shot put) each earning third-place standings indoors, and Blake Eaton taking third in the shot put at the outdoor championships. The women were also consistent members of the nation[apos]s upper echelon a year ago, placing 14th in cross country, and 13th indoors.

International Acclaim …

Internationally speaking, Sullivan added a pair of IAAF World medalists to her coaching resume in 2010 as Casimir Loxsom earned silver-medal honors while representing the United States at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Moncton, Canada. Loxsom[apos]s second-place standing was the highest-ever finish by a U.S. athlete in the distance event since the meet[apos]s inception. Meanwhile, rising sophomore Evonne Britton claimed second-place status in the 400-meter hurdles.

More recently, Loxsom and teammate Gehret represented the United States in international competition, competing at the NACAC Under-23 Championships. Both Loxsom and Gehret qualified for the final in their respective events, with Loxsom leading the way with a fourth-place finish in the 800.

Current junior Kirsten Nieuwendam also represented the Nittany Lions as well as her home country of Suriname this summer, competing in the 200-meters at the Olympic Games in London.

Sullivan also boasts a tremendous amount of international experience in her own right. Most notably in 2004, Sullivan was named a member of the Olympic coaching staff for the Athens Games, where she helped the United States squad to nearly 25 medals in the sport of track and field. More recently, Sullivan served as the Head Coach for the United States women[apos]s team at the 2011 Pan Am Junior Championships.

She was also selected to represent the United States as an assistant coach at the 2003 World Championships in Paris where she guided the middle distance runners for the world[apos]s top ranked track and field team. She also has served as an assistant on the 2001 U.S. World Championships Team, guiding middle-distance and distance team members throughout the trials and the championships held in Edmonton, Canada. Prior to that appointment, Sullivan guided the U.S. Junior Team to the 1997 World Cross Country Championships in Turin, Italy. She was also the coach for the 1994 U.S. team that competed in the Beijing International Ekiden and was an assistant coach for the 1995 U.S. Olympic Festival staff in Colorado Springs.

NCAA Accolades …

Throughout her tenure in Happy Valley, Sullivan has overseen the successes of four of the most-prolific NCAA careers in program history in Connie Moore, Shana Cox, Aleesha Barber, and Bridget Franek. All sensational sprinters, Moore, Cox, and Barber each totaled 11 All-America finishes throughout their Nittany Lion careers, with Cox claiming the 2008 NCAA Outdoor title at 400-meters – the first victory by a Nittany Lion woman in the track event in the NCAA era – and Cox and Barber, running as members of the 2008 NCAA Champion 4×400-meter relay. Sullivan coached Franek, who totaled 10 All-America finishes over her career, to top honors in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships – marking the fourth NCAA victory by a Nittany Lion under Sullivan[apos]s watch. Franek also achieved a rarely matched feat over her Penn State tenure, qualifying for every NCAA opportunity in cross country, and indoor and outdoor track and field over her career – a perfect 12-for-12 appearances.

Sullivan[apos]s first NCAA title at Penn State came in 2003, when Deshaya Williams claimed national gold in the discus. The Lions have had quite a presence in both the 4×400 and the steeplechase on the NCAA stage under Sullivan[apos]s watch, with a Penn State mile relay making the NCAA field during both the indoor and outdoor seasons over the past five years, and earning All-America standing on six of those occasions. Sullivan has also coached at least one NCAA qualifier in the steeplechase in seven NCAA meets since the event was added to the women[apos]s program in 2001.

In her six years with the men[apos]s program, Sullivan has coached at least one entrant in the NCAA track and field meet on the men[apos]s side in 11 of 12 opportunities, including graduate Ryan Fritz, who earned a grand total of four All-America certificates during his Penn State career. Sullivan also coached Tyler McCandless to an All-America finish in the 10,000-meters in 2010, becoming the first Nittany Lion to earn the honor in the event since 1994. The Nittany Lion men have also achieved six bronze-medal finishes under Sullivan, including two from Kovacs in the shot put in 2010 and 2011, and third-place efforts from Foster in the 800 in 2010, and the mile in 2011. The 4×400 added to the haul this past academic year, placing second indoors and fourth during the outdoor season.

Sullivan has also overseen multiple recipients of USTFCCCA regional awards on a yearly basis. Most recently, freshman sensation Robby Creese was named Mid-Atlantic Men[apos]s Track Athlete of the Year during the 2012 indoor season, while Joe Kovacs garnered the [quote]Field Athlete of the Year[quote] nod and former sprints, hurdles and relays coach Chris Johnson earned Men[apos]s [quote]Assistant Coach of the Year[quote] nomination during the outdoor campaign. Sullivan has been recognized by USTFCCCA on numerous occasions, and was named Mid-Atlantic Men[apos]s Coach of the Year in 2009, becoming the first woman to win the award at the helm of a men[apos]s program.

Big Ten Success …

The Nittany Lions have also been highly successful in Big Ten competition under Sullivan[apos]s guidance, with the Penn State women totaling 50 individual victories, as well as 13 relay wins over the past 11 years. Conversely, the Nittany Lion men have earned 21 individual titles, and two relay wins in Sullivan[apos]s tenure. Under Sullivan, the Nittany Lion women have been at the top of the heap at the conference level for nearly a decade, having finishing no worse than fourth at any Big Ten track and field championship since 2003.

Cox, a 2008 graduate, remains at the top of the charts, with an outstanding total of 15 victories, while 2011 graduate Shavon Greaves stands with 14 total titles, including sweeps of the short sprints during both the indoor and outdoor championships in 2009 and 2010. Sullivan has also overseen a pair of wins in the men[apos]s javelin throw, including a Big Ten record 239-9 (73.09) effort by Allen Pettner in 2007. 2012 graduate Kara Millhouse also rose to prominence in the Big Ten record books under Sullivan, capturing two-straight conference victories in the 10,000.

The Lion have been recognized throughout the years for their conference success, including a pair of Big Ten [quote]Freshman of the Year[quote] citations for Creese in 2012. Also earning conference accolades last year was Lane, who won Big Ten [quote]Athlete of the Year[quote] honors on the heels of her victory at the Big Ten Cross Country Championships. Kovacs rounded out the year with a conference [quote]Field Athlete of the Year[quote] nod during the outdoor season.

The conference honors rolled in in 2009-12, with Franek earning Athlete of the Year honors in cross country, along with a Freshman of the Year citation for Nicole Lord. Sullivan would also be voted Big Ten Coach of the Year, thanks to the Lions[apos] cross country success. Sullivan would earn another conference Coach of the Year award indoors, while Franek was named Athlete of the Meet, and then-junior Shavon Greaves took Athlete of the Year status. Outside, Fawn Dorr was declared Athlete of the Meet, while Sullivan earned yet another Coach of the Year citation. On the men[apos]s side, Loxsom would earn Freshman of the Year status outdoors.

On the Big Ten stage, Sullivan[apos]s Nittany Lions claimed a combined total of 14 individual victories, to go along with three relay wins. Franek got the ball rolling in cross country, taking top honors at the conference meet – becoming the first Nittany Lion to win the conference cross country title since Kim McGreevy in 1994.

The Nittany Lions had a banner afternoon at the conference meet in 2009, highlighted by an individual victory from then-senior Franek. The Nittany Lions would put all five scoring finishers in the top 25 for a winning total of 71 points, with Franek in first, Lord in ninth – good for second-team all-conference honors – freshman Brooklyne Ridder in 16th, sophomore Caitlin Lane in 22nd, and sophomore Kara Millhouse in 23rd.

On the Cross Country Course …

Penn State squads have enjoyed outstanding success in cross country under Sullivan[apos]s watch. Last season was no different, highlighted by a 13th-place standing by the women[apos]s team at the NCAA Championships – the highest finish in nearly two decades. Caitlin Lane paved the way, finishing 16th overall to earn her first-career All-America citation. Lane[apos]s hot streak started at the Big Ten Championships, where she took top honors, becoming the second Nittany Lion to win the Big Ten crown in the last three years.

Also running well at the conference meet was then-senior Kara Millhouse,

Regionally, speaking Sullivan[apos]s Nittany Lions more than held their own in a field of national-caliber teams at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships, with the women[apos]s team scoring a third-place standing, to go along with the men[apos]s fourth-place effort. Individually, the Nittany Lions garnered a grand total of seven all-region citations, led by a two-three finish from then-juniors Kyle Dawson and Vince McNally on the men[apos]s side. Then-junior Caitlin Lane was tops for the women in 12th place, followed by a quartet of Nittany Lions in the top 25, including Kara Millhouse, Natalie Bower, Maura Ryan, and Brooklyne Ridder.

Sullivan[apos]s charges were just as successful on the conference level, as the Nittany Lions turned in fourth-place finishes in both the men[apos]s and women[apos]s races. Dawson, who Sullivan coached to Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors in 2008, was the top finisher, earning all-conference second team honors via an eighth-place effort individually. McNally was on his heals in 13th, earning his second-career all-conference citation. Another duo of Nittany Lions mounted all-conference efforts in the women[apos]s race, led by then-sophomores Ridder, and Bower, who placed ninth and 14th, respectively.

A year prior, Sullivan coached the women[apos]s cross country team to a 14th-place effort at the 2009 NCAA Cross Country Championships, to go along with the program[apos]s Big Ten victory. The Nittany Lions would also receive representation on the men[apos]s side at the national level, with sophomore Vince McNally making his second-straight appearance at the NCAA meet.

Sullivan[apos]s Lions shined in the NCAA field, paced by Franek[apos]s 26th-place finish, which was also good for her second-career All-America effort in cross country. Ranked as high as 11th during the season, the Lions[apos] 14th-place effort was the highest since the 1996 campaign. Penn State advanced to the Championships via an at-large bid, thanks to in-season wins over outstanding programs such as Florida State, Illinois, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Providence, and SMU, earning more than enough qualifying points to make the field.

A year prior, Sullivan coached Franek to a 23rd-place effort and All-America honors at the 2008 NCAA Cross Country Championships. Sullivan also led the men[apos]s squad to its first appearance at the NCAA meet since 1994, thanks to a second-place finish at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional. The Nittany Lion men notched a 25th-place standing at the NCAA Championships.

The Nittany Lion men engineered an outstanding 2008 campaign, thanks to a group of seasoned veterans, two talented freshmen, and homegrown Pennsylvania work ethic, as six of the eight Nittany Lion men that traveled to the NCAA Championships are former Pennsylvania high school standouts.

The Nittany Lions continued to impress at the Big Ten Championships, posting a fourth-place effort in the team standings – the highest conference finish in nearly a decade. Dawson was also voted Big Ten Freshman of the Year following his effort at the conference championships, becoming the first athlete in Nittany Lion history to earn the honor in cross country.

The Nittany Lion cross country squads have been a strong factor at both the conference, regional, and national levels since Sullivan[apos]s arrival in 1999, as the Penn State women have made NCAA appearances in 2002, and 2003, 2009, and 2010 while earning top five finishes in the Mid-Atlantic region on eight occasions. In 2000, Sullivan led Suzanne Heyer to a 14th-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships – the highest-ever finish by a Nittany Lion woman in the NCAA era.

Before Penn State …

Prior to her tenure at Penn State, Sullivan was the Women[apos]s Coordinator for the Stanford track and field and cross country teams from 1995-99. During those four years, Sullivan coached over 30 NCAA All-America athletes including one NCAA individual champion (Monal Chokshi in the 3,000 meters), led numerous Pac-10 team and individual championship performers and led the team into national prominence. Under her coaching, Stanford placed in the top 10 at the NCAA Cross Country Championships all four years of her tenure including winning the NCAA championship in 1996. The Cardinal also took home runner-up honors in 1997 and a strong third place finish in 1998. In return, Sullivan was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year three times, NCAA Regional Coach of the Year twice and NCAA Division I Coach of the Year in 1996. Before her years at Stanford, Sullivan served as the head coach at Mankato State University from 1993-95 and as the assistant coach at Southeast Missouri State University from 1991-93. She earned conference-coaching honors and produced over 20 conference champions for these schools.

In 2007, Sullivan was inducted into the Minnesota Classic Lake Conference and the Hopkins High School Hall of Fame, both in Minnetonka, Minn. As a high school athlete at Hopkins High, Sullivan competed in track and field and cross country and was a member of the state championship cross country team in 1983, and the fourth-place 4×800-meter relay at the state level.

Sullivan earned a bachelor[apos]s degree in Social Work in 1989 from the University of Minnesota. As a Golden Gopher, she ran cross-country and track and field and captained her cross-country team her sophomore through senior years. She later completed a Master of Science degree in Sports Administration at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 1993. While at SIU, she began her college coaching career serving as assistant coach from 1989-91. During her time at SIU, she met and married her husband, Jim Sullivan. Jim is a full-time instructor with the Department of Kinesiology at Penn State and continues to be an important resource in developing training methodology. Dr. Sullivan volunteers his time as the Penn State pole vault coach. The couple lives in Boalsburg, Pa.

Sullivan[apos]s Coaching Awards and Honors

* 2010 Big Ten Women[apos]s Coach of the Year || Outdoor Track and Field
* 2010 USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Women[apos]s Coach of the Year || Outdoor Track and Field
* 2010 Big Ten Women[apos]s Coach of the Year || Indoor Track and Field
* 2010 USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Women[apos]s Coach of the Year || Indoor Track and Field
* 2009 Big Ten Women[apos]s Coach of the Year || Cross Country
* 2009 Big Ten Women[apos]s Coach of the Year || Outdoor Track and Field
* 2009 USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Women[apos]s Coach of the Year || Outdoor Track and Field
* 2009 USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Men[apos]s Coach of the Year || Indoor Track and Field
* 2008 Big Ten Women[apos]s Coach of the Year || Outdoor Track and Field
* 2008 Penn State Achieving Woman Award || Pennsylvania State University
* 2008 USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Women[apos]s Coach for the Year || Indoor Track and Field
* 2007 USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Women[apos]s Coach of the Year || Outdoor Track and Field
* 2004 USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Women[apos]s Coach for the Year || Outdoor Track and Field
* 2004 USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Women[apos]s Coach for the Year || Indoor Track and Field
* 2004 Big Ten Women[apos]s Coach of the Year || Indoor Track and Field
* 1998 Pac-10 Women[apos]s Coach of the Year || Cross Country (Stanford)
* 1997 Pac-10 Women[apos]s Coach of the Year || Cross Country (Stanford)
* 1997 USTFCCCA West RegionWomen[apos]s Coach of the Year || Cross Country (Stanford)
* 1996 NCAA Women[apos]s Coach of the Year || Cross Country (Stanford)
* 1996 Pac-10 Women[apos]s Coach of the Year || Cross Country (Stanford)
* 1996 USTFCCCA West RegionWomen[apos]s Coach of the Year || Cross Country (Stanford)
* 1995 North Central Conference Coach of the Year || Indoor Track and Field (Mankato State)
* 1995 Regional Coach of the Year || Indoor Track and Field (Mankato State)
* 1992 Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year || Cross Country (SE Missouri State)
* 1992 Missouri T&F/CC Coaches[apos] Association Coach of the Year || SE Missouri State

State

AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington D.C.West VirginiaWisconsinWyomingPuerto RicoUS Virgin IslandsArmed Forces AmericasArmed Forces PacificArmed Forces EuropeNorthern Mariana IslandsMarshall IslandsAmerican SamoaFederated States of MicronesiaGuamPalauAlberta, CanadaBritish Columbia, CanadaManitoba, CanadaNew Brunswick, CanadaNewfoundland, CanadaNova Scotia, CanadaNorthwest Territories, CanadaNunavut, CanadaOntario, CanadaPrince Edward Island, CanadaQuebec, CanadaSaskatchewan, CanadaYukon Territory, Canada

Zip Code

Country

United States of AmericaUS Virgin IslandsUnited States Minor Outlying IslandsCanadaMexico, United Mexican StatesBahamas, Commonwealth of theCuba, Republic ofDominican RepublicHaiti, Republic ofJamaicaAfghanistanAlbania, People’s Socialist Republic ofAlgeria, People’s Democratic Republic ofAmerican SamoaAndorra, Principality ofAngola, Republic ofAnguillaAntarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S)Antigua and BarbudaArgentina, Argentine RepublicArmeniaArubaAustralia, Commonwealth ofAustria, Republic ofAzerbaijan, Republic ofBahrain, Kingdom ofBangladesh, People’s Republic ofBarbadosBelarusBelgium, Kingdom ofBelizeBenin, People’s Republic ofBermudaBhutan, Kingdom ofBolivia, Republic ofBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswana, Republic ofBouvet Island (Bouvetoya)Brazil, Federative Republic ofBritish Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago)British Virgin IslandsBrunei DarussalamBulgaria, People’s Republic ofBurkina FasoBurundi, Republic ofCambodia, Kingdom ofCameroon, United Republic ofCape Verde, Republic ofCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChad, Republic ofChile, Republic ofChina, People’s Republic ofChristmas IslandCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombia, Republic ofComoros, Union of theCongo, Democratic Republic ofCongo, People’s Republic ofCook IslandsCosta Rica, Republic ofCote D’Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of theCyprus, Republic ofCzech RepublicDenmark, Kingdom ofDjibouti, Republic ofDominica, Commonwealth ofEcuador, Republic ofEgypt, Arab Republic ofEl Salvador, Republic ofEquatorial Guinea, Republic ofEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFaeroe IslandsFalkland Islands (Malvinas)Fiji, Republic of the Fiji IslandsFinland, Republic ofFrance, French RepublicFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabon, Gabonese RepublicGambia, Republic of theGeorgiaGermanyGhana, Republic ofGibraltarGreece, Hellenic RepublicGreenlandGrenadaGuadaloupeGuamGuatemala, Republic ofGuinea, Revolutionary People’s Rep’c ofGuinea-Bissau, Republic ofGuyana, Republic ofHeard and McDonald IslandsHoly See (Vatican City State)Honduras, Republic ofHong Kong, Special Administrative Region of ChinaHrvatska (Croatia)Hungary, Hungarian People’s RepublicIceland, Republic ofIndia, Republic ofIndonesia, Republic ofIran, Islamic Republic ofIraq, Republic ofIrelandIsrael, State ofItaly, Italian RepublicJapanJordan, Hashemite Kingdom ofKazakhstan, Republic ofKenya, Republic ofKiribati, Republic ofKorea, Democratic People’s Republic ofKorea, Republic ofKuwait, State ofKyrgyz RepublicLao People’s Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanon, Lebanese RepublicLesotho, Kingdom ofLiberia, Republic ofLibyan Arab JamahiriyaLiechtenstein, Principality ofLithuaniaLuxembourg, Grand Duchy ofMacao, Special Administrative Region of ChinaMacedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic ofMadagascar, Republic ofMalawi, Republic ofMalaysiaMaldives, Republic ofMali, Republic ofMalta, Republic ofMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritania, Islamic Republic ofMauritiusMayotteMicronesia, Federated States ofMoldova, Republic ofMonaco, Principality ofMongolia, Mongolian People’s RepublicMontserratMorocco, Kingdom ofMozambique, People’s Republic ofMyanmarNamibiaNauru, Republic ofNepal, Kingdom ofNetherlands AntillesNetherlands, Kingdom of theNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaragua, Republic ofNiger, Republic of theNigeria, Federal Republic ofNiue, Republic ofNorfolk IslandNorthern Mariana IslandsNorway, Kingdom ofOman, Sultanate ofPakistan, Islamic Republic ofPalauPalestinian Territory, OccupiedPanama, Republic ofPapua New GuineaParaguay, Republic ofPeru, Republic ofPhilippines, Republic of thePitcairn IslandPoland, Polish People’s RepublicPortugal, Portuguese RepublicPuerto RicoQatar, State ofReunionRomania, Socialist Republic ofRussian FederationRwanda, Rwandese RepublicSamoa, Independent State ofSan Marino, Republic ofSao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic ofSaudi Arabia, Kingdom ofSenegal, Republic ofSerbia and MontenegroSeychelles, Republic ofSierra Leone, Republic ofSingapore, Republic ofSlovakia (Slovak Republic)SloveniaSolomon IslandsSomalia, Somali RepublicSouth Africa, Republic ofSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSpain, Spanish StateSri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic ofSt. HelenaSt. Kitts and NevisSt. LuciaSt. Pierre and MiquelonSt. Vincent and the GrenadinesSudan, Democratic Republic of theSuriname, Republic ofSvalbard & Jan Mayen IslandsSwaziland, Kingdom ofSweden, Kingdom ofSwitzerland, Swiss ConfederationSyrian Arab RepublicTaiwan, Province of ChinaTajikistanTanzania, United Republic ofThailand, Kingdom ofTimor-Leste, Democratic Republic ofTogo, Togolese RepublicTokelau (Tokelau Islands)Tonga, Kingdom ofTrinidad and Tobago, Republic ofTunisia, Republic ofTurkey, Republic ofTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluUganda, Republic ofUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited Kingdom of Great Britain & N. IrelandUruguay, Eastern Republic ofUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuela, Bolivarian Republic ofViet Nam, Socialist Republic ofWallis and Futuna IslandsWestern SaharaYemenZambia, Republic ofZimbabwe

SINGAPORE – The water quality issue that affected the World Aquatics Championships open water swimming events at Sentosa earlier in July has also struck the World Aquatics Masters Championships, with the morning and afternoon open water training sessions cancelled on July 25.

World Aquatics sent a message to participants and explained that the decision was made because of “water quality levels exceeding acceptable thresholds”.

The world governing body added that a technical meeting is planned for 4.45pm and that it will “continue monitoring water quality” and provide more information, before the competition starts on July 26 with the women’s 3km race in the waters off Palawan Beach. The men’s 3km event is scheduled for a day later.

The July 26-Aug 22 World Aquatics Masters Championships is expected to feature about 6,000 athletes from around 100 countries and territories aged 25 and above, competing in swimming, diving, water polo, artistic swimming and open water swimming.

The Straits Times has contacted the local organising committee for comment.

At the World Aquatics Championships, the men and women’s 10km open water swimming events were postponed due to “unacceptable water quality results”.

The women’s 10km initially scheduled for July 15 was moved to July 16, 10.15am, about three hours after the men’s 10km, because water samples drawn at the race site two days earlier showed “exceeding levels” of the Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria.

However, results from a July 15 sample showed that the levels were still above acceptable thresholds, causing the men and women’s flag-offs to be further delayed to 1pm and 4pm respectively on July 16. The competition proceeded as scheduled from then on.

E. coli is a bacteria commonly found in the intestines of people and animals. While most strains are harmless, some can cause serious illness such as diarrhoea, urinary tract infections, pneumonia and sepsis.

According to World Aquatics regulations, E. coli levels in ocean and transitional (tidal) waters must not exceed 250 colony-forming units per 100 millilitres.

ST understands that World Aquatics adopts stricter water quality standards compared to guidelines set for recreational swimming, given the prolonged exposure faced by athletes during competition.

Earlier, World Aquatics executive director Brent Nowicki had noted that water quality disruptions were not unprecedented, with the Paris 2024 Olympics men’s triathlon postponed hours before the scheduled start due to pollution levels in the River Seine.

ST also reported that while the National Environment Agency does not usually assess marine water quality based on E. coli levels, it has started monitoring the bacteria levels at Sentosa’s beaches following the recent incidents.

World Aquatics ChampionshipsSwimmingSentosaBacteriaWorld championships

Saturday marked another moment of recognition and pride across Black College athletics with the 2025 HBCU Sports Awards presentation.

Hosted by HBCU Sports Founding Publisher and Editor Kenn Rashad alongside Jarrett Hoffman and Chris Stevens, the annual virtual event spotlighted the very best in HBCU sports. It honored athletes in 23 categories, coaches in 12, and administrators in 10 from institutions across the Division I, Division II, and NAIA landscape.

In addition to celebrating competitive excellence, the show also recognized extraordinary service by presenting this year’s Lifetime Achievement Awards to two iconic contributors, Patricia Cage-Bibbs and Rob Brodway.

Below is the complete list of winners from the 2025 HBCU Sports Awards:

2025 HBCU Sports Awards Winners

Women’s Track & Field Athlete of the Year
Spirit Morgan, North Carolina A&T

Men’s Track & Field Athlete of the Year
Joseph Briscoe, Virginia State

Women’s Track & Field Runner of the Year
Shaneal Clarke-Giddings, Lincoln (Mo.)

Men’s Track & Field Runner of the Year
Brian Kemei, Morehouse

Women’s Track & Field Sprinter of the Year
Kevell Byrd, Dillard

Men’s Track & Field Sprinter of the Year
Jamarion Stubbs, Alabama State

Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year
Kiersten Eggleton, West Virginia State

Women’s Tennis Player of the Year
Sofya Chursina, South Carolina State

Men’s Tennis Player of the Year
David Jeanne-Grandinot, Alabama State

Softball Player of the Year
Taylor Ames-Alexander, South Carolina St.

Baseball Player of the Year
Cardell Thibodeaux, Southern

Women’s Golfer of the Year
Paris Fieldings, Howard

Men’s Golfer of the Year
Jose Berenguel, Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Bowler of the Year
Maya Avilez, North Carolina A&T

Women’s Soccer Player of the Year
Olivia Ankrom, Shaw

Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year
Shamia Jones, Alabama State

Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year
Brian Kemei, Morehouse

Women’s Basketball Player of the Year
Diamond Johnson, Norfolk State

Men’s Basketball Player of the Year
Blake Harper, Howard

Defensive Football Player of the Year
Elijah Williams, Morgan State

Offensive Football Player of the Year
Jada Byers, Virginia Union

Lifetime Achievement Award: Female
Patricia Cage-Bibbs

Lifetime Achievement Award: Male
Rod Broadway

Baseball Coach of the Year
Jonathan Hernandez, Bethune-Cookman

Bowling Coach of the Year
Tiffany Clark, Prairie View A&M

Cross Country Coach of the Year
Clyde Duncan Sr., Texas Southern

Football Coach of the Year
Chennis Berry, South Carolina State

Golf Coach of the Year
Sam Puryear, Howard

Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year
Larry Vickers, Norfolk State

Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year
Tony Madlock, Alabama State

Soccer Coach of the Year
Brent Leiba, Howard

Softball Coach of the Year
Vernon Bland, Prairie View A&M

Tennis Coach of the Year
Anuk Christiansz, Alabama State

Track & Field Coach of the Year
Allen Johnson, North Carolina A&T

Women’s Volleyball Coach of the Year
David Brooks, Delaware State

Best Social Media Presence
Grambling State

Broadcaster of the Year
Charles Edmond, Alcorn State

Band of the Year
Jackson State

Sports Information Director of the Year
Derek Bryant, Howard

Conference Media Relations Director of the Year
Andrew Roberts, SWAC

Conference Commissioner of the Year
Jacqie McWilliams, CIAA

Athletic Conference of the Year
Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC)

Female Student-Athlete of the Year
Kesmat El Tawil, Alabama State

Male Student-Athlete of the Year
Christopher Flippin, Maryland-Eastern Shore

Athletic Director of the Year
Ashley Robinson, Jackson State

Athletic Program of the Year
Alabama State

State

AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington D.C.West VirginiaWisconsinWyomingPuerto RicoUS Virgin IslandsArmed Forces AmericasArmed Forces PacificArmed Forces EuropeNorthern Mariana IslandsMarshall IslandsAmerican SamoaFederated States of MicronesiaGuamPalauAlberta, CanadaBritish Columbia, CanadaManitoba, CanadaNew Brunswick, CanadaNewfoundland, CanadaNova Scotia, CanadaNorthwest Territories, CanadaNunavut, CanadaOntario, CanadaPrince Edward Island, CanadaQuebec, CanadaSaskatchewan, CanadaYukon Territory, Canada

Zip Code

Country

United States of AmericaUS Virgin IslandsUnited States Minor Outlying IslandsCanadaMexico, United Mexican StatesBahamas, Commonwealth of theCuba, Republic ofDominican RepublicHaiti, Republic ofJamaicaAfghanistanAlbania, People’s Socialist Republic ofAlgeria, People’s Democratic Republic ofAmerican SamoaAndorra, Principality ofAngola, Republic ofAnguillaAntarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S)Antigua and BarbudaArgentina, Argentine RepublicArmeniaArubaAustralia, Commonwealth ofAustria, Republic ofAzerbaijan, Republic ofBahrain, Kingdom ofBangladesh, People’s Republic ofBarbadosBelarusBelgium, Kingdom ofBelizeBenin, People’s Republic ofBermudaBhutan, Kingdom ofBolivia, Republic ofBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswana, Republic ofBouvet Island (Bouvetoya)Brazil, Federative Republic ofBritish Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago)British Virgin IslandsBrunei DarussalamBulgaria, People’s Republic ofBurkina FasoBurundi, Republic ofCambodia, Kingdom ofCameroon, United Republic ofCape Verde, Republic ofCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChad, Republic ofChile, Republic ofChina, People’s Republic ofChristmas IslandCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombia, Republic ofComoros, Union of theCongo, Democratic Republic ofCongo, People’s Republic ofCook IslandsCosta Rica, Republic ofCote D’Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of theCyprus, Republic ofCzech RepublicDenmark, Kingdom ofDjibouti, Republic ofDominica, Commonwealth ofEcuador, Republic ofEgypt, Arab Republic ofEl Salvador, Republic ofEquatorial Guinea, Republic ofEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFaeroe IslandsFalkland Islands (Malvinas)Fiji, Republic of the Fiji IslandsFinland, Republic ofFrance, French RepublicFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabon, Gabonese RepublicGambia, Republic of theGeorgiaGermanyGhana, Republic ofGibraltarGreece, Hellenic RepublicGreenlandGrenadaGuadaloupeGuamGuatemala, Republic ofGuinea, Revolutionary People’s Rep’c ofGuinea-Bissau, Republic ofGuyana, Republic ofHeard and McDonald IslandsHoly See (Vatican City State)Honduras, Republic ofHong Kong, Special Administrative Region of ChinaHrvatska (Croatia)Hungary, Hungarian People’s RepublicIceland, Republic ofIndia, Republic ofIndonesia, Republic ofIran, Islamic Republic ofIraq, Republic ofIrelandIsrael, State ofItaly, Italian RepublicJapanJordan, Hashemite Kingdom ofKazakhstan, Republic ofKenya, Republic ofKiribati, Republic ofKorea, Democratic People’s Republic ofKorea, Republic ofKuwait, State ofKyrgyz RepublicLao People’s Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanon, Lebanese RepublicLesotho, Kingdom ofLiberia, Republic ofLibyan Arab JamahiriyaLiechtenstein, Principality ofLithuaniaLuxembourg, Grand Duchy ofMacao, Special Administrative Region of ChinaMacedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic ofMadagascar, Republic ofMalawi, Republic ofMalaysiaMaldives, Republic ofMali, Republic ofMalta, Republic ofMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritania, Islamic Republic ofMauritiusMayotteMicronesia, Federated States ofMoldova, Republic ofMonaco, Principality ofMongolia, Mongolian People’s RepublicMontserratMorocco, Kingdom ofMozambique, People’s Republic ofMyanmarNamibiaNauru, Republic ofNepal, Kingdom ofNetherlands AntillesNetherlands, Kingdom of theNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaragua, Republic ofNiger, Republic of theNigeria, Federal Republic ofNiue, Republic ofNorfolk IslandNorthern Mariana IslandsNorway, Kingdom ofOman, Sultanate ofPakistan, Islamic Republic ofPalauPalestinian Territory, OccupiedPanama, Republic ofPapua New GuineaParaguay, Republic ofPeru, Republic ofPhilippines, Republic of thePitcairn IslandPoland, Polish People’s RepublicPortugal, Portuguese RepublicPuerto RicoQatar, State ofReunionRomania, Socialist Republic ofRussian FederationRwanda, Rwandese RepublicSamoa, Independent State ofSan Marino, Republic ofSao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic ofSaudi Arabia, Kingdom ofSenegal, Republic ofSerbia and MontenegroSeychelles, Republic ofSierra Leone, Republic ofSingapore, Republic ofSlovakia (Slovak Republic)SloveniaSolomon IslandsSomalia, Somali RepublicSouth Africa, Republic ofSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSpain, Spanish StateSri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic ofSt. HelenaSt. Kitts and NevisSt. LuciaSt. Pierre and MiquelonSt. Vincent and the GrenadinesSudan, Democratic Republic of theSuriname, Republic ofSvalbard & Jan Mayen IslandsSwaziland, Kingdom ofSweden, Kingdom ofSwitzerland, Swiss ConfederationSyrian Arab RepublicTaiwan, Province of ChinaTajikistanTanzania, United Republic ofThailand, Kingdom ofTimor-Leste, Democratic Republic ofTogo, Togolese RepublicTokelau (Tokelau Islands)Tonga, Kingdom ofTrinidad and Tobago, Republic ofTunisia, Republic ofTurkey, Republic ofTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluUganda, Republic ofUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited Kingdom of Great Britain & N. IrelandUruguay, Eastern Republic ofUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuela, Bolivarian Republic ofViet Nam, Socialist Republic ofWallis and Futuna IslandsWestern SaharaYemenZambia, Republic ofZimbabwe

For centuries, sailors have returned from voyages with tales of eerie, steady-glowing oceans. These episodes would sometimes last for months, atop water capable of glowing in a bucket, deep beneath a ship’s keel. While the earliest accounts were written off as tall tales, the stories are true.

Named “milky seas” by the explorers who first documented it, the phenomenon is a rare event of marine bioluminescence. A new database created in collaboration between Colorado State University’s department of atmospheric science and the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere has brought together historical eyewitness accounts for the first time.

“Milky seas describe very large regions of ocean that produce a sustained and widespread glow, often appearing to extend to the horizon on dark, moon-free nights,” CIRA Director and atmospheric science Professor Steven Miller wrote in an email-based interview. 

The journal Advancing Earth and Space Sciences recently published an article recounting the database’s development, which drew from 415 individual observations of milky seas over the past 400 years.

“The oldest one that I was able to find goes back to 1615, and it was one of the first-ever voyages of the British East India Company,” said Justin Hudson, a postdoctoral researcher in the department of atmospheric science and the paper’s first author. “So there’s a good chance it’s actually the earliest account ever in English.”

While sorting through the historical accounts, Hudson had to differentiate the individual sightings to make sure each milky sea event was unique, rather than two separate people noting the same event. In the end, the database’s construction was guided by a defined methodology that outlined specific characteristics of a milky sea event. 

Every event had to feature “a steady, nonflashing gray/white/green-blue/turquoise glow coming from the nighttime ocean surface,” the paper reads. The event also has to be widespread across the ocean’s horizon and occur within nondisturbed water. A shape line of demarcation must also occur between the glowing and nonglowing water, fade in and out of brightness and have a calm ocean surface. Lastly, the sea must return to normal, dark water once the sun or moon rises.

After categorizing the observations by the database’s criteria, Miller and Hudson were able to estimate both the rate of milky sea occurrences and the general geographic region they occur within.

“Milky seas may occur one to two times per year globally, but they are by no means a regular occurrence and there may be many years between events,” Miller wrote. “Based on historical sightings and, more recently, satellite observations, we know that they tend to form more often in the northwest Indian Ocean and Indonesia.” 

While the exact cause of the bioluminescent event is unknown, bacteria is theorized to play a major role in its development. 

“Based off of the fact that it’s a consistent, nonflashing light … and it covers such a large area and sort of other various qualities, we think it’s caused by bacteria,” Hudson said. “For the largest event we know of, basically, if it was only a centimeter thick, it would have one mole of bacteria involved. And if you work out how much it could weigh, you get over a million kilograms of bacteria.” 

The geographical regions where the events occur most frequently experience weather patterns that result in an environment bacteria thrives in. In the Indian Ocean, the Indian Ocean Dipole causes a fluctuation in sea surface temperatures across the western and eastern sides of the sea, which are categorized by positive, negative and neutral phases. 

“It is a sea surface temperature pattern that happens in the Indian Ocean where one side will have cooler sea surface temperatures than normal, and one side will have warmer than normal, and whichever side has warmer temperatures, that’s really good at making (sure) there’s more evaporation, (as) hotter air wants to rise,” Hudson said.

Bacteria thrives in warmer ocean temperatures, which Hudson theorized causes milky seas to occur more frequently in the region the Dipole is most present.

“We think that this phase, the positive phase, in the Indian Ocean Dipole (is) associated with that cool, nutrient-rich water from down below coming up in that region, and it causes milky seas to happen at a much higher rate than you would expect if it didn’t have an impact,” Hudson said. 

Miller’s interest in the fabled phenomenon began in 2005 when he published an article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences discussing the first detection of a milky sea event through satellite imaging technology. 

“It was pretty amazing to think that we could do this from space, and especially for a form of bioluminescence that had been more a part of the maritime folklore than of scientific knowledge,” Miller wrote. “Since then, I’ve been hooked on the topic and was excited to work with a new generation of satellite technology that might be even more capable of detecting and measuring milky seas.” 

Combined with the newfound knowledge from the database, this satellite technology has allowed the team to chart milky sea occurrences from 2017 that were previously undocumented. 

“As part of my work, I do what’s called a Hindcasting model — (a) forecast model, just going backwards,” Hudson said. “I actually was able to predict a previously unknown milky sea event.”

The ultimate goal of the researchers is to predict an event before it occurs with enough time to chart a scientific expedition in the predicted region, with the hopes of observing a milky sea in person, firsthand.

“(We want to) kind of work (with) other scientists internationally, to form a team who would be able to go out there, … get on a boat and sort of combine all their expertise to be able to, like, sample the water, study it and figure out what’s going on (and) how does this fit into everything else?” Hudson said.

Understanding this phenomenon more closely will provide not only more information about the suspected bacteria itself, but also hold broader implications for understanding the ocean’s ecosystem in its entirety. 

“(We’re) learning more about how such a dramatic population explosion of nature’s tiniest, simplest and oldest organisms could conspire to form a signal (one) large and strong enough to be (seen) from outer space, and what that is telling us about how major components of the Earth’s system ‘talk to each other’ and interact may hold very important insights to the future of our planet,” Miller wrote. 

Reach Katie Fisher at science@collegian.com or on social media @CSUCollegian.