HILLSBORO, Kan. – Aaron Yoder, the current longest-tenured coach at Bethany College and one of the premium Cross Country and Track & Field coaches in the KCAC, will move on from Lindsborg and will lead Tabor College as the new Director of Cross Country and Track & Field as well as the Assistant Athletic Director.

Yoder was the head coach of the Bethany Cross Country team since 2013 and the head coach of the Track & Field team since 2015. According to Bethany College, Yoder coached two national qualifiers, four All-KCAC top-20 medalists, and coached the school record-holder in the 6K. He saw lots of his coaching success in Track & Field however, coaching 31 national qualifiers, 26 school records, 15 KCAC champions, three KCAC Athletes of the Year, and five All-Americans. He also oversaw the school receive 18 KCAC Team of Character awards in both programs.

According to Tabor College, Yoder’s hire can be seen as a homecoming story. Even though Yoder is a native of Peabody, Kan., he attended Hillsboro Schools and was a Class of 2004 graduate of Hillsboro High School. While with the Trojans, Yoder won the KSHSAA 3A State Title in the 1600M Run and competed in two State Championships. Yoder went on to compete in Cross Country and Track & Field at Fort Hays State University, earning an MIAA All-Conference nod in Cross Country, another All-Conference honor in Indoor Track & Field, and four All-Conference selections in Outdoor Track & Field.

Yoder will arrive to the Tabor College campus in June. Bethany’s Daylon Smith will be promoted as the Interim Head Coach of the Swedes’ programs. It will be Smith’s first head coaching gig, but was an assistant coach at Bethany for one year. Prior to arriving at Bethany, Smith was a graduate assistant coach at Southwestern College and ran track at Sterling College.

INDIANA, Pa. – The Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) department of athletics is excited to appoint Ethan Bare as the director of strength and conditioning for the Crimson Hawks. Bare’s first day will be June 17.

 

Bare is joining IUP to work with the 19 varsity NCAA DII programs at IUP.

 

A 2020 graduate of Geneva College, Bare earned his Master of Science in exercise and sports science from Merrimack College in 2022. He’s currently studying for his master’s degree in nutrition from the University of New Hampshire (UNH). Ethan spent the past two academic years as the associate director of strength and conditioning at the UNH. Before obtaining that title, he was the assistant strength and conditioning coach at UNH, starting in January 2023.

 

Bare played football at Geneva, where he was a fullback for the Golden Tornadoes. Along with his role at UNH, Bare also worked at Tufts University as an offensive line coach and in the strength and conditioning department. His experience includes two Division I programs- Boston College, where he interned with the football team, and Robert Morris, where he served as a strength and conditioning apprentice. 

 

“I would like to take the time to thank Todd Garzarelli and the rest of the hiring committee for their time and trust me to run their strength and conditioning program at IUP,” said Bare. “I am excited to be part of such a successful athletics department and to help develop the next great generation of student athletes at IUP. I cannot wait to hit the ground running with all the athletes and coaches this summer.” 

 

The athletic department, headed by director of athletics Todd Garzarelli, look forward to Bare being part of the team. “We are excited to welcome Ethan to the Crimson Hawk Family.  Ethan shined during the interview process with his vision and student-centered approach. He brings a great deal of experience from a strength and conditioning standpoint, that will allow us to continue to compete for and win championships. I am looking forward to seeing him work alongside our coaches and student-athletes to build upon the foundation that has already been laid.”

 

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UVU will join the Big West on July 1, 2026.

Utah Valley University is leaving the Western Athletic Conference.

On Wednesday, the Wolverines announced that they will be joining the Big West Conference as a full member on July 1, 2026.

They’ll be joining programs Cal Poly, Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, CSUN, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, and California Baptist in the conference.

“We are honored to join The Big West and begin an exciting new chapter in UVU Athletics,” said UVU President Astrid S. Tuminez in a news release. “This move reflects the progress we’ve made across our programs and the growing reputation of our university. One of the most enjoyable parts of my presidency has been watching our student-athletes compete, learn, and grow, often punching above their weight. I am confident that we will continue to thrive in The Big West. The future looks bright.”

With the transition, UVU will compete in 13 Big West-sponsored sports, including: baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s track and field, and women’s volleyball.

UVU wrestling will continue to compete in the Big 12.

“This is a transformative opportunity for our department,” UVU AD Jared Sumsion said. “The Big West is an elite conference that reflects the academic, athletic, and geographic profile we’ve worked hard to build. We are thrilled to align with its membership and to bring the Big West to the Utah mountains.”

UVU has been with the WAC since 2013, winning 33 total regular-season and tournament championships in the conference.

Upon its entry to the Big West, Utah Valley will become the largest university in the conference with more than 46,800 enrolled students.

“We are thrilled to welcome Utah Valley University to the Big West,” Big West commissioner Dan Butterly said. “… Their addition expands our geographic footprint into a vibrant and strategically significant region, while elevating the level of competition across the board. We look forward to the energy and excitement the Wolverines will bring to the Big West.”

Patterson, Lewis named collegiate Athletes of the Year

Ventura High’s Sadie Engelhardt and Newbury Park’s Shane Rosenthal took home two of the night’s biggest honors June 1 as the Ventura County Sports Hall of Fame celebrated the year in local sports with its annual awards ceremony at the Serra Center in Camarillo.