Wingate University Athletics

Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University vice-president and director of athletics Steve Poston announces the appointment of Joe Soehnlen as head men’s and women’s track and field coach. The Bulldogs will compete in both sports beginning in the spring of 2011. Soehnlen will begin his duties Jan. 1, 2010.

Soehnlen served two stints as the assistant cross country coach at Wingate. He is a USA Track & Field Level 1 certified coach. The Ashland (Ohio) University graduate is ready to build a track and field program from scratch.

“I have a passion for track and field,” Soehnlen says. “Wingate University is a perfect match for a track and field program. Wingate is a very strong academic school…and a track and field program attracts very good student-athletes.”

“When we were considering (candidates) for a track and field coach, we were very pleased to have a well-qualified person on our staff,” Poston says. “Joe Soehnlen has an extensive track and field background, both as a student-athlete and a coach.”

During his two stints as assistant cross country coach at Wingate, he helped the Bulldogs reach new heights. Soehnlen wrote and implemented running, core and weight training workouts for the teams. He also served as recruiting coordinator and travel planner.

The women’s team won the 2007 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference title, the first-ever in school history. The women placed second in the 2007 regional meet, earning a spot in the NCAA national championships for the second time in school history. Soehnlen also helped men’s runner Jayce Watson earn his second of three trips to the national event as an individual during the 2007 campaign.

Soehnlen has experience with USA Track and Field. He served as a Visa Championship Series intern during the summer of 2007. Soehnlen worked with sponsors to increase their visibility and recognition. He was also a liaison between meet management and television production crews at several big events, including the Prefontaine Classic and the USA Championships.

Prior to joining the Bulldog family, Soehnlen was a graduate assistant cross country and track and field coach for two years at Tiffin (Ohio) University. At Tiffin, he helped lead both the men’s and women’s track and field teams to top 25 finishes. In cross country, the Tiffin men won two conference titles during Soehnlen’s tenure. He also helped the women’s cross country team to a second-place league finish, its highest ever.

While at Tiffin, Soehnlen developed weight lifting programs, as well as workout plans. He assisted in the goal setting sessions of the teams. Soehnlen also arranged travel accommodations and coordinated and assisted in fundraising activities.

Soehnlen graduated from Ashland in 2005, obtaining a degree in sports communications. He worked in the athletic media relations office. The Canton, Ohio native was the sports editor of the Ashland school newspaper. Soehnlen earned a Masters of Education in Sport Administration from Wingate in August, 2008.

A member of the AU track and field team, Soehnlen also participated in cross country for the Eagles. He competed in the 2000 NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championships. He was also a five-time provisional qualifier for the national championships in track and field.

Soehnlen is looking forward to the challenges ahead. “Our track and field team will be hard-working and dedicated,” Soehnlen says. “We will recruit kids who want to succeed in track and field and in the classroom. Our student-athletes will be leaders at Wingate University.”

“Joe Soehnlen has demonstrated a strong commitment to the student-athlete during his time at Wingate University,” Poston acknowledges. “We believe he is the right person to begin this exciting new track and field venture at Wingate.”

Men’s and women’s track and field will give Wingate 19 NCAA teams (10 men’s teams, nine women’s teams) in 2010-11. Wingate will join Carson-Newman, Lenoir-Rhyne, Mars Hill and South Atlantic Conference newcomer Anderson (S.C.) as league schools with track and field programs. Anderson joins the conference for the 2010-11 academic year.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a private four-year co-educational institution of 2,159 students offering active learning opportunities through personalized instruction, world travel, career discovery and community service.

Wingate offers more than 40 undergraduate majors in arts and sciences, business, communication, education, fine arts, music and sport sciences. It also offers graduate degrees in business, education, physician assistant studies and sport administration. In addition, the school awards the doctor of pharmacy and the doctor of education degrees.

Bulldog student-athletes compete in 17 NCAA Division II sports. Wingate University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past three years.

Wingate University is ranked number three among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000’s with 34 honorees during this millennium. Only Pittsburg State (Kan.) University and Truman State (Mo.) University have produced more Academic All-America® honorees during this time period. Wingate’s 43 Academic All-America® honorees (lifetime) is tops among all SAC schools.