Starting in the Fall of 2015, the Men’s and Women’s Cross Country program will have a new head coach in Hannah Kendall. Kendall aims to continue to build on what has already been done over the first three years of the cross country program that has seen three national qualifiers. She emphasizes the importance of attracting competitive runners that will continue to raise the standard of excellence within the sport.

Kendall competed on the Varsity Cross Country and Track and Field teams at North Bend High School, Oregon and then at NAIA Division II George Fox University (Newberg, OR). Her 1991 Women’s Cross Country Team was inducted into the GFU Sports Hall of Fame in 2001 for their 5^th place finish at the NAIA National Championships as well as their fourth consecutive top 10 national finish. Following a successful collegiate running career, she also served as an assistant track coach at Haviland High School (Haviland, KS).

Her coaching philosophy consists of emphasizing athletes to work toward personal goals within the team setting.  She explains that in endurance running, a team can improve and enjoy each other by pushing each other and encouraging each other to reach both personal and team goals. In such a mentally grueling sport, it requires athletes to push beyond limits of pain nearly every day in training and the odds of success are greatly increased if the individuals approach the sport with a team mindset.

“We are excited to have Hannah on board directing the men’s and women’s cross country program in 2015 and beyond. Her familiarity with Haviland, Barclay College, and the cross country program in conjunction with her expertise in the sport make her a great fit. We are truly blessed to have yet another coach with the level of running expertise and love for our students in which Hannah possesses,” said Athletic Director Royce Bryan.

She is married to Sports Ministry Chair and Head Women’s Basketball Coach, Ryan Kendall, and they have three teenage daughters. She has been a stay-at-home mom, homeschooled for many years, opened and ran Origins Coffeehouse as a ministry to BC students and the Haviland community for three years, teaches art classes, provides leadership for both the children’s ministry and the Outreach Team at Haviland Friends Church, substitute teaches, helped launch, and now directs, BC’s Juniors Global, and serves on MAYM’s Missions Mobilizer Board.