Bethany Lutheran to Add Track & Field Program, New Coach
By Julie Thomas
Mankato, Minn. – Bethany Lutheran College announces the hiring of David Ring as the new head men’s and women’s cross country coach. In addition to his cross country duties, Ring will also pioneer the men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field programs. Bethany will be adding track and field to its athletic program and compete at the varsity level in the 2012-13 season.
Ring has a wealth of experience in cross country and track and field programs. Most recently, he served for the past ten years as the head cross country coach at Manitowoc Lutheran High School in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. There he had individuals compete in the state cross country meet in 2002, 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2011. Three of Ring’s cross country teams have run in the Wisconsin State Meet including both men’s and women’s in 2003 and men in 2011. His men’s team placed fourth in Division III category this year.
“The cross country program at Bethany Lutheran College is going to be a very interesting challenge,” Ring said. “The team last year was well coached but the men’s team graduates the top two runners while the women’s team looks to have a pretty good future. I look forward to have the teams grow in number and hopefully improve the results as well.”
Ring also served as the head men’s track and field coach and assistant women’s track and field coach for six years at Manitowoc Lutheran. He has coached individual runners at the Wisconsin State Track Meet in 2008 and 2010 with one of his athletes placing fifth at the state meet in the 3200-meter run in 2010.
“Starting a track program with limited facilities will be rather familiar to me. I come from a high school with no track facilities. There are challenges but they can be overcome. The goal for the track team will be to build the numbers enough to compete at the conference level. Goals are important as well as the journey to achieve those goals. To compete for conference championships will always be a goal, and getting there will be exciting too.”
At Manitowoc Lutheran, Ring is known for a coaching style that is very encouraging and places the athletes in a position to succeed.
“Dave’s background and experiences make him a great fit for Bethany, and a great fit the cross country team,” Bethany Athletic Director Karl Fager said. “He understands and looks forward to the challenges of elevating and building both cross country and track to a high level here. I am excited to have someone of David’s caliber and experiences joining the college and the athletic department.”
Ring will begin his tenure at Bethany on July 1, 2012. He holds a bachelor of science from Martin Luther College and a master of science from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Ring is not only a teacher of the sport, but also a competitor having completed fourteen marathons himself including the Boston Marathon in 2007.