Indiana Tech wins WHAC Commissioner’s Cup
In late July, Indiana Tech was recognized as an NAIA Champions of Character® Five-Star Institution Award winner and earned Gold Level status with a perfect score.
Tech recorded 100 points on the NAIA CoC® scorecard, which measures institutions on their demonstrated commitment to the Champions of Character program. Points are awarded in character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition and character promotion. Indiana Tech was one of 16 universities to earn a perfect score for the 2020-21 program. The Warriors were one of 58 schools to earn Gold Level status and have now reached the gold level mark for five consecutive years.
Tech is also just one of eight schools to be named an NAIA Champions of Character Five-Star Institution for all 19 years of the program.
Learn more about the NAIA’s Champions of Character program here.
Warrior Athletics finishes second in Learfield IMG College Directors’ Cup standings
Indiana Tech finished out the 2020-21 athletic season with a second-place finish in the NAIA Learfield IMG College Directors’ Cup, the highest-ever finish for Tech, as the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) released the final standings July 2. The Warriors recorded 881.50 points and were led by four national titles—women’s bowling, men’s indoor track and field, women’s indoor track and field and women’s outdoor track and field, and top-five performances by men’s wrestling and men’s outdoor track and field.
Indiana Tech wins WHAC Commissioner’s Cup
Warrior Athletics had another banner year across the board as Indiana Tech won the 2020-21 Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Fred Smith Commissioner’s Cup for the fourth time in program history. Tech has won four of the last five Commissioner’s Cups (2019-20 was not awarded due to COVID-19) and collected 255 points over the past academic year. During the 2020-21 academic year, the Warriors won 19 conference titles:
- Baseball – regular season
- Men’s basketball – tournament
- Men’s bowling – tournament
- Men’s ice hockey – regular season and tournament
- Men’s lacrosse – regular season and tournament
- Men’s soccer – regular season and tournament
- Men’s track and field – indoor and outdoor
- Men’s volleyball – regular season
- Men’s wrestling – tournament
- Women’s basketball – tournament
- Women’s bowling – tournament
- Women’s tennis – regular season and tournament
- Women’s track and field – indoor and outdoor
2021 student-athlete award winners
Hayashi Award: Evan Schuster (men’s lacrosse) and Alexis Hill (women’s basketball)
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Dawson Maier (men’s bowling) and Emma Tuominen (women’s basketball)
Newcomer of the Year: Rog Stein (men’s basketball) and Marianna Murcia (women’s tennis)
Athlete of the Year: Eric Vermillion (men’s wrestling) and Leondra Correia (women’s track and field)
Ultimate Warriors
Martin Eckard – baseball
Lucas Lehrman – men’s basketball
Erika Foy – women’s basketball
Jacob Balser – men’s bowling
Maryssa Carey – women’s bowling
Jake Willison – men’s cross country
Krista Boese – women’s cross country
Alex Locke – men’s golf
Kim Siercks – women’s golf
Matej Krasny – men’s ice hockey
Justin Hindman – men’s lacrosse
Brooke Buhr – women’s lacrosse
Jose Uvidia – men’s soccer
AnnaBella Kowalczyk – women’s soccer
Payton Robinson – softball
Jafer Infante – men’s tennis
Vero Jimenez – women’s tennis
Neville Smith – men’s track and field
Katlyn Jones – women’s track and field
Grant Meeks – men’s volleyball
Jacey Blust – women’s volleyball
Nick Gates – men’s wrestling
Korigan Wilkey – women’s wrestling
Warrior Athletics finishes 2020-21 season strong in the classroom
The Indiana Tech Department of Athletics continues to emphasize the student part in student-athlete as the department posted a 3.09 grade point average over the 2020-21 academic year and a 3.28 GPA among varsity athletes for the whole year, while varsity athletes maintained a 3.16 GPA during the spring semester. Tech had 21 programs—baseball, men’s basketball, men’s bowling, men’s cross country, men’s golf, men’s ice hockey, men’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, men’s tennis, men’s track and field, men’s wrestling, women’s basketball, women’s bowling, women’s cross country, women’s golf, women’s lacrosse, women’s soccer, softball, women’s tennis, women’s track and field and women’s volleyball—sport over a 3.0 GPA, with women’s volleyball leading the way with a 3.66 GPA among its varsity squad. Men’s tennis had the highest GPA among men’s programs with a 3.36 GPA.
Women’s outdoor track and field wins NAIA national title; completes trophy sweep
The women’s track and field program wrapped up a spectacular season right before Memorial Day as they racked up 84 points over the three-day meet to win the 2021 NAIA Outdoor National Championships, their third outdoor title in program history, and just a little over two months from lifting the trophy and claiming the red banner in South Dakota at the NAIA Indoor National Championships, making it the first time the Orange and Black have swept the NAIA National Championships in a season.
Men’s track and field continues podium streak at NAIA outdoor championships
The men’s track and field team finished third at the 2021 NAIA Outdoor National Championships, just one point behind co-champions Doane and Madonna, pushing their streak of finishing in the top-four at NAIA National Championships to 23 straight that dates back to the 2012-13 season.
Historic women’s tennis season ends at NAIA National Championships
The Indiana Tech women’s tennis team completed the most successful season in program history with a 17-3 record, sweeping the WHAC regular season and tournament titles and qualifying for the NAIA National Championships, all first-time accomplishments for the team while the 17 wins is the most ever for the program. Tech fell in its first-round match of the national tournament to University of the Cumberlands, 4-2.
Men’s lacrosse ends year as national runner-up
The Indiana Tech men’s lacrosse team suffered just two losses during the 2021 season, both coming at the hands at No. 1-ranked Reinhardt, and the second coming in the NAIA National Invitational Championship game. Tech finished the season 18-2 and made its way to the national title game for the first time ever while sweeping the WHAC regular season and tournament titles for the second time in program history.
Men’s soccer sweeps WHAC titles for second straight season
The Indiana Tech men’s soccer program continued its rise as an NAIA powerhouse by finishing the 2020-21 campaign with an 18-2-1 record and repeating as the WHAC regular season and tournament champions. The 18 wins is tied with the 1981 and 1983 squads for the most in program history. The team hosted an Opening Round site of the NAIA National Championship for the second straight season, falling to University of the Cumberlands in the championship match.
Kim Siercks wins WHAC title to qualify for NAIA National Championships
Indiana Tech junior Kim Siercks became the fourth individual in program history to win the WHAC Championship with a 54-hole score of 232 (80-89-73) and earned a bid to the NAIA National Championships. Siercks missed the cut for the national tournament, finishing with a two-day score of 157 (77-80).
Men’s volleyball makes history in second year
The Indiana Tech men’s volleyball team kicked off its second season with a 3-1 win over No. 2-ranked Campbellsville University, its first win over a ranked team since being resurrected in 2020, and that season opening win set the tone in 2021. Tech finished the season 17-6 and won a share of the WHAC regular season title while receiving a berth to the NAIA National Championships for the first time since 1971.
Men’s ice hockey sweeps WHAC titles; advances to ACHA national semifinals
The Indiana Tech men’s ice hockey team had another banner season by going 17-7, sweeping the WHAC regular season and tournament titles, and advancing to the national semifinals of the ACHA National Championship, falling to top-seeded and eventual national champion Adrian College.
Men’s wrestling wins inaugural WHAC crown; has two claim national titles
The Indiana Tech men’s wrestling program continued to showcase itself as one of the powerhouse programs in the NAIA. After spending the last three years as members of the Sooner Athletic Conference, the men’s wrestling team found a more location-friendly conference home as the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC)—the home for the vast majority of Tech’s sports—got the six required schools to sponsor men’s wrestling. The Warriors won the inaugural WHAC Championship with 163.5 points and had six grapplers win individual conference crowns. Tech went on to finish fourth at the NAIA National Championships while Conner Gimson and Eric Vermillion won individual titles at 133 and 184-lbs., respectively, becoming the fourth and fifth wrestlers to win a national title.
Women’s bowling claims first national championship; Carey makes USBC semifinals
The Indiana Tech women’s bowling team became the seventh team ever to win a national title as they claimed the red banner at the inaugural NAIA National Championships back in March. Tech started off the tournament strong and took home the top seed in qualifying play before going 3-0 in match play to win the title, defeating Midland 2-1-1. Maryssa Carey was named to the All-Tournament Team and garnered All-America Team honors while the senior advanced to the semifinals of the USBC Intercollegiate Singles Championships, the first bowler in program history to make it that far.
Men’s indoor track and field wins sixth national title
The Indiana Tech men’s indoor track and field team won its sixth NAIA National Championship back in March thanks to a win by the 4×400 meter relay of Michael Warner, Mile Gray, Daunte O’Banion and Jordan Highsmith, and a third-place finish in the triple jump by Neville Smith, to give the Warriors 51.5 points, outpacing Dordt University by 4.5 points for the red banner. Doug Edgar garnered NAIA National Coach of the Year honors while 17 student-athletes garnered All-America Team accolades.
Women’s indoor track and field cruises to second national title
Indiana Tech’s women’s indoor track and field team won its second NAIA National Championship with 111 points in early March and led wire-to-wire thanks to a national title in the 3000 meter racewalk by Loanie Cellard in the opening championship event. Leondra Correia had a meet to remember as she scored 38 points, winning the pentathlon, high jump and 60m hurdles to garner Most Valuable and Outstanding Performer awards. Doug Edgar was named the NAIA National Coach of the Year while 24 women garnered All-America Team honors.
Women’s wrestling wraps up inaugural season with two all-Americans, 12th-place finish at NAIA National Invitational
The Indiana Tech women’s wrestling team didn’t pick the ideal year to have their inaugural season, but head coach Paul Rademacher and the Warriors navigated through the COVID-19 landscape and laid the foundation for future success while being competitive on the mat. Tech went 2-6 in dual matches, taking down Brewton-Parker College, 30-18, on Jan. 23 for their first win and finished fourth at the Mid-South Conference Championships. The Orange and Black sent 12 wrestlers to the NAIA National Invitational and had two individuals, Tehani Soares and Samantha Snow, earn All-America Team honors, each taking fourth place at 109 and 143-lbs., respectively. Tech was ranked in the NAIA Coaches’ Top 20 Poll for all five polls, rising as high as eighth (Jan. 28, second poll) and finished 14th in the Postseason Poll.
Best of the Rest
Stay up to date with all things involving Warrior Athletics at indianatechwarriors.com, and watch for the chance to get involved with our revamped Warrior Club coming this fall!
Baseball
35-27, 16-6 WHAC (1st/12)
WHAC regular season champions
NAIA National Championship qualifier
Men’s Basketball
22-9, 9-2 WHAC (2nd/10)
WHAC Tournament Champions, NAIA National Championship qualifier
WHAC Defensive Player of the Year – Cory McKinney
Men’s Bowling
WHAC regular season standings, 2nd/12
WHAC Tournament champions
NAIA National Championship qualifier, USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships qualifier
USBC Intercollegiate Singles Championships qualifier – Cory Hersha
NAIA All-America Team – Marcus McClain and Jacob Balser
Men’s Cross Country
Did not compete as a team at the WHAC Championships, Jake Willison finishes 18th
Men’s Golf
WHAC Championships, 11th/11
Men’s Ice Hockey
17-7-0, 8-2-0 WHAC, 1st/6
WHAC regular season and tournament champions
ACHA national championship semifinalist
ACHA All-Athletic Team – Zach Bennett, Joel Holmberg, Bryson Linenburg and Alex Potter
Men’s Lacrosse
18-2, 6-0 WHAC, 1st/7
WHAC regular season and tournament champions
NAIA National Invitational runner-up
NAIA All-America Team – Sam Anderson, Jordan Reyes and Andrew Ryan
WHAC Offensive Player of the Year – Andrew Ryan
WHAC Defensive Player of the Year – Jordan Reyes
WHAC Coach of the Year – Bryan Seaman
Men’s Soccer
18-2-1, 10-0-1 WHAC, 1st/12
WHAC regular season and tournament champions
NAIA National Championship qualifier
NAIA All-America Team – Maxwell Amoako, Pep Casas, Noe Garcia, Will Harris, Jaume Salvado and Jaxon Simerman
WHAC Offensive Player of the Year – Noe Garcia
WHAC Defensive Player of the Year – Will Harris
WHAC Coach of the Year – John Dunn
Men’s Tennis
13-4, 4-1 WHAC (2nd/6)
NAIA All-America Team – Juan Avellaneda
WHAC Newcomer of the Year – Agustin Cortes Flores
Men’s Track and Field
WHAC Indoor Championships, 1st/9
NAIA Indoor National Championships, 1st/63
NAIA Indoor National and WHAC Indoor Coach of the Year – Doug Edgar
NAIA Indoor National Champions – Michael Warner, Mile Gray, Daunte O’Banion and Jordan Highsmith
WHAC Indoor Newcomer of the Year and Most Outstanding Performer – Jaylen Coleman
NAIA Indoor All-America Team – Coby Bailey, Dylan Bikim, Dillan Cerny, Zach Daniels, Jamir Ferguson, Miles Gray, Jordan Highsmith, Zayquan Lincoln, Daunte O’Banion, Phillip Selmer, Neville Smith, Alex Vandor, Michael Warner
WHAC Outdoor Championships, 1st/10
NAIA Outdoor National Championships, 3rd/77
WHAC Outdoor Newcomer of the Year and Most Outstanding Performer – Daniel Buell
WHAC Outdoor Coach of the Year – Doug Edgar
NAIA Outdoor National Champions – Jordan Highsmith, Zayquan Lincoln
NAIA Outdoor All-America Team – Coby Bailey, Dylan Bikim, Dillan Elkins, Jordan Highsmith, Zayquan Lincoln, Daunte O’Banion, Michael Warner
Men’s Volleyball
17-6, 10-2 WHAC (Tied 1st/7)
WHAC regular season co-champions
NAIA National Championship qualifier
WHAC Coach of the Year – Kyle Shondell
NAIA All-America Team – Daynte Stewart
Men’s Wrestling
7-0
WHAC Championships, 1st/6
NAIA National Championships, 4th/52
NAIA National Champions – Conner Gimson and Eric Vermillion
WHAC Coach of the Year – Thomas Pompei
Women’s Basketball
Record: 27-3, 11-1 WHAC (2nd/10)
WHAC Tournament Champions, NAIA National Championship qualifier
NAIA All-America Team – Erika Foy and Kyra Whitaker
Women’s Bowling
WHAC regular season standings, 2nd/12
WHAC Tournament champions
NAIA National Champions
NAIA All-America Team – Maryssa Carey
USBC Intercollegiate Singles Championships qualifier – Maryssa Carey
Women’s Cross Country
Did not compete as a team at the WHAC Championships due to date in the spring
Women’s Golf
WHAC Championships, 2nd/9
WHAC Medalist and NAIA National Championships qualifier – Kim Siercks
WHAC Newcomer of the Year – Julia Bockstahler
Women’s Lacrosse
5-5, 4-2 WHAC (5th/9)
Women’s Soccer
3-13-0, 3-6-0 WHAC (8th/10)
Softball
17-27, 5-13 WHAC (10th/11)
Women’s Tennis
17-3, 5-0 WHAC (1st/6)
WHAC regular season and tournament champions
NAIA National Championship qualifier
WHAC Coach of the Year – Brock Orlowski
WHAC Player of the Year – Vero Jimenez
WHAC Newcomer of the Year – Marianna Murcia
Women’s Track and Field
WHAC Indoor Championships, 1st/8
NAIA Indoor National Championships, 1st/66
NAIA Indoor National and WHAC Indoor Coach of the Year – Doug Edgar
NAIA Indoor National Champions – Loanie Cellard and Leondra Correia
WHAC Indoor Most Valuable Performer and Most Outstanding Performer- Destiny Copeland
WHAC Indoor Newcomer of the Year – Erica Xayarath
NAIA Indoor All-America Team – Loanie Cellard, Destiny Copeland, Leondra Correia, Antonishka Deveaux, Derica Gibson, Soyinne Grenyion, Katlyn Jones, Destinee McGrady, Xuxa Peart, Renique Smith, Sha’londa Terry, Brianna Tillman, Carlie Turner
WHAC Outdoor Championships, 1st/9
NAIA Outdoor National Championships, 1st/67
NAIA Outdoor National and WHAC Coach of the Year – Doug Edgar
WHAC Outdoor Most Outstanding Performer – Destiny Copeland
WHAC Outdoor Most Outstanding Performance – Soyinne Grenyion
NAIA Outdoor National Champions – Loanie Cellard and Leondra Correia
NAIA Outdoor All-America Team – Loanie Cellard, Destiny Copeland, Leondra Correia, Antonishka Deveaux, Derica Gibson, Soyinne Grenyion, Jo’Deci Irby, Katlyn Jones, Destinee McGrady, Xuxa Peart, Renique Smith, Sha’londa Terry, Brianna Tillman, Carlie Turner
Women’s Volleyball
16-8, 11-5 WHAC (4th/10)
NAIA All-America Team – Jacey Blust
WHAC Libero of the Year – Jacey Blust
Women’s Wrestling
2-6, 2-3 MSC (4th/6)
Mid-South Conference Championships, 4th/6
NAIA National Invitational, 14th/31
NAIA All-America Team – Tehani Soares and Samantha Snow
