New Faces
RD Skating Programs Shine in the Spotlight The 2016 senior synchronized skating team was one of two college programs invited and sent by the U.S. Figure Skating’s Synchronized Management Subcommittee to participate in the 22nd annual Spring Cup in Milan, Italy. The Bulldogs made quite an impression in their international debut as Team USA last February, when they finished in seventh place out of 14 teams from 12 different countries. One of many highlights was posting a season-best score of 51.92 in the short program. Also, the figure skating team captured four national titles.
Brian Thill Era Begins for Track and Field/Cross Country Brian Thill comes to Adrian College after spending the previous two seasons at Defiance College as a graduate assistant coach and the interim associate head cross country coach for the 2015 fall season. He was the technical coach in jumps, sprints and hurdles, inputted meet entries, recruited studentathletes, assisted in budget management, supervised the workout/weight room planning and implementation, performed meet and management duties, including hosting high school, college and the 2016 HCAC Indoor Championship event. The Yellow Jacket men’s cross country team earned All-Academic Team award from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association in 2015. Thill was a three-time multievent All-American at the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in dietetics.
Ellen Barker Appointed Acrobatics and Tumbling Head Coach Ellen Barker is making a return to her home state of Michigan with her position as acrobatics and tumbling head coach at Adrian College. Barker is a Mason High School graduate who attended Davenport University in Grand Rapids for two years, participating in competitive cheer. She helped the Panthers claim the National Cheerleaders’ Association All-Girl III National Champion and was named an NCA All-American. She transferred to Azusa Pacific in California where she was a member of the acrobatics and tumbling program for three seasons, winning two event national titles in duo tumbling and the flipping pyramid in 2014. Barker earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in cinematic arts (film business) from Azusa Pacific in 2016.
Bill Schindel Named Head Coach for Men’s and Women’s Wrestling Bill Schindel was named in May to lead the men's and women's wrestling programs at Adrian College. Schindel, a two-time Ohio Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, comes to Adrian after posting a 46-20 dualmatch record in four years at Mount Union. During his tenure with the Mount, there have been six All-Americans, 14 national qualifiers, nine NWCA Scholar All-Americans and 16 All-OAC First Team selections. Schindel was a three-time NCAA All-American, threetime OAC Champion at 197-pounds, and ranks ninth on Mount’s all-time wins list (83-17). He also was a two-time NWCA Scholar AllAmerican. A native of Tallmadge, Ohio, he attended Akron Archbishop Hoban High School and has both a bachelor's degree in education and master's in educational leadership from Mount Union.
Rick Halverson Tabbed Men’s and Women’s Tennis Head Coach
Kyle Lindsay '09 Named Head Men’s Basketball Coach
Rick Halverson is the new men's and women's tennis coach for the Bulldogs, beginning his duties in August. Since August 2015, Halverson served as the head tennis coach and game event coordinator at Finlandia University. With his new post at Adrian, Halverson is no stranger to the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association after serving as the women's head coach at Olivet College during the 2012-13 season. He coached one All-MIAA performer, six individual Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-America Scholars and produced five academic allconference winners. Halverson was a three-time Upper Peninsula champion at Marquette Senior High School. He then played NCAA Division II tennis at Michigan Technological University for four seasons. He also has coached at Michigan Tech and Buena Vista University.
Adrian alumnus Kyle Lindsay was appointed the 28th head coach in the history of the Bulldog men’s basketball program. Prior to accepting the head coaching position with Adrian, Lindsay helped Trine to five consecutive appearances in the MIAA semifinal round, making it to its first MIAA championship game appearance in 2016 as well as the first NCAA Division III national ranking (#23). The Thunder had a winning record all five years that Lindsay was on the coaching staff. Lindsay graduated from Adrian College in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education. He played football and basketball; he was named a First Team All-MIAA punter in 2005.
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