FORESTER ATHLETICS

MEN’S BASKETBALL

The HU men’s basketball team, under the leadership of second-year head coach Kory Alford, punched their ticket to the NAIA National Tournament for the first time since 2014. In first-round action, the 12th-seeded Foresters picked off 5th-seeded Georgetown 80-69. Not only was it Huntington’s first National Tournament win since 2006, but it also proved the biggest first-round upset of the 2022 tourney. Alford and crew went on to suffer an 88-80 loss to Faulkner in the round of 32 to wrap up the year with a record of 23-11.

NAIA Honorable Mention All-American Zach Goodline led the team in points (18.3 ppg) and assists (4.5 apg).

Baseball

Coach Mike Frame reached a significant milestone on March 17 when his squad notched a 4-2 win over Grace, as it marked his 900th career coaching win. He is currently the tenth winningest coach among all active NAIA baseball coaches and ranked 27th for most wins on the NAIA’s all-time coaching list. During his 38-year tenure, he has led the program to four NAIA National Tournament appearances and 17 conference regular season or tournament titles. Thirteen players have earned NAIA All-American honors, and 82 players have received All-Conference honors. Seven of his players have gone on to play professionally.

INDOOR TRACK & FIELD

Senior Dylan Felger highlighted the 2022 NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships for the Foresters by winning the 600 meters. Not only was he tabbed national champion, but his 1:16.12 time also set a new NAIA indoor record. When all was said and done, Coach Childs’ crew secured a national title and collected 13 All-American honors. The HU men finished 9th as a team, while the women took 16th.

When she was an undergraduate, Ali Lannom (2020), OTD, OTR/L, CEES, CLIPP, found herself drawn to occupational therapy and orthopedics because of an unexpected experience with limb mobility loss after an accident.

“I was in a really bad car accident in college,” she said. “I was told constantly that I would never be able to go back to school and that I would probably lose all functional use of my right hand.”

Frustrated, Lannom faced two paths: accept this diagnosis as her new reality, or work hard to set her own path toward something different.

“It was actually an occupational therapist that said, ‘Ali, you can do whatever you set your mind to. If we can’t get there [to full mobility], we’re going to find a way to adapt what you’re currently doing to help you live your life to the fullest.’”

Lannom learned firsthand the hope and help that can come from compassionate, competent occupational therapists. And from then on, she knew she wanted to be one of them.

“I said, ‘Okay, I want to be like you!’”