Patterson is a special agent with the U.S. Department of State鈥檚 Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). She was one of more than 50 special agents assigned to protect America鈥檚 athletes and teams as they trained, competed, and traveled to media appearances.

The writing studies grad, who excelled as a cross-country and track athlete at 黑料正能量, worked as a field liaison officer at the ice rinks in Milan, where she safeguarded USA鈥檚 figure skaters, hockey teams, and speed skaters, including gold medalists Ilia Malinin, Alysa Liu, and Jordan Stolz.

鈥淧art of being there is taking time to observe the crowd and ensure everything鈥檚 secure and all set-up,鈥� said Patterson. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 also a lot of sport-watching and cheering on Team USA and hoping the athletes you鈥檝e been with do well.”

鈥淔igure skating was phenomenal. I was in awe of what they鈥檙e able to do. But the crowd with the biggest atmosphere, I think, was probably men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 hockey. It was a very exhilarating environment. It was hard not to get caught up and feel the roar of the crowd cheering on the teams.鈥� 

Hannah Patterson 鈥�14, a special agent with the U.S. Department of State鈥檚 Diplomatic Security Service, worked a 鈥減retty intense schedule鈥� at the 2026 Winter Olympics, often starting her workday at 7 a.m. to protect athletes while they trained and working well past midnight for competitions that ended late.

鈥業t鈥檚 just one big adventure鈥�

Born in Singapore to parents involved in community development work, Patterson moved with her family to Indonesia when she was 12. She attended Mountainview International Christian School. It was there she learned one of her classmates, nursing grad David Jantzi 鈥�13, whose parents were alumni, had his sights set on attending 黑料正能量.

鈥淚 ended up applying on a whim,鈥� said Patterson, 鈥渁nd I鈥檓 so grateful I did.鈥�

She said one of the major draws to 黑料正能量 was that its financial aid office was 鈥渟o proactive鈥� in telling her which grants and awards were available. 鈥満诹险芰� was such an obviously tight-knit community that cared, even before I showed up, and that just followed through over the next four years,鈥� she said. 鈥淟ooking back now, I wouldn鈥檛 have done as well at a big state school where I would鈥檝e felt like just a number. My professors were always there for me, and I loved that about 黑料正能量.鈥�

Another draw was its intercultural programs. Patterson immersed herself in the cultures of South Africa and Lesotho for a semester and said she treasures 黑料正能量鈥檚 global focus.

鈥淚 love the sense of adventure that 黑料正能量 carries with it,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 something I feel almost every day on the job. It鈥檚 just one big adventure, and every day is a cross-cultural experience.鈥�

Hannah Patterson ’14 (pictured third from left), a cross-country and track athlete at 黑料正能量, said her coaches ensured she was growing and finding her place in the world. 鈥淚 loved being on a team that was incredibly supportive, and I think my teammates, coaches, and track and cross-country teams really shaped me as a person, pushed me, and helped me grow. In a school that is so community-focused, it was nice to have an even tighter group to grow and dream with.鈥�

Patterson graduated with a writing studies degree in 2014 (right photo). She said her intercultural experiences in South Africa (left photo) and Lesotho, along with the mentorship she received from professors, helped shape her love of adventure. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge thing to be able to travel as much as I do and I am very grateful for it,鈥� she said.

Landing the job

After graduating in 2014, Patterson was working at Black Sheep Coffee in Harrisonburg when she mentioned to a coworker she was seeking a career change. Unbeknownst to her, that coworker鈥檚 husband was a DSS agent working at a training center in West Virginia, and she suggested that Patterson would be a good fit for the job, based on her experience growing up overseas and her love of adventure.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted it to be relational,鈥� Patterson said. 鈥淎long with the daily problem-solving and micro-challenges I enjoy, I鈥檓 very grateful this job exists, that I鈥檓 able to do it, and that I had a lot of good mentors at 黑料正能量 along the way to encourage me.鈥�

Patterson worked at the training center (now known as the ) for a half-decade, before applying and landing a job as a . She began training in July 2021 and, after a rigorous training process, officially became an agent in April 2022.

Since then, she鈥檚 built up an impressive foreign service career. She worked in Kyiv, Ukraine, for three months during the war. She also served at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad for one year.

Last year, Patterson interviewed for her current role as an agent at the Major Events Coordination Office, which secures international events such as the G7 and G20 summits, Pan American Games, and FIFA World Cup, in addition to the Olympics and Paralympics. When she learned she had been selected to join the office, she said she was 鈥渙ut-of-this-world thrilled.鈥�

鈥淚t can be quite competitive, and I was very excited that I get to do this for the next two years (DSS agents typically switch offices every one to three years),鈥� said Patterson. 鈥淣ext year, we鈥檒l have the Pan American Games and the Women鈥檚 World Cup, which will be in Brazil.鈥�

This month, Hannah Patterson 鈥�14 will help protect Team USA鈥檚 athletes as they train and compete at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, held in Milan and Cortina, Italy, from March 6-15.

Patterson, who has been in Italy since Jan. 27, will also keep watch over America鈥檚 athletes during the 2026 Winter Paralympics, held in Milan and Cortina from March 6-15. She鈥檒l serve as one of the special agents staffing a DSS Joint Operations Center at the U.S. Consulate in Milan.

She took advantage of the four-day break in between training for the Olympics and Paralympics to explore the mountains of northern Italy. Inspired by the athletes she watched during the Olympics, she learned to ski for the first time.

鈥淚 never thought of this as a career option when I was going to school,鈥� said Patterson. 鈥淚 remember telling my poetry professor, Michael Ann Courtney, 鈥業鈥檓 going to be a starving artist for the rest of my life,鈥� and she told me, 鈥楴o, Hannah, don鈥檛 worry. The world is so much bigger than that.鈥� And it turns out she was right.鈥�

Kirk Shisler 鈥�81, vice president for advancement, introduced alumni in attendance spanning eight decades. Among them were Bob Hostetler 鈥�59 who 鈥渟till runs the 100-meter dash like a jackrabbit,鈥� according to Shisler; Roland Landes, an 黑料正能量 cross-country coach for nine seasons starting in the ’60s and a 2024 Hall of Honor inductee; Hannah Chappell Dick 鈥�16, a five-time NCAA DIII All-American 黑料正能量 runner with countless awards and seven school records; and Ryan Gehman 鈥�16, a star 黑料正能量 runner, advocate, and speaker at the 2023 黑料正能量 TenTalks.

The program also featured remarks from Carrie Bert 鈥�97, director of athletics; Ray Ray Taylor, MS 鈥�24, an All-American track and field athlete; and Jim 鈥�68 and Gloria Horst Rosenberger 鈥�70 who put forth an early gift of $600,000 and a recent $400,000 challenge fund to encourage support for the track and field.

It鈥檚 not too late to give to the project! Donate now.

More than $4 million has been raised toward the $6 million campaign goal. President Susan Schultz Huxman thanked the 鈥渟alt-of-the-earth, visionary supporters who stepped up with unwavering conviction going back nearly a decade.鈥� And with student-athletes making up 43 percent of the first-year student population, she said it has been a long time coming.

Before attendees could set foot on the new track, Laura Rosenberger 鈥�03 (黑料正能量 pole vault record holder for 21 years) and sophomore Micah Mast did a symbolic run with a pole, followed by a ceremonial relay lap with alumni, donors, students, and faculty/staff. These served as a 鈥減assing of the baton鈥� to future generations of athletes who will use this state-of-the-art complex for years to come.

As head men鈥檚 cross-country coach, Landes oversaw teams that won four National Christian Colleges Athletic Association (NCCAA) championships and two ODAC championships, including the inaugural ODAC championship in 1976. Another coaching highlight came when Landes stepped in as head men鈥檚 basketball coach for the 1972-1973 season: 鈥淚t was the first year Lou Campanelli was at James Madison. They had scholarship players, and we hadn鈥檛 recruited at all. We beat them 72-71.鈥�

Landes finished his 16-year 黑料正能量 coaching career in 1983 with a 223-141 record. He also served as assistant professor of physical education from 1968-1982 and as supervisor of auxiliary services from 1984 until his retirement in 1998. He has fond memories of his time working with students in the classroom and on the playing fields. 鈥淭he kids were just a joy to teach and to coach, and they didn鈥檛 hold anything back. They always gave 100 percent, and I really appreciated that and 黑料正能量鈥檚 spiritual emphasis that I thought was important for the whole person.

Give to 黑料正能量’s new track & field complex in honor of Landes here:

For one former Royals athlete, crossing the finish line of the 2023 Boston Marathon was a dream come true. Charging down the last 600 meters among the crowds on Boyleston Street was an experience Ryan Gehman 鈥�16 says he鈥檒l never forget鈥攁nd one he had visualized 鈥渉undreds of times鈥� during his training. 

Gehman ran a time of 2 hours, 27.31 seconds to place 85th among the men, taking more than 11 minutes off his personal best and inching ever closer toward his goal of qualifying for the 2028 Olympic Trials. The moment signified a huge step on his journey since the prior career highlight of winning the 2014 NCAA South Southeast Regional Cross-Country Championships鈥攖he cap on his breakout season earned him Southeast Regional Athlete of the Year honors as well. That win gave him both renewed confidence and a platform: Gehman, diagnosed with autism as a child, began to speak publicly about how running has helped him deal with anxiety and other mental health challenges.

He鈥檚 dealt with both since graduating from 黑料正能量, as well as injuries. But after success coaching at the high school and collegiate levels, the Millersville, Pennsylvania, resident has found time to train, as well as stability, support, and a new focus for sharing his passion for fitness as a wellness assistant at Landis Homes.

Three other 黑料正能量 alumni followed Gehman across the line of one of the most challenging and prestigious races in the world. Also notching personal triumphs that day were Aaron Kauffman 鈥�01, MDiv 鈥�12, of Harrisonburg, Virginia, in 2:55.01; Abigail Shelly 鈥�20, of Tacoma, Washington, in 3:17.47; and Ashley Handrich Kniss 鈥�06, of Lovettsville, Virginia, in 3:27.14.

Running Boston is a unique experience: the race has both a storied history as the U.S.鈥檚 oldest marathon, with the first running in 1897, and a unique point-to-point course through the suburbs into downtown. But note everyone can toe the starting line. Unlike most other major marathons across the world, Boston has retained qualifying standards; all runners must meet specific times based on age and gender. That means simply getting to the start line, among 30,000 other runners from all over the world, means our Royals alums are part of an elite group. 

Kauffman, now a two-time Boston finisher who ran a personal best, says there鈥檚 no experience to match 鈥渞ounding the bend onto the final stretch on Boylston Street and hearing the deafening crowds. It honestly makes me think of the Christian life, with that great cloud of witnesses who have finished the race before us who are cheering us on.鈥�

All four alums say another joy of the experience was sharing it with loved ones. Shelly, an All-American at 黑料正能量 in triathlon, posted a personal best in just her second marathon. At one point, overcome by emotion, she chose to make a detour to hug family members who made the trip to support her. 鈥淚 think my time could have been 20 seconds faster, but that doesn鈥檛 matter. Seeing people you know in the crowds of others cheering is deeply meaningful and not bound by the milliseconds of locked eyes on a race course. I wanted the people who came out to support me to know that and feel my gratitude.鈥�

Kniss, an assistant professor at Stevenson University, is building back from an injury and logged less speed and tempo work than normal over the course of her Boston training. Despite this, she was just two minutes off her course best, and seven minutes from her personal best. She logged her slowest time in her first finish at Boston in 2009 and has come a long way since, even finishing a 50-mile ultra in 2019. Yet Boston pulls her back: 鈥淭he crowds are fantastic and the energy in the city pre- and post-race is unbeatable,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he city knows and loves its runners.鈥�

All four athletes are already looking forward to鈥攁nd accomplishing鈥攏ew goals. On her summer break from teaching middle school, Shelly walked the Camino del Santiago, logging an average of 17 miles each day. Having knocked out Boston, she鈥檚 interested in running the five other 鈥淢ajors鈥濃�擭ew York, Chicago, London, Tokyo, and Berlin.

Gehman is entered into this fall鈥檚 Chicago Marathon, where he hopes to click off some more minutes. Kniss has been buoyed by her strong recovery and is also looking for a fast course in hopes of running a personal best.

Kauffman, who juggles training with his work as president of Virginia Mennonite Missions, is on the fence. 鈥淚鈥檓 trying to decide whether to run Boston again or to train for a marathon on a less punishing course and see what I can do.鈥�

But he sums up the quest for all: 鈥淚 think I can still go faster.鈥�

Note: We have since learned that Daryl Yoder-Bontrager 鈥�80 finished his first Boston Marathon鈥攁nd just the third marathon he鈥檚 ever run鈥攊n 3:34:28. The time puts Yoder-Bontrager in the top 10 percent of his 65-69-year-old age category (51st out of 549 runners). Yoder-Bontrager, who worked for 25 years in various capacities with Mennonite Central Committee鈥檚 Latin America and Caribbean programs, said the experience meant he was part of a group of people from all over鈥攁 group cheered on by a crowd that radiated energy and yelled encouragement along the whole 26.2-mile route. 鈥淚 live and run in hilly south-central Pennsylvania (Lancaster), and the hills in Boston were like the ones I run on every day. What made Boston different and fun was the excitement bubbling everywhere, the camaraderie of runners and their supporters.鈥�

She was a graduate assistant cross country and track & field coach for two years (2019鈥�2021) at the University of Florida, where she earned her MBA. She was a volunteer assistant coach at Georgia Tech from 2018鈥�2019 and of men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 cross country at 黑料正能量 in 2017. As a student-athlete at 黑料正能量, Chappell-Dick was one of 30 NCAA Women of the Year Honorees, a five-time NCAA DIII All-American and held school records in seven events.

鈥淚’m very excited to begin the next chapter of the Brown Women’s XC Program as the new head coach,鈥� Chappell-Dick said. 鈥淭he women on this team have always had a strong, inclusive culture. We have been fostering a new level of dedication to the pursuit of competitive excellence. Every woman on the roster plays an important role in both maintaining the supportive culture that they have built and challenging each other to pursue higher goals. Women who trust each other will fight for each other, and that’s our vision for this team.鈥�

黑料正能量鈥檚 fall athletes ended their seasons with more than 20 individual honors.

黑料正能量鈥檚 field hockey team finished 10-7 overall, notching its best overall record since 2011.

• Defender Brandy Troutman (senior, Recreation and Sports Management, Mountville, Pa./Hempfield) earned her fourth consecutive Second Team All-ODAC honor and ended her 黑料正能量 career with an appearance in the NFHCA 2022 Victory Sports Tours/Division III Senior Game. She ranked in the top-four in all three major offensive categories, finishing third in total points (41) and assists (11) and fourth in goals with 15. Those numbers were all career-highs for the fifth-year senior, who played a larger role in the Royals offense this year.
• Attacker Elizabeth Longacre (junior, accounting and business administration, Quakertown, Pa./Dock Mennonite Academy) was Third Team All-ODAC.

Six soccer athletes earned College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors:

• Ariel Bonilla (junior, history and political science, Richmond, Va./Huguenot)
• Aja Laun, (sophomore, nursing, San Antonio, Tx./Claudia Taylor Johnson)
• Ashley Catalano, (sophomore, nursing, Stephens City, Va./Sherando)
• Abigail Forrest, (sophomore, pre-med, Winchester, Va./Millbrook)
• Kaden Schrock (sophomore, biology, Dalton, Ohio/Central Christian
• Mesa Dula (junior, accounting and business administration, Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite).

Women鈥檚 volleyball advanced to the ODAC quarterfinals, falling to eventual runner-up Averett. 

• Captain Lizzy Kirkton (junior, business administration and organizational leadership, Goshen, Ind./Goshen) and Megan Miller (junior, biology, Millersburg, Ohio/Central Christian) earned CSC Academic All-District honors. 
• Paris Hutchinson (junior, recreation and sport management, Waynesboro, Va./Wilson Memorial) earned her third straight all conference honor, this time to the All-ODAC Third-Team.

Both men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 cross country teams finished fifth in the ODAC.  

• Bellamy Immanuel (sophomore,  mechanical engineering, Allentown, Pa./William Allen) ended with an NCAA South/Southeast All Region performance. He was also named ODAC Runner of the Week Oct. 11.
• Clay Kauffman (senior, environmental science, Broadway, Va./Broadway) earned ODAC Runner of the Week recognition Sept. 27.
• Lucy Unzicker (junior, Spanish, Benson, Ill./Roanoke-Benson) was ODAC Runner of the Week Oct. 11. 
• Vanessa Gardiner (junior, environmental science, Springfield, Va./John R. Lewis) nabbed Second Team All-ODAC honors.

The women鈥檚 triathlon team finished fifth at the 2022 National Championships.

•  Jenna Weaver (sophomore, nursing, Harrisonburg, Va./Eastern Mennonite) earned 11th place at nationals; third place at the national qualifier meet, and College Triathlon Coaches Association (CTCA) Second Team All-American honors.
• Vanessa Gardiner was 13th place at the national meet, fourth place at the national qualifier meet, and CTCA Second Team All-American honors.
• Jessica Buckwalter, a graduate student in the MA in Counseling program, was 16th at the national championships, sixth place at the national qualifier, and a CTCA Honorable Mention All-American.

Photos by Scott Eyre/黑料正能量.

The following article by Head Coach Bob Hepler, with assistants Kyle Dickinson and Joanna Friesen, was published in the Spring/Summer 2022 Crossroads magazine.

In 2018, I arrived at 黑料正能量 after spending 14 years as an administrator and coach at University of Texas Tyler. My time at UT Tyler was fruitful 鈥� I started their track and field program, won 23 track and cross country conference championships, coached 20 All-Americans and four individual NCAA champions.

However, in 2018, my personal goal was to coach at a small Christian university that puts academics ahead of winning. 黑料正能量 became my next move. When I arrived, it was clear the program was on life support, weakened by a series of coaching turnovers, in most cases due to personal circumstances. A core of committed athletes stayed with the program, and coaches Hannah Chappell-Dick ’18 and Joanna Friesen MDiv ’21 put their lives on hold to keep the program going. Former dean of students Ken Nafziger ’79 and director of athletics Dave King ’76 also provided instrumental support through this time. 

I鈥檒l be honest: These last few years have been challenging, with low roster numbers, further coaching departures, less than competitive conference performances and COVID-19 limitations. But there are signs of hope, building on the commitment and passion of our coaching staff. We bring different strengths and personalities, but we share a common vision for the Royals program and we all intend on coaching here for many years to come.

Committed to coaching

Joanna Friesen, former Houghton College record-setter, was here before I arrived. She has been instrumental in the development of our triathlon team and distance program, and has a growing role in our recruiting efforts. Kyle Dickinson signed on in 2020 as associate head coach to work with sprints and jumps. He came to 黑料正能量 after successful stints at Shippensburg University and Penn State Harrisburg, where he had a hand in producing over 30 conference champions, eight All-Americans, 16 national qualifiers, and multiple conference athletes of the year.  

A committed coaching staff is one step towards a fully realized vision for the Royals. But three more pieces need to fall into place: athlete development, improved recruiting, and the need for a new track and field facility.

We鈥檙e already seeing an increasing number of athletes grow and succeed with us. Our roster increased to 42 this year, rebounding from a low of 25 in spring 2019. Team numbers provide both critical mass and a competitive spirit. Our athletes were stunningly successful with an incredible number of Top 10 All-Time performances during the 2021-22 track season. With the program approaching its 50th anniversary, a top ten performance is no small feat. Two elite athletes, seniors Alijah Johnson and Isaac Alderfer, each broke 黑料正能量 and conference records, won conference championships, and have qualified for the last several NCAA indoor and outdoor national championships.

With these individual successes come improved team performances: Both women鈥檚 and men鈥檚 cross country had their best finishes in years at the ODAC championships, coming in third and fourth respectively. In track, the men finished fifth and the women seventh. Consider these performances in light of the most recent NCAA rankings. The ODAC had six of the top 10 teams in the region, including 黑料正能量 at 10th.These results are a solid improvement for the program in what is now one of the best conferences in the country. 

Most importantly, our program鈥檚 larger roster includes student-athletes representing diverse socio-economic and racial backgrounds. In our multi-disciplinary sport, every athlete of all body type and disposition can find an event in which they can compete and improve; we are the embodiment of inclusivity. 黑料正能量 track and field is not only a key program in the university鈥檚 efforts to increase diversity and encourage belonging; it directly aligns with its mission and values.

Progress is being made!

We are now poised for a higher level of success, but one key element is missing. A quality facility is desperately needed. When high school juniors and seniors see our current track, they usually eliminate 黑料正能量 from their college list. A new facility combined with coaching stability, proven athletic development, and a focused approach to recruiting will lead to a roster of 60-70 athletes and consistent ODAC top-five team finishes within two years of the opening of the new facility. This is not just a gut feeling; Kyle, Joanna and our athletes have laid a strong foundation for growth and success. 

黑料正能量 Track and Field is on the rise. Join us in support of this exciting new vision! Visit for more information or to donate.

鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of a crazy question,鈥澨鼿annah Chappell-Dick, the women鈥檚 cross country and assistant track coach at听Brown University听in Providence, Rhode Island, said this week during the 鈥淎 Matter of Faith鈥� podcast..

• Allison Shelly and Isaac Alderfer were recognized as Male and Female President’s Award honorees. The President’s Award is given to the male and female who has most exemplified the values of the athletic department during their career through academic achievement, athletic contribution, Christian commitment, leadership, campus involvement and service.
• Paris Hutchinson and Alijah Johnson were named Athletes of the Year, for most outstanding athletic achievement in current academic year.
• Bri Redfearn and Damon Morgan were named Freshman of the Year, for most outstanding athletic achievement.

Read more about each athlete below.

PRESIDENTS AWARD: Allison Shelly – Triathlon, Cross-Country and Track & Field

Shelly was awarded the 2021-22 President’s Award by 黑料正能量 President Susan Schultz Huxman. Shelly is a political science major with minors in history, journalism, community organization and development as well as honors with a 4.0 GPA from Collinsville, Miss. In her time at 黑料正能量, she has been an integral part of three different athletic teams as well as an SGA Senator and Co-President, a contributor for the Weather Vane, Senior Class Business Manager, Convocation Committee, CODI, Academic Council, Conversation Partner in IEP, Community Advisor, Young Democrats Club and part of the Harrisonburg Living Wage Campaign.

After her graduation, her future plans include a service year in the Serving and Learning Together program of Mennonite Central Committee in Palestine.

For her nomination, she also had to submit a reflection on her time at 黑料正能量, to which she replied, “Simply put, there is no way I would have had the confidence and balance I’ve felt in academic or co-curriculars in the past four years without my experience with track & field, XC and triathlon. I wasn’t plannin on running until two weeks before coming to 黑料正能量. The decison to try to get in shape has allowed me to form friendships that will continue far past college, allowed me to learn to stay strong underpressure and given me opportunities to learn from a multitude of teammates and supporters within 黑料正能量 athletics staff, whom I really admire.” 

On winning the award, Shelly said, “Who would I be without my teammates, my coaches, and the experiences I’ve had because of athletics? I am so grateful to have this award as a reminder of all that 黑料正能量 athletics has been for me.”

PRESIDENTS AWARD: Isaac Alderfer – Cross-Country and Track & Field

Alderfer was awarded the 2021-22 President’s Award by 黑料正能量 President Susan Schultz Huxman. He is an enviromental science major with minors in photography and honors from Broadway, VA who has maintained a 3.97 GPA. While at 黑料正能量, he has re-written the record books in both cross-country and track & field. On the 黑料正能量 campus, he has been involved as a leader in the 黑料正能量 Explore and Earthkeepers Club, a barista at Common Grounds, a Community Advisor, a Center for Sustainable Climate Solutions student ambassador, a member of the Honors Council and Creation Care Council, part of the Intercultural Committee, a biology tutor, a contributor to the Weather Vane and has done biology research. 

After graduation, his future plans include a service year in the Serving and Learning Together program of Mennonite Central Committee in Cambodia.

For his nomination, he also had to submit a reflection on his time at 黑料正能量, to which he replied, “Being part of an athletic team at 黑料正能量 has helped me to develop skills directly associated with my athletic performance, in addition to skills such as time management, conflict mediation, communication and leadership. The relationships I have build over the past four years with teammates, coaches and other athletics staff are so valuable to me and I feel confident will result in lifelong friends and mentors. While it certainly has not always been easy to balance athletics with school work and a social life, it has, in so many ways, been rewarding and worth the sacrifices involved.” 

On winning the President’s Award, Alderfer said, “It’s an honor to receive an award that acknowledges the sacrifices and commitment from the many perspectives involved in being a student-athlete.  Big hugs to all my 黑料正能量 comrades.”

Athlete of the Year: Paris Hutchinson, Volleyball

Hutchinson, a sophomore from Waynesboro, Va., was named the 黑料正能量 Female Athlete of the Year after a season that saw her have one of the best seasons in 黑料正能量 women’s volleyball history. She was named First-Team All-ODAC and Second-Team VaSID All-State. For her performance in 黑料正能量’s pair of wins over Roanoke and Lynchburg, she was named the ODAC Player of the Week. By the end of the season, she was second in the ODAC and 24th nationally with 4.00 K/S and sixth in the ODAC in total kills with 284. She also led the squad in points/set at 4.61, which was also tops in the ODAC and 22nd nationally.  

Hutchinson helped 黑料正能量 to a record-setting season as the Royals finished with seven ODAC wins, their most conference wins in two decades.

“Receiving the ‘Female Athlete of the Year’ award is such a special honor,” Hutchinson said. “The group of finalists were all so deserving! As a sophomore, I still have much to learn and improve on. But I’m lucky to be a student-athlete at 黑料正能量. I am truly humbled by the faith that those around me, have within me. I would not have accomplished this without my amazing teammates, coaches, trainers, and all who have been by my side. Thank you for continuing to motivate me to be the best I can be each day.”

Male Athlete of the Year: Alijah Johnson, Track & Field

Much like Hutchinson, Johnson has one of the best years in 黑料正能量 track & field history. The senior from Upper Marlboro, MD, qualified for 2022 NCAA Indoor National Track & Field Championships in the 200m. He was named USTFCCCA All-Region for the 60m and 200m. Durin the indoor season, he was named the ODAC Men’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week. For his performance at the ODAC Championships, he was named Second-Team All-ODAC in the 200m and Third-Team All ODAC in the 60m. His name is currently etched in the record books as he set the 黑料正能量 record in the 200m and 60m. His successful season earned him First-Team VaSID in sprints. 

He has followed that up with a stellar outdoor season, setting the ODAC and 黑料正能量 record in 200m at the Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic. He currently has the eighth fastest time in the nation in the 100m and the second fastest time in the nation in the 200m. This past weekend at the ODAC Championships, he picked up second place in the 100m and was the ODAC Champion in the 200m. If his current times hold, he will be making his second straight trip to the NCAA Outdoor National Championships at the end of May. 

“I was very happy when I heard my name called for the Athlete of the Year,” Johnson said. “I felt like my journey as a student athlete had come full circle since I had won Freshman Athlete of the Year as well. All of the hard work, ups and downs of being a student-athlete is paying off and I’m excited for what lies ahead.”

Freshman of the Year: Brii Redfearn, Basketball

Redfearn burst onto the scene in her first collegiate game against Apprentice. The Fairfax native dropped 19 points and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds in the Royals 76-44 win. For that performance, she was named the ODAC WBB Player of the Week. She continued her strong season, finishing second on the team with 11.5 PPG and leading the Royals with 8.7 RPG, which was second in the ODAC and led all freshman.She was the only player in the ODAC with a 20 rebound game, and she actually did it twice, grabbing 20 against Wilson College and 22 against Bridgewater. She finished the season with seven double doubles. Along with her basketball success, she is also a member of the 黑料正能量 outdoor track & field team. At the Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic, Redfearn was part of the 4×100 relay team that set the 黑料正能量 record. 

“I am more than blessed with the award of Freshman Of The Year,” Redfearn said. “I’ve certainly had periods when I felt like life was winning and I was losing. I couldn’t have done it without my teammates or my coaches setting me up for success and always pushing me to be the best athlete I can be. I will always appreciate them and give them the credit they deserve. When I felt like I was failing them, they let me know that it’s all in my head, ‘it’s a mental thing’ but the secret to the game is learning how to lose. This is just the beginning of my journey as a collegiate athlete. – 23”

Freshman of the Year – Damon Morgan, Track & Field

Morgan started his success during 黑料正能量’s indoor track & field season. During the year, he had two top-five finishes during the season. He was part of the 4×400 relay team that finished fifth at the ODAC Championships. He raced to the 黑料正能量 indoor record books, sitting top-10 all-time at 黑料正能量 in 60m and top-five all-time at 黑料正能量 in the 200m. He picked right back up where he left off in his first outdoor season, setting a PR in the 100m and 200m at the Washington and Lee Track Carnival. He continued to add his name to the record books, adding his name to the top-10 in both the 100m and 200m. He finished his outdoor season with a third place finish as part of the 4×100 relay team at the ODAC Outdoor Championships. 

“It’s an honor to have won Male Freshman of the Year, I’m just glad that my name was in the conversation,” Morgan said. “I was only able to walk this path because of Alijah Johnson. He has been a great mentor academically as well as athletically. He has left some big shoes for me to fill but I will NOT let him down.”

黑料正能量 will induct three new members to the this fall: Richy Bikko 鈥�11, Alyssa Derstine Landis 鈥�11, and Michelle Leaman Richards 鈥�10.

The induction ceremony, among many events during 黑料正能量鈥檚 Homecoming and Family Weekend 2021, begins with a drop-in continental breakfast from 8-8:45 a.m. followed by a program from 8:45-9:45 a.m. Registration is required for the induction ceremony. Visit to register.

A video webstream of the induction ceremony will be available. Check the Homecoming website for more information.

With this year鈥檚 inductions, 黑料正能量鈥檚 Hall of Honor contains more than 100 former players and coaches, as well as four teams and six administration honorees from the era known as 鈥淭he First 60 Years.鈥� Sponsored by the Royals Club, the Hall of Honor is located in the main hallway in University Commons, which houses Yoder Arena.

The event kicks off a busy day on campus, which includes three varsity sporting events as well the baseball team鈥檚 traditional Blue/Black World Series (Friday at 5 p.m., Saturday doubleheader beginning at noon). Royals field hockey is also celebrating its 50-year anniversary with a special recognition at their home game, 11 a.m., on Saturday, and with a drop-in tent open at 2 p.m. by the Campus Center ( for the reception or email Coach Kishorn for more information.). Roger Mast, retiring men鈥檚 soccer head coach, will also be honored at halftime of that game, scheduled to start at 3 p.m.

Richy Bikko 鈥�11, Cross Country and Track and Field

Bikko, a standout distance and middle distance runner, earned 黑料正能量鈥檚 highest athletics honor, the President鈥檚 Award, at the culmination of his career in 2011. The Kenyan native was new to the sport, with just two seasons of high school indoor and outdoor track during his senior year at Harrisonburg High before arriving at 黑料正能量. [Read more on .]

He finished 16th in his first cross country race and won the next one, setting up a stellar career that included two NCAA National Championship appearances. His best finish of 108th during his junior year was the highest national finish of an 黑料正能量 runner since Kenny Layman took fifth place in 1997.

Bikko was also a two-time All South/Southeast Region First Team selection, finishing eighth in 2010 and ninth in 2009. He was All-ODAC First Team, finishing fifth and second in 2010 and 2009. He also accumulated four conference honors on the track in the 1500m, the 800m, and 4x400m. Bikko earned 黑料正能量鈥檚 Rookie of the Year Award in 2009 and two academic awards, named to the NCAA Division III All-Academic Men鈥檚 Cross Country Team in 2009 and honored with the ODAC Academic All-Conference Award in 2010.

Among his strongest memories of being an Royals athlete is his for outdoor nationals in the 1500m. He bested the 31-year-old record set by Layman, but missed qualifying by .41 seconds — 鈥渁 learning for me in how I can balance both disappointment and joy in a moment.鈥� [Bikko鈥檚 record was broken in 2021 by junior Isaac Alderfer.]

Bikko carries on the spirit of mentorship and teamwork that he says sustained him at 黑料正能量. He is director of programs for . (GMin), creating experiential learning programs for youth in Sierra Leone and Kenya to become leaders and problem-solvers in their communities. He is also a board member at the peacebuilding organization  (Dipad) founded by his late mother Doreen Ruto MA 鈥�06 (conflict transformation).

Bikko says his athletic experiences at 黑料正能量 directly impact his current work. 鈥淚 learned to appreciate how everyone led through big and small ways –whether it鈥檚 by coming up with a warm up exercise for the team, leading team practice, pacing the runs, leading a prayer, cheering teammates and also rivals. I also appreciate the way in which as a student-athlete I got spiritual guidance from my coaches… I still keep the verse from Micah 6:8 close ”What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God”‘  as I continuously work in solidarity with the most vulnerable and disenfranchised communities.鈥�

Alyssa Derstine Landis 鈥�10, field hockey

Landis, an attacker and two-time 黑料正能量 Athlete of the Year in 2009 and 2010, helped the Royals to four consecutive ODAC championship game appearances.

This was a career highlight despite losing each time to Lynchburg. 鈥淲e were so close!鈥� she says.

One of 黑料正能量鈥檚 most decorated athletes, Landis named those who surrounded her as the reason for her success. 鈥淚 have been honored to receive numerous individual awards during my time at 黑料正能量, but I absolutely could not have done it without my teammates, coaches, and support from parents and other individuals along the way. I remember feeling the sting of losing the ODAC Championship Game multiple times in a row, and what I would have done to be able to trade in the individual awards for winning the Championship Game and getting the opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament.鈥�

Landis holds two Top 10 slots in the 黑料正能量 field hockey records books. She is seventh in the career goals (58), ninth in career points (140)  and 13th in career assists (24).

Landis is one of 黑料正能量鈥檚 most decorated field hockey athletes. Among her many conference honors were ODAC First Team honors in 2007, 2009, and 2010; ODAC All-Tournament Team honors the same three years; and two Player of the Year honors in 2008 and 2009. She was also twice named ODAC Player of the Week.

She was also a three-time VaSID All-State First Team honoree (2007, 2008, 2009).

Landis holds three All-American awards: She was a two-time National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) honoree, joining the Division III Senior All-Star Team in 2009 and the All-American Second Team in 2009. In 2008, Womensfieldhockey.com named her to the All-American Second Team.

NFHCA also awarded her All-Region (South) Second Team honors in 2007 and 2009 and All-Region (South) First Team honors in 2008.

She lives in Telford, Pa., with her husband, Bryan, their daughter Corbyn, 4, and son Parker, eight months. She has worked with Lacher & Associates for nine years, currently in the role of client executive and healthcare and benefits team lead. She and her family are members at Salford Mennonite Church.

鈥淔ield hockey has been such a part of me for the majority of my life and in some ways defined who I was for many years,鈥� Landis wrote in her acceptance letter. After graduation, she was an assistant coach with the 黑料正能量 team and then played in a local adult league. She still pulls her stick out to play with her daughter and says she hopes her two young children will learn to love field hockey — 鈥渙r any  other sport that can help teach them some of the valuable life lessons that these activities can offer.鈥�

She has 鈥済reat memories鈥� of her time with the Royals: 鈥淭he bus rides, dinners, and hotel stays with teammates, team building activities, devotions after every practice, the comradery around the dreaded conditioning practices or running tests, the high intensity games 鈥� there were so many wonderful memories.鈥�

Michelle Leaman Richards 鈥�10, track and field 

Richards was the most dominant female hurdler to attend 黑料正能量, capping her career as a two-time NCAA national championships qualifier in the 100m hurdles and the 55m hurdles and 60m hurdles in 2008. She was also a provisional qualifier in the indoor 55m hurdles in 2009.

She holds six individual 黑料正能量 records: 55m hurdles (8.48); 60m hurdles (9.13); 100m hurdles (14.85); 400m hurdles (1:06.08). She was also on two record-setting outdoor relay teams.

She set two indoor ODAC records in the 55m hurdles (8.48 seconds) and the 60m hurdles (9.13) on the way to earning three conference championships. She was ODAC Champion in the indoor 55m hurdles in 2008 and 2010 and in the outdoor 100m hurdles in 2008. 

A standout in the classroom as well, Richards was recognized three times by ESPN The Magazine鈥檚 Academic All-District awards. Among her other athletic honors were two All-ODAC second team awards in the 55m hurdles in 2009 and the 100m hurdles in 2007. She was a two-time ODAC Track Athlete of the Week. She was also honored with the 黑料正能量 Athlete of the Year Award in 2008.

Richard recalled the 鈥淢ay season,鈥� with the stresses of the academic semester and ODAC championships over, as particularly enjoyable for fun times and bonding with teammates. She also enjoyed road trips to meets at DI schools 鈥渨here even just making the finals or semifinals was an accomplishment.鈥� 

She says the relationships and support of her teammates and 黑料正能量 athletics staff in general made all the difference in her career: “I would not have been able to get as far as I did without the support of teammates, the individual attention and individual practices from coaches, and the athletic training staff keeping me healthy/pain-free.”

One of her more poignant memories was getting to the second hurdle in an indoor 55 m race ahead of the defending DIII national champion and being so surprised at this that she 鈥渃lobbered the hurdle.鈥� Though she didn鈥檛 finish, the quality of her start from the blocks over the first hurdle was 鈥渁 real confidence booster.鈥�

Richards lives in Lewiston, Maine, with her husband and children ages 7, 5, 2. 鈥淎fter teaching high school Spanish for two years in Maine, God called me away from my teaching career and toward the nearby refugee, asylee, and immigrant community,鈥� she said. 鈥淒uring this transition, I got involved with The Root Cellar, a non-profit organization committed to being the hands and feet of Jesus in the most impoverished neighborhood of our city.鈥�

In 2013, she and her family moved into the same neighborhood. 鈥淲e have since been trying to figure out what it means to love our neighbors and to build bridges across cultural, language, religious and socioeconomic lines,鈥� she said, which includes overseeing a volunteer-based adult English program at The Root Cellar.

Richards enjoys staying active with her children and walking in the community 鈥渨here relationships are often built on the street.鈥�

Those honored from 黑料正能量 were:

 (Broadway, Va./Broadway), Jr., Men鈥檚 Track & Field/Cross Country, Environmental Science, 3.97. Alderfer just completed an incredible season with a trip to the NCAA National Championships in the 800m, and was named the 黑料正能量 Male Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive time. He broke all four of 黑料正能量鈥檚 indoor and outdoor middle distance records, and broke one ODAC record and another ODAC Championships mark. Along with numerous All-ODAC, All-Region and All-State awards, Alderfer claimed seven ODAC Runner of the Week honors this spring.

 (Grants Pass, Ore./Hidden Valley), Jr., Men鈥檚 Soccer, Engineering, 3.98. Beachy earned a starting role in 黑料正能量鈥檚 midfield this year and scored a goal against rival Bridgewater College. He was recently named a Player of Distinction by the United Soccer Coaches.

 (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone), Sr., Women鈥檚 Soccer, Secondary English Education, 4.0. Breidigan wrapped up a career as a four-year starter in 黑料正能量鈥檚 defense line, helping the women鈥檚 team to 19 shutouts in her 55 games. She also was voted to the select CoSIDA Academic All-District Team for the second team and was awarded the 黑料正能量 President鈥檚 Award.

 (Smithfield, Va./Smithfield), Jr., Field Hockey/Women鈥檚 Lacrosse, Elementary Education, 4.0. Hedgepeth led 黑料正能量鈥檚 field hockey team in scoring with four goals and two assists, adding an All-ODAC Second Team award in the postseason. She was also a starter for the women鈥檚 lacrosse team, notching seven ground balls in a defensive role.

 (Archbold, Ohio/Archbold), Sr., Women鈥檚 Track & Field/Cross Country/Triathlon, Spanish, 4.0. Miller was a steady contributor in the distance events for the track & field women. She ran in four events at the ODAC Outdoor Championships, finishing in the top-13 of each of them and running her personal best in all three individual races. Miller also joined the triathlon team this year and was top-7 in both of 黑料正能量鈥檚 races.

 (Collinsville, Miss./West Lauderdale), Jr., Women鈥檚 Track & Field/Cross Country/Triathlon, Political Science, 4.0. Shelly blossomed as a runner this year, earning All-ODAC, All-State and All-Region honors as part of the indoor track & field season. She finished top-7 in the 1500m, 5000m and 10000m at the ODAC Outdoor Championships, earning points for the Royals in all three events. She was also 黑料正能量鈥檚 No. 3 finisher in triathlon and was named the 黑料正能量 Female Athlete of the Year.

Alderfer, Breidigan and Hedgepeth were each selected to the Academic All-State Team for the second consecutive year.

To be eligible for Academic All-State, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.25 cumulative grade point average, and be a sophomore or higher.

This spring, 黑料正能量 Athletics has been celebrating alumni-athletes working in the health care professions.

“It has been so exciting to reconnect with former Royals  for this special social media campaign highlighting the outstanding work being done in the health care field,” said Director of Athletics Dave King. “And it has been very rewarding to hear the ways in which athletics prepared and shaped them for their current work.  I hope you are as inspired as I was in reading their responses.”

To view the entire series, visit the .

To join the series, send us a note in the comment box below and we’ll get in touch with you!

Below are a few of the more than 25 alumni-athletes. Scroll down to view a complete list (as of 3/24/2021). Thanks to James DeBoer, director of athletics communication for his work on this project.

Martin Pou ’20, Volleyball

Now: Assistant to the practice manager, Shenandoah Valley Gastroenterology

Lesson: Clear and quick communication is crucial both on the court and in the medical field.

Julie Kratz McElwee ’85, BNS ’86, Field Hockey

Now: Emergency department chair, Lewis Gale Hospital Montgomery, Christiansburg, Va.

Lesson: The importance of relationships and knowing who is behind you, to give support, when things are not going well.

Tyler Denlinger ’18, Cross Country/ Track & Field

Now: Vaccines process development engineer, Merck Pharmaceutical, Elkton, Va.

Lesson: I have found the lesson of 鈥渆njoy what you do鈥� to hold a lasting effect from my time at 黑料正能量. There are few things in my life I hold more dearly than my experience with the 黑料正能量 track and field squad. I love running and T&F, and that love enabled my teammates and I to collectively accomplish a lot of really difficult tasks…I found that my love of the sport and my desire to achieve goals  were useful in propelling me to accomplish unpleasant tasks such as lifting after a hard workout. This directly applies to my work setting鈥攚hile I do not love every  aspect of my job, my passion for the end goal makes the unpleasant aspects more bearable.

Rachel Sturm ’18, Soccer/Track & Field

Now: Registered nurse, UVA Medical ICU/Special Pathogen ICU, Charlottesville, Va.

Lesson: I learned that I needed to stop worrying about society’s standards of success and focus on what God’s successes were for me. At the time there was so much pressure on my shoulders to be a successful athlete and a successful student. It’s hard to succeed in both, as one usually has to take over the other. In my case I had to choose my career to become a nurse. Yet, I never stopped giving it my all in academics and sports, which created a lot of frustration when I failed in my sport. Now I look back and realize, God gave me the talent to play college sports to introduce me to the people he wanted in my life. To give me the experiences I needed to grow into the woman and leader I am now. To let me learn failure and to strive from it. All these little things are God’s achievements for me.

Brooke Hensley 鈥�14, Softball

Now: Emergency department team coordinator, Sentara RMH, Harrisonburg, Va.

Lesson: The importance of playing together as a team to be successful because you cannot do it all on your own. Throughout my career, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been vital to work as a team in providing patient care in order to promote positive outcomes and save lives.

Laura Rosenberger 鈥�03, Track & Field

Now: Surgeon, associate professor of surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Chapel Hill, N.C.

Lesson: 黑料正能量 Athletics taught me how to be resilient during adversity and perseverance. Thankful for dedicated coaches and supportive teammates. Feels so pertinent to life right now in a pandemic!

Jess Rheinheimer Bishop 鈥�16, Basketball

Now: Registered Nurse, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.

Lesson: I learned many lessons from the basketball court but one that sticks out from Coach Griff is that you are the driver to your own success –  no one else can determine how successful you are going to be in life or in sports. You get out what you put in.

Katie Lehman Maust 鈥�09, Soccer

Now: Emergency department RN, Sentara RMH / Paramedic and training lieutenant, Harrisonburg Rescue Squad, Harrisonburg, Va.

Lesson: As an athlete, I was so thankful to be surrounded by people who were courageous, tenacious, hardworking, and supportive. Being part of a healthcare team has a lot of similarities to being on an athletics team and I aspire to carry those traits of great team members into my roles in the healthcare system.

Thanks to ALL of our Royals athletes working to make this world a safer place!

From left: Brent Yoder ’12, soccer, physical therapist and co-owner of Yoder Physical Therapy and Wellness in Sarasota, Fla.

Emily Augsburger ’18, field hockey, CCU Registered Nurse, Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pa.

Jackson Maust ’09, soccer, physical therapist at Augusta Health, working in outpatient therapy and in acute care in the hospital, including with COVID patients; also a captain and life member of Harrisonburg Rescue Squad (Jackson is married to Katie, featured above).

Jamey Groff ’98, volleyball, oncology pharmacist, Hahn Cancer Center, Sentara RMH, Harrisonburg, Va.

Jessica Blanks Jaindl ’13, field hockey, registered nurse at Sentara RMH, Harrisonburg, Va.

From left: Juni Schirch Sauder ’16, cross country/track and field, athletics testing coordinator, 黑料正能量.

Laura Rittenhouse ’20, soccer, registered nurse, cardiac care, UVa Hospital.

Laurie Serrell ’19, cross country/track and field, registered nurse with Spanish interpreters training, Sentara RMH.

Leah Lapp ’20, triathlon, associate chemist, Merck Pharmaceutical, Elkton, Va.; attending Liberty University School of Osteopathic Medicine, fall 2021.

Linda Cimini Boesch ’11, field hockey/track and field, critical care RN, St. Luke’s University Health System, Chalfont, Pa.

Lisa King Burkholder ’08, RN, Sentara RMH and instructor of nursing, 黑料正能量, Harrisonburg, Va.

Mariah Foltz ’17, softball, RN, Sentara RMH, Harrisonburg, Va.

Mariah Martin ’17, field hockey, labor and deliver nurse, Sentara RMH, Harrisonburg, Va.

Nolan Prock ’12, volleyball, veterinarian, Healthy Pets Veterinary Care, Boca Raton, Fla.

R.J. Ocampo ’19, volleyball, EMT with Virginia Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad, Virginia Beach, Va.

Rodney Eshleman ’88, soccer, ICU nurse, Augusta Health, Fishersville, Va.

Sylvia Mast ’19, soccer, ED technician, Sentara RMH and EMT, Harrisonburg Rescue Squad, Harrisonburg, Va.

On July 16, an 黑料正能量 coach and three alumni began biking uphill. For 20 miles. And that was just the first day of a 500-mile trip, traversing the Blue Ridge Parkway from its southern end in North Carolina to where it becomes Skyline Drive in Afton, Virginia. 

“For a cyclist it’s pretty tantalizing,” says Joanna Friesen, who organized the trip with three cross-country alumni (Friesen, a seminary student, is an assistant coach for the team). Friesen, Hannah Chappell-Dick ’16, Michaela Mast ’18, and Abigail Shelly ’20 biked about 50 miles a day for eight days, although in one long haul they pounded out 85 miles.

“It’s been on my radar for awhile as a beautiful long road, perfect for a week’s touring with no stop signs or traffic lights,” Friesen says. She’s started blogging about the experience on her website . We’ve reprinted her entry about day one below; check out the blog to read more about their journey.

Continuous Climb: Day one on the Parkway

on mine and my friends鈥� unsupported bike tour on the Blue Ridge Parkway from July  16 – 24. Day one was 19.21 miles with 4,508 ft of elevation gain, it took us 3:42:12 to complete at an average speed of 5.2 miles per hour. SLOWWW GOING. In addition to our bikes we each carried 40-60 pounds of additional gear (tents, cookstoves, food, everything we needed and some extra). I had decided while packing that this was the ordained time for me to finish 鈥淭he Gulag Archipelago” by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, turned out to just be more weight to carry. My brain got too fried for Russian Gulag literature. 

An elk greets us, a tenth of a mile into our northbound foray on the Blue Ridge Parkway. An elk. They were reintroduced to the Great Smokies in the early aughts. I learned this a few days later, poring over a biodiversity pamphlet as I sheltered out a vicious thunderstorm at a visitor center some 300 miles up the road. The elk was my first clue that we were going to learn how much we didn鈥檛 know this week. 

Late in 2019, I sketched out a race schedule for myself, tracing the contours of 2020: a 鈥渂ig year鈥� for me athletically. It was all engineered. A part of this was my plan to ride the Blue Ridge Parkway, in its entirety, as fast as possible, supported by my husband driving a follow car. At the end of every day, he would whisk me to an AirBnb to recover, I would put in monster mileage days, and I鈥檇 see if I could do it in five to six days. This was an afterthought though, nestled amongst marathons, half-marathons, and triathlons of increasing distance and challenge. Then all the races got cancelled. My calendar was a series of dates highlighted in red, 鈥渃ancelled.” All I had left in my schedule was this lone un-highlighted, un-cancelled sketch of biking the parkway. 

And then I reached out to some friends, a fellow coach, two graduated star 黑料正能量 athletes. All women, all stubborn, all strong; all looking for some kind of something to make this summer be more than a summer of loss and upheaval. Reaching out for companionship for this trek was the best impulse I鈥檝e had this summer. We started planning in earnest in early June; borrowed gear, expert bike mechanic advice, and my own experience from my cross-country ride in 2017 heavily mined. 

And, then there we were. We drove down one of our cars, and left it by permission in the parking lot of the Great Smokies visitor center. Some chaotic packing, learning and re-learning how to efficiently pack a bike was a continued process throughout the ride, and a short roll down the highway and we were turning left onto that 470 mile ribbon that carves through the many blue ridges and smoky mountains of North Carolina and Virginia. We were off. 

Or rather, we were up. Lesson two was that all of our uneducated (why did we do so little research?) guesses around elevation were incorrect. At least personally, my rationale is that if I don鈥檛 know the specifics of a ride, it doesn鈥檛 matter, because I鈥檒l stubbornly force myself through it anyway. Plus, I reasoned, nothing could be worse than that one day in Wyoming鈥檚 Bighorns, so I鈥檇 be able to do anything the East Coast could throw at me, I鈥檇 been out West. 

So, I told my friends we wouldn鈥檛 see a climb over an 8% grade (true) and that we wouldn鈥檛 have a climb longer than five to eight miles (not true, no idea where I got that idea from). And also, an 8% grade is no walk in the park when you鈥檙e doing 50-plus mile days hauling 40 – 60 pounds of gear. So. 

The first day began giddily, with laughter and excitement. It soon settled into the uphill grind. Twenty miles of it. Just around the bend, there was just another upward bend. As it got dark, and inched towards 8:30 p.m., we were bathed  in the soft pink light of sunset, golden rays, and soft clouds in orange light. The mountains became a deeper blue, even purple. We continued on the upward path, in utmost beauty and the still of an Appalachian mountain evening. 

And eventually, we saw a sign that there were bathrooms in three miles. We continued on, and found our way to Waterrock Knob, elevation somewhere around  5,500 feet. We set up a surreptitious camp, ate our dehydrated foods in the dark, and settled in for a restless night. I kept thinking about bears. The wind howled around the top of the mountain. Some teenagers partied in the parking lot at the top of the world. The bathrooms were closed and there was no water access. Some kind sunset-watchers earlier had humored our humble requests for water (which we needed for the next morning, we didn鈥檛 know when we would find more water). And that was day one. We started in a parking lot, and ended at a parking lot on top of the mountain.

鈥� Joanna Friesen