#KingChasing Podcast

A native of The Woodlands, Texas, Brynn King is currently a graduate student at Roberts Wesleyan University, competing on the Redhawks track & field team. King was the first-ever NCAA Division II National Champion at RWU, winning the 2024 NCAA indoor pole vault national championship. King did so by breaking her own NCAA Division II indoor pole vault record, clearing 4.65 meters (15-feet, 3 inches) at the NCAA Division II Championships in Pittsburg, Kansas. She has since won two more NCAA National Championships in pole vault, and just set the NCAA women’s outdoor pole vault record with a jump of 4.75-meters (15-feet, 7-inches) at the 97th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays on March 29.

King also competed for the United States Olympic Team in 2024 in Paris, France after clearing a jump of 4.73 meters (15-feet, 6 1/4 inches) on June 30 at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field during the Olympic Trials to catapult from eighth in the standings to finish third and earn a spot on Team USA for the 2024 Paris Olympics. King would go on to finish 22nd in the event in her first Olympic appearance. 

In this episode, King discusses how she got involved in track & field, how she overcame injuries by surrounding herself with believers who encouraged her off the track, her experience at the Olympic Trials and at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and how the Roberts Wesleyan community has rallied around her over the last year.  

Josh Lindblom is a former Major League Baseball pitcher, as he was drafted in the second round of the 2008 MLB draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and also played in the South Korean KBO League, earning the KBO MVP Award after going 20-3 with a 2.50 ERA and 189 strikeouts over 194.2 innings with Doosan. Michael Maiocco is a former pitcher for Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida, where he finished his collegiate career with a 21-10 record, 203 strikeouts, and pitched a pair of complete games for the Saints in 203.1 innings of work.

 

In this episode, Lindblom and Maiocco discusses their playing careers, their feelings of being lost after seeing their careers end in different ways, how they met and started Congruency, and how their faith has shaped them throughout baseball and in life.  

Nina Daman competed on both the cross country and track & field teams at Campbellsville University and was a two-time All-Mid-South Conference runner. Off the course, Daman graduated this fall with a 3.91 GPA while majoring in art with a graphic design emphasis. 

She has been an NCCAA and NAIA Scholar-Athlete in both track & field and cross country and has earned Mid-South Conference Academic honors in both sports.

 

From Lexington, Kentucky, Daman grew up as an orphan in China, living in an overcrowded orphanage without the resources or leadership to properly take care of her. However, Daman was adopted by a family that puts the Lord first in everything they do. This led to Daman becoming a leader in the Campbellsville FCA, a member of the Campbellsville and Mid-South Conference Athletic Leadership Team, and a member of 3Trees Church. Daman has also been on a mission trip to Alaska with the athletes from Campbellsville University. 

 

Daman is the first cross country runner in NCCAA history to earn the Bullock Award for NCCAA DI Women’s Cross Country in back-to-back seasons since the award was introduced in 2002, winning the award in 2023 and in 2024. 

 

In this episode, Daman discusses her life growing up in China, how her parents led her to Christ, how she found Campbellsville University and the sport of cross country, and how she plans to spread Christ in her postgrad career.

Grant Clayton is a graduate of Coastal Carolina University, where he was a kicker for the Chanticleers in 2011 and 2012. Clayton ranks eighth all-time in field goal percentage, eighth all-time in field goals made, and seventh all-time in PAT kicks made in the history of the Coastal Carolina football program. Clayton was also a member of the 2012 Big South Championship team that advanced to the second round of the FCS Playoffs.

 

Clayton currently works as the Partnership Development Manager for World Relief Upstate SC in Greenville, South Carolina, an organization that helps refugees from foreign countries establish a new life in their local communities in the United States and gets them involved with a local church. He is also an associate pastor at Redeemer City Church in Greenville, South Carolina.

 

In this episode, Clayton discusses how he came to know the Lord while at Coastal Carolina, his memories of playing football, and how he works with refugees and local churches with World Relief. 

Amanda Roth is a graduate of North Central University (NCU), where she played softball for the Rams. During her time at NCU, Roth finished her career inside the top five in program history in hits, runs, triples, games played, batting average, and total bases. Following her time at North Central, Roth worked as an Addiction Recovery Coach in Minneapolis, Minnesota, an Administrative Assistant for the Jesus Film Project, and, most recently as the Women’s Engagement and Academy Coach for Uncommon Sports Group. Roth is currently transitioning into a role with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter based out of Minneapolis. 

 

In this episode, Roth reflects on her playing career at NCU, how her friendships helped form a firm foundation in her walk with Christ, taking a risk to leave her Graduate Assistantship position, and on what the future holds with her and FCA.

Abby Schultz is a graduate of Grace Christian University, where she played basketball and volleyball for the Tigers. In her senior season, Schultz helped lead the Tigers to their first regional championship in school history, culminating in a fourth-place finish at the 2016 NCCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Championship. Schultz was an NCCAA First Team All-American selection in 2016 and was the winner of the prestigious Game Plan 4 LIFE Award. Following her playing career, Schultz coached women’s basketball at Hannibal-LaGrange University, Dordt University, and Indiana Wesleyan University before earning her current role as Championship Sports Manager for the NAIA. In 2022, Schultz earned the honor of being inducted into the Grace Christian University Athletic Hall of Fame. 

 

In this episode, Schultz reflects on her playing career at Grace Christian University, the challenges and responsibility of being a Christian coach, and how humbling it was to be inducted into the Grace Christian University Athletic Hall of Fame.

Collin Cone is the head men’s soccer coach at Lubbock Christian University. Cone is entering his third season as head coach of the Chaparrals, guiding LCU to a pair of wins over nationally ranked opponents in his first year and has had seven players named to the Lone Star All-Conference Team, along with one Lone Star Conference Academic Player of the Year Award winner.

 

Cone is a graduate of Grace College, where he registered a 23-16-7 mark in goal for the Lancers, making 203 saves and posting 15 shutouts, guiding Grace to back-to-back NCCAA Division I Men’s Soccer National Championship appearances. In his time as an assistant coach at Grace College, the Lancers won the Crossroads League Championship for the first time in 25 years and made it to the NAIA National Championship Tournament for the first time in 35 years.

 

In this episode, Cone shares his experience growing up as the son of two missionaries in Cameroon, how he came to play and coach soccer at Grace College, and his experience now as a head soccer coach and as a new father to twins.

Cat Collins has been the head coach of the Eagles beach volleyball program for four seasons and was the interim indoor volleyball head coach this year. In 2021, Cat was named to the AVCA 30 Under 30 Beach Volleyball Coaches Award List and set a school record for most wins in a season in Carson-Newman Beach Volleyball history in 2023, as the Eagles finished the year with a 25-8 record. Collins is a graduate of Warner University, where she played volleyball for the Royals from 2015-2017, and was a member of the 2016 NCCAA South Regional Championship volleyball team at Warner. Collins was also an intern coordinator for B.A.L.L. Sports Ministry and was the FCA Organizational Ministry Leader at Warner from 2015-18. 

 

In this episode, Collins shares about how she found her way to Warner, starting the B.A.L.L. sports ministry after going on a mission trip, and cultivating relationships with her student-athletes through Christ. 

Hailey Cavanagh is the head softball coach of Concordia University Ann Arbor. Hailey is in her seventh year with the Cardinals and during her time has had three NCCAA World Series’ appearances, one National Championship title, and has been named NCCAA Coach of the Year. She has also twice been named the conference Champion of Character Coach. Hailey received her bachelor’s degree from William Penn University in 2010 and her Master’s in Business Administration at the University of Dubuque in 2012.

In this episode, Hailey shares about the on-field success of her softball team, how she integrates faith within the team, and balancing the mindset of winning while staying focused on Christ.

Mark Womack is the Sports Information Director for Cedarville University. Mark has been the SID for the Yellow Jackets since 1983, currently serving in his 41st year. Also a Cedarville graduate, he was a four-year member of the men’s basketball and golf teams, and was inducted into the Cedarville University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001. Mark was also the 2000 recipient of the Clarence “Ike” Pearson Award which recognizes outstanding achievement in the sports information field.

In this episode, Mark shares about his time at Cedarville as a student-athlete and SID, how his job has changed over the past 40 years, and how he incorporates faith into his role.