® CENTRAL COLLEGE ATHLETICS COMPETE WITH THE www.central.edu 1 EMBRACE THE CHALLENGE You want to be pushed, stretched and challenged to be your best. As an athlete. As a student. As a person. You want coaches and professors who will hold you to a high standard. You want to learn. You want to perform. You want to win. And you want teammates and classmates who expect nothing less. THAT’S CENTRAL ATHLETICS. ® 2 Quarterback Blaine Hawkins ’21 is one of Central’s all-time football greats. With a season to go, he’s already the most prolific passer in school history. His name sits atop the list of nearly every single-season and career passing record. “What I love is being a part of the brotherhood that is Central College football,” he says. “I’m lucky to be part of that group.” In 2019, Hawkins threw for a school- record 3,302 yards and 44 touchdowns and rushed for 522 yards and another nine touchdowns. He was a first-team all- You want to be pushed, stretched and challenged to be your best. American Rivers Conference selection for a second year in a row and was named the As an athlete. As a student. As a person. conference’s offensive player of the year. He and the Dutch had a season to You want coaches and professors who will hold you to a high standard. remember. They finished 10-2, won their first You want to learn. You want to perform. You want to win. conference title since 2009 and advanced to the Division III playoffs, winning a postseason And you want teammates and classmates who expect nothing less. game for the first time since 2007. While football was a big reason Hawkins chose Central, he found so much more once THAT’S CENTRAL ATHLETICS. he got on campus. He’s an economics major with a minor in business management, serves on the Student Senate, studied abroad in London and has participated in internships in the U.S. and abroad. “Your time at Central is what you make it,” he says. “I’ve gained experience that will benefit me going forward.” Hear more of Blaine’s story: BLAINE HAWKINS ’21 central.edu/hawkins. HOMETOWN: Ankeny, Iowa MAJOR: Economics MINOR: Business Management SPORT: Football POSITION: Quarterback SCHOLARSHIPS: Presidential, Trustee and Creative Writing Award “The football team is like family. They’re always ready to give you a hand if you need it.” — BLAINE HAWKINS ’21 3 FOOTBALL + AMERICA’S FOURTH- WINNINGEST COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAM SINCE 1975 + 31 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS + 21 NCAA PLAYOFF BERTHS Central reached the second round of the 2019 NCAA Division III Football Championships. “Tradition is something you kind of just breathe here. The program’s legacy speaks for itself. Being able to continue that legacy and the tradition is part of what makes the program so special.” — JORDY BORMAN ’20 HOMETOWN: Eagan, Minnesota MAJOR: Athletic Training POSITION: Defensive Back SCHOLARSHIPS: Presidential, Heritage and Trustee GRAD SCHOOL: Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer, Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota 4 VOLLEYBALL 17 CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL TITLES + 11 NCAA “Playing Central volleyball has been one of the best choices of my life. I have been given the opportunity to TOURNAMENT travel to so many different schools and states to BERTHS play but also received the tools to succeed academically and athletically. I am constantly being pushed to be the best + athlete and person I can be.” — RUTH HRUSKA-KELLEY ’22 3 HOMETOWN: Brookfield, Illinois NATIONAL MAJOR: Biology/Pre-Nursing CHAMPIONSHIPS POSITION: Outside Hitter SCHOLARSHIPS: Presidential, Journey and Verploeg 5 BASKETBALL 6 Winner of six conference crowns, the Central women’s basketball team has captured a national championship while earning five NCAA tournament berths. OFFICIAL SPONSOR CENTRAL WAS THE FIRST UNDER ARMOUR COLLEGE IN IOWA. “I am fulfilling my dream of playing college basketball at Central. It has challenged me to become a better player both mentally and physically. I am not just a player here, I am part of a family that will be alongside me for the remainder of my career and beyond.” — KELSEA HURLEY ’23 HOMETOWN: Scottsdale, Arizona MAJOR: Psychology POSITION: Guard SCHOLARSHIPS: Presidential, Dean’s, Journey, Trustee and Community Service Award 6 17 CENTRAL HAS WON 17 CONFERENCE MEN’S BASKETBALL TITLES WITH 11 NCAA DIVISION III TOURNEY BERTHS. “My relationship with the guys on the team and with our coaches is so genuine. They don’t have an agenda. They have goals, but they are here for our betterment. I wouldn’t trade playing Division III basketball because everything is so real.” — JACOB ANDERSON ’22 HOMETOWN: Iowa City, Iowa MAJOR: Business Management MINOR: Exercise Science POSITION: Guard SCHOLARSHIPS: Presidential and Trustee 7 SOCCER 2019 Central won the 2019 men’s conference title and made its first NCAA Division III Championships appearance. With 93 wins in eight seasons under Coach Mike Kobylinski ’03, the Central women’s soccer team is a regional contender. “My teammates and coaches constantly push me to be better on the field — and off the field as well. The amount of support I receive in and out of season is crazy. I’m so thankful for that.” — KATIE WANG ’21 HOMETOWN: Brooklyn Park, Minnesota MAJORS: Biochemistry and Spanish POSITION: Forward SCHOLARSHIP: Joan Kuyper Farver Wang was named a 2020 Goldwater Scholar in a prestigious national competition that recognizes undergraduates for outstanding achievements in the fields of mathematics, science and engineering. 8 WRESTLING 2 FULL-TIME STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACHES GIVE EACH CENTRAL ATHLETE AN INDIVIDUALIZED STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING PLAN + 7 “I’ve improved so much and gotten closer to my TOP-10 NCAA WRESTLING goals thanks to my hard-working teammates and my TEAM FINISHES awesome coaches. There’s no better feeling than getting a pin at the regional meet and being able to look up at my whole team freaking out and know they’re in my corner.” + — GAVIN BABCOCK ’21 HOMETOWN: Altoona, Iowa 53 MAJOR: Business Management WRESTLING WEIGHT CLASS: 197 pounds ALL-AMERICA AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS: Presidential, Jann Freed, Trustee, Journey and Kester 9 BASEBALL 11 Central has won 20-plus games in 11 seasons since 2005, with two conference titles. “I appreciate how well the professors here at Central work with student-athletes. They’re always willing to work around your schedule. They even send emails or congratulate you in person on a good game. It’s one of those things that makes playing for Central really cool.” — TREVOR KIMM ’21 HOMETOWN: Urbandale, Iowa MAJOR: Exercise Science POSITION: Catcher SCHOLARSHIPS: Journey, Rathmell and Trustee Scholarships and Central Foundations and Community Service Awards “The mental side of baseball is so deep and there’s just so much stress you go through that I think it translates well into the classroom.” — GARRETT SAUNDERS ’19 Two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree Shortstop, Atlanta Braves minor league organization 10 SOFTBALL 30 CENTRAL HAS FOUR NCAA NATIONAL SOFTBALL TITLES WITH A RECORD 30 NCAA TOURNEY APPEARANCES. “My athletics experience at Central has been incredible. I have learned so much about the game and myself. Central softball has made believe in myself and the importance of living in the moment.” — DARIA PARCHERT ’21 HOMETOWN: Illinois City, Illinois MAJOR: Business Management POSITION: Shortstop SCHOLARSHIPS: Presidential, Journey, Central Heritage Grant and Ministry and Mission Award 11 CROSS COUNTRY Central’s on-campus cross country course is one of Division III’s top college courses. It was the site of two NCAA Central Region Championships. The Central women’s cross country team won an NCAA national championship. 7 The Central men’s cross country team has been represented at seven NCAA national meets since 2011. “Central has helped me grow as a person. It has challenged me academically, athletically and spiritually. I have learned a lot about myself and will use those lessons as I transition into the future and my career.” — NATE SANDERS ’21 HOMETOWN: Waukee, Iowa MAJOR: Exercise Science SPORT: Cross Country SCHOLARSHIPS: Presidential, Trustee, Terlouw and Ministry and Mission Award 12 TRACK & FIELD 12 Winner of 12 indoor and outdoor conference men’s track and field titles since 2009, Central captured four individual national championships the past two seasons. 11 The Dutch women’s track and field team has an NCAA national team title and 11 individual crowns. “Central has helped me turn my goals into reality. It has given me the confidence to know that I can compete and succeed and do whatever I put my mind to with the right amount of work, dedication and encouragement from others.” — MARY GRAY ’21 HOMETOWN: West Des Moines, Iowa MAJOR: Business Management SPORT: Track and Field SCHOLARSHIPS: Presidential, Trustee, Class of 1971, Central Heritage Grant and Community Service Award 13 GOLF 32 The Central men’s golf team has a record 32 conference crowns while earning 33 NCAA tourney berths. The Bos Landen Golf Club is Central’s home course and received a four-star rating from Golf Digest. Central’s Ryerson Golf Practice 10 Facility features two chipping greens, The Dutch won their 10th conference practice bunkers and 20 tee boxes. women’s golf title in 2018 and earned a berth in the 2019 NCAA Division III Championships. “My experience at Central has been amazing. It has given me every opportunity I could dream of, like being able to play golf at a high level and continue the tradition of Central men’s golf. It’s something I wouldn’t trade for the world.” — KOBE RHODES ’20 HOMETOWN: Glenwood, Iowa MAJOR: Business Management MINOR: Entrepreneurship SPORT: Golf SCHOLARSHIPS: Presidential, Trustee and Community Service Award 14 TENNIS 31 THE DUTCH HAVE EARNED ALL-CONFERENCE WOMEN’S TENNIS HONORS 31 TIMES SINCE 2007.