Berry College Men's Track

Syverson begins his second season at the helm of the Vikings' Mens and Womens Track & Field programs after being hired in June of 2015 to bring back the revitalized program. Syverson also serves as the Assistant Cross-Country coach and is the campus advisor for Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Berrys program started off strong in its first year as a full team, as the women finished fourth and the men fifth at the 2016 SAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Eight Vikings earned All-SAA honors in 10 events with individual conference titles won in Mens PV and 800m and Womens Javelin, Long Jump, and Steeplechase. Viking Women broke SAA Conference records in both the Javelin and Steeplechase. In addition to the conference championship success, Berry athletes broke six Indoor and eight Outdoor school records in its first year as a full program since 1983. Prior to Berry, Syverson served as the Assistant Track & Field and Cross-Country coach at NCAA DI Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn. While at Lipscomb, Syverson served as the recruiting coordinator for Track & Field and Mens distance events. Lipscomb won four Atlantic Sun Conference titles in Womens Cross-Country and two in Mens Cross-Country, the Bisons first conference championships in those two sports, during his time there. He also coached three-time NCAA DI All-American, Gemikal Prude, in the Mens HJ to a school record height of 7 3.5. Syversons athletes also captured numerous ASUN titles in the Discus and Javelin along with three different student-athletes qualifying for the USATF Junior Outdoor Championships. Syverson coached field event athletes set or broke 18 Indoor and Outdoor school records at Lipscomb. Prior to moving to Nashville, Syverson was the Athletic Director and Dean of Students at Mount Rainier Lutheran HS in Tacoma, Wash., from 2005-2010. Syverson was charged with creating the first athletic program at the new school and became the schools first XC and track & field coach. In his five years there, Syversons teams captured three WIAA state track & field championships, sweeping both the boys and girls titles in 2010. It was the first time a school in their classification had swept both titles in state history. He was named Sea-Tac League Coach of the Year six times in XC and Track. Between 1996 and 2002, Syverson served as the assistant track & field coach at Whitworth University in Spokane, Wash., where he was responsible for coaching the jumps. Whitworth had numerous conference and NAIA and NCAA DIII national qualifiers in the jumps under Syversons guidance. Syverson has coached all event areas at both the HS and Collegiate level. He is a USATF Level 1 and 2 certified coach in the Sprints/Hurdles/Relays. He also holds a USTFCCCA Technical Coaching certification in the Throws and is completing his Masters Coaching Endorsement in the Javelin through the USTFCCCA. Syverson competed in the Long Jump and Triple Jump for Washington State University of the Pac-12 Conference and completed his bachelors degree from Eastern Washington University in Physical Education and Outdoor Recreation in 1998. Luke and his wife, Sarah, have four children and live in Rome.

Buchannon III was named to the Berry College track and field staff in January, 2015. Buchanon has previous experience as an assistant coach at Sewanee, where he coached jumps. He joined the Berry College football staff in May, 2013. He is the wide recievers' coach and added special teams duties for the 2014 season. Buchannon spent the previous four football seasons on the staff at Sewanee, also a member of the Southern Athletic Association. 

West was hired to the Berry College track and field coaching staff in January, 2015. West was the head track and field coach at McKendree University from 2007 to 2012. His teams had 10 NAIA top-10 finishes, and produced 12 conference championships during his tenure. He accepted job at McKendree after serving with Paul Deaton on the Vikings' staff in 2006-07. More recently, West has been an assistant coach at Bantam Trail high School in Jacksonville, Florida since 2012. He also works as a teacher in specially designed physical education. West holds a level one coaches' certification from the USTFCCA. He earned an undergraduate degree from Southern Illinois at Edwardsville, and completed a Masters from Idaho State University.

Smith was hired onto the Berry College track & field staff in March, 2015. Coach Smith arrived after spending eight years as a part of the Shorter University athletics program as a student-athlete, a graduate assistant coach and as an assistant coach.  "With the addition of Coach Smith to the track and field coaching staff we are one more important step closer to fielding a full team," said Paul Deaton, Berry's track & field coach."Coach Smith will be assisting specifically with the throwing events. I am certain all of our prospects interested in the shotput, discus, javelin and hammer throws will be pleased to learn about this addition to our coaching staff." A native of Newnan, Georgia Smith coached the defensive line at Shorter the past two years. After serving as the Hawks outside linebackers coach for two seasons (2010-11). In addition to football, Smith thas two years of prep experience as a discus-thrower. Smith was a football star at East Coweta High, Smith began hisplaying career at Presbyterian College from 2002-04, where he was a two-year starter and was named the defensive freshman of the year. In 2006, Smith transferred to Shorter,  but saw his time on the field come to an end due to a career-ending injury. He then transitioned to coaching as a student assistant while completing his bachelors degree in public relations. Smith served as a student assistant coach along the defensive line, and later completed his masters degree while a graduate assistant coach.

Deaton began coaching at Berry as an assistant women's running coach in the fall of 1991, working with Dr. Bob Pearson. He was named the head coach of the men's cross country and track teams in the fall of 1992, and head coach of the women's cross country and track team in the fall of 1996. Deaton coached Berry for 18 years in the NAIA. During his tenure at Berry in the NAIA, Deaton has coached 15 All-Americans to a total of 43 All-American awards in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. He has also made demands of his athletes in the classroom, where 24 of Deaton's runners have earned NAIA Academic awards a total of 63 times. Deaton was named the Conference Coach of the Year 12 times, NAIA Regional Coach of the Year 12 times, and State Coach of the Year four times. Deaton is a great fit philosophically for the Southern Athletic Association and NCAA Division III athletics. In the second year of competition within the Southern Athletic Association, Berry's men's team finished second and the women's team finished fifth at the SAA Cross Country conference championships. Five runners were named SAA All-Conference. In the first year of competition at the NCAA Division III Regional meet, the men's team finished sixth and the women's team finished fourteenth. Ryan James and Charlotte Collins earned All-Region status with a third place finish and 31st place finish respectively. James was the first Berry runner to qualify for the NCAA DIII Championships, and placed 56th at the National Championships in Hanover, Indiana. During the 2014 cross country season, Deaton lead the men's team to a second consecutive second place finish at the SAA Cross Country Championships and the women's team placed fourth at the Conference meet. Three runners were named SAA All-Conference. At the South/Southeast Regional Championships, the men's team placed eighth and the women's team ninth. Sophomore Danielle Ferro finished 12th at the meet and earned All-Region honors. In the 2015 campaign, Deaton led the men's team to a second place finish at the SAA Championships, as well as an eighth place finish at the NCAA Regionals. The women finished second and twelth at those meets, respectively. Deaton emphasizes a complete student athlete experience. Successful completion of a quality college degree is a priority for every student on the team. The BC cross country and track teams take full advantage of the opportunity to work together as a team. Athletic development and competition is sought daily, and culminates in the NCAA Regionals and Nationals each November. The men's and women's cross country teams earned USTFCCA All-Academic team honors for earning cumulative team GPA of 3.10 or higher for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. In addition, five runners have been named to the USTFCCA Academic All-Region Team over the 2013 and 2014 cross country seasons. A graduate of Berry College, Deaton earned All-American honors in the men's marathon at the 1991 NAIA Outdoor Track National Championships. Deaton is originally from Athens, Ga., where he attended Athens Academy. As a high school runner he won three GHSA state championships. Post collegiately he continued to compete including three Atlanta Marathon wins in 1997, 1998, and 2000. More recently he has enjoyed competing with the National Champion Atlanta Track Club Masters (40 and over) division USATF Club Cross Country team. Most of all he enjoys joining the team or local runners for a run on the Berry College campus, a running haven. He seeks ways to give back to the sport as a whole. Deaton is a founding member of the Go Go Running club locally. He also maintains memberships in the Atlanta Track Club, the USTCCCA and the USATF. In addition to hosting quality collegiate cross country competitions on the Berry campus he hosts post collegiate, high school, middle school and elementary school races on campus including the annual Berry College Clara Bowl. Deaton earned his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Berry, and his Master¹s degree in exercise science from Georgia State University. He is married to the former Jody Carey of Lexington, Ga. Jody has an undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and a graduate degree from Berry College in education. They have two sons, Jared and John Prosser.