Mississippi College Men's Cross Country

Joseph Snyder enters his third year as Head Coach of the Mississippi Christian University Cross Country and Track & Field programs after assuming the head coaching role during the 2024 outdoor season. Snyder originally joined the program in 2021 as the throws coach before being promoted to oversee the entire program. Since taking over as head coach, Snyder has guided Mississippi Christian University to unprecedented success, leading the Choctaws to conference championships, NCAA Championship appearances, school-record performances, and national recognition across cross country and track & field. Head Coaching Success 2025 Cross Country The 2025 cross country season marked one of the program's strongest years in school history. Women's Gulf South Conference Champions Men's team finished 3rd at the Gulf South Conference Championships Lauren Wallace captured the NCAA Division II South Region Championship and qualified for the NCAA National Championships. Taylor Benoit qualified individually for the NCAA National Championships. Matthew Singletary earned All-South Region honors. 2025-26 Indoor & Outdoor Track and Field Under Snyder's leadership, Mississippi Christian University produced one of the finest seasons in program history. Season Highlights 18 School Records 17 Gulf South Conference Event Champions 9 Gulf South Conference Championship Records 53 All-GSC Honors 21 Indoor 32 Outdoor 69 All-South Region Honors 10 NCAA National Qualifiers 8 NCAA All-Americans 5 Gulf South Conference Athlete of the Year Awards Indoor Season The Choctaws finished 3rd in both the men's and women's team standings while producing: 9 GSC Event Champions 5 GSC Championship Records 8 School Records Major conference honors included: Jake McMillan GSC Most Outstanding Freshman of the Meet GSC Most Outstanding Overall Performer GSC Field Athlete of the Year School records included performances by: Gabe Hodson – 800m Tristan Jusino-Lansing – 60m Hurdles Schyler Chambers – Triple Jump James Miller – Weight Throw Jake McMillan – Heptathlon Lauren Wallace – Mile Bre Bell – 3000m Mallory Dial – High Jump The program earned 37 Indoor All-South Region honors. Three athletes qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships: Gabe Hodson (800m) – All-American Lauren Wallace (Mile) – All-American Schyler Chambers (Triple Jump) Outdoor Season Mississippi Christian University again finished 3rd in both the men's and women's team standings while recording: 10 School Records 8 GSC Event Champions Multiple conference record performances 32 Outdoor All-GSC selections 32 Outdoor All-South Region honors Conference honors included: Gabe Hodson – GSC Track Athlete of the Year Jake McMillan – GSC Field Athlete of the Year Tristan Jusino-Lansing – GSC Freshman of the Year Tristan Jusino-Lansing – GSC Most Outstanding Freshman Performer Rebekah Zweerink – GSC Women's Field Athlete of the Year Seven athletes qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships, including: Gabe Hodson (800m) Brodie Roberts (100m) Christian Balcer (1500m) Jake McMillan (Decathlon) Schyler Chambers (Triple Jump) Lauren Wallace (1500m) Bre Bell (3000m Steeplechase) The season produced multiple NCAA All-Americans, highlighted by Bre Bell, Gabe Hodson, and Lauren Wallace. 2024-25 Season During Snyder's first full year leading the program, Mississippi Christian University continued its upward trajectory. Cross Country Men's team qualified for the NCAA Division II National Championships. Men's team finished 3rd at both the Gulf South Conference Championships and NCAA South Regional. Women's team finished 3rd at the Gulf South Conference Championships. Taylor Benoit qualified individually for the NCAA National Championships. Track & Field The Choctaws produced: 6 School Records 11 Gulf South Conference Champions 30 All-GSC Honors 33 All-South Region Honors 5 NCAA National Qualifiers Conference champions included: Indoor Bryan Puckett (Shot Put) James Miller (Weight Throw) DJ Daniels (Long Jump) Men's 4x400 Relay Hilary Udechukwu (400m) Outdoor Oliver Ollesch (400m Hurdles) James Miller (Hammer Throw) Matt Coleman (Javelin) Men's 4x400 Relay Hilary Udechukwu (400m Hurdles) Madison Flugence (Long Jump) Oliver Ollesch was named Gulf South Conference Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year. 2024 Outdoor Season Snyder assumed the role of head coach during the outdoor season and immediately led the Choctaws to one of the best campaigns in program history. Highlights included: 10 School Records 5 Gulf South Conference Champions 23 All-GSC Honors 26 All-South Region Honors 7 NCAA National Qualifiers 8 NCAA All-Americans Conference champions included: Niklas Klei – 400m James Miller – Hammer Throw Matt Coleman – Javelin Men's 4x400 Relay Nicole Morris – Women's Shot Put Niklas Klei earned Gulf South Conference Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, while Grayson Foster was named Gulf South Conference Outdoor Freshman of the Year. Throws Coach Success (2021-2024) Before becoming head coach, Snyder established Mississippi Christian University as one of the premier throwing programs in NCAA Division II. Over three seasons directing the throws group, his athletes produced: 19 Throws School Records 11 Gulf South Conference Champions 24 All-GSC Honors More than 275 points scored by throwers at GSC Championships 52 All-South Region selections Multiple NCAA National Championship provisional qualifiers His athletes earned numerous conference honors, including: Al Ferrill GSC Indoor Field Athlete of the Year GSC Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year South Region Indoor Field Athlete of the Year Essence Tornabene GSC Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year Since becoming head coach, Snyder has continued overseeing the throws program while maintaining its tradition of excellence. From 2024-26, the throws group added: 7 additional school records 7 Gulf South Conference Champions 20 All-GSC honors 249 points scored at the Gulf South Conference Championships 24 All-South Region honors Multiple NCAA provisional qualifiers The 2026 season was highlighted by: Jake Keesee setting a Gulf South Conference record in the Hammer Throw. Rebekah Zweerink earning South Region Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year honors. NCAA provisional qualifiers Matthew Coleman (Javelin), Jake Keesee (Hammer), and James Miller (Weight Throw). Under Snyder's leadership, Mississippi Christian University has established itself as one of the Gulf South Conference's premier programs, consistently producing conference champions, All-Americans, NCAA qualifiers, school records, and nationally competitive student-athletes across cross country, track & field, and the throwing events. Snyder lives in Clinton with his wife, Sierra and three children. Adelyn (7), Brienna (5), and Ezra (3)

Ard has been named conference mens coach of the year three times and womens coach of the year three times. In the Fall of 2004 and 2005 Matthew Manning became the first Choctaw to compete in the NCAA DIII National Cross Country Championships. Manning's personal-best for an 8k race in cross country came in his senior year with a time of 25:05. In 2013, freshman Ryan Campbell finished 20th in the National Christian College Athletic Association national cross country championships in a time of 26:22. On the womens side Rachel Hardin set a Lady Choctaw and American Southwest Conference record in the womens 6k with a time of 23:12. She also finished 18th in the South Region in 2005. In 2009, Jennifer Cooper became the first Lady Choctaw to compete in the NCAA National Cross Country Championships, based on her 7th-place in the NCAA South/Southeast Region meet in Greensboro, NC. Jennifers personal-best time of 18:35 in the 5k still stands as the top time for the Lady Choctaws. In addition to his cross country duties, coach Ard has worked to restore a MC track & field program with a long tradition of excellence. In his first 12 seasons, he has guided the Choctaws and Lady Choctaws to improved conference and national rankings, seeing 20 track athletes qualify for the NCAA Division III Track & Field Championships. In 2007, Al Winsley brought home All-American honors in the Long Jump, Triple Jump and High Jump. That year, the men's track & field team finished the year with a #18 national ranking. In 2008, Winsley posted a personal-best in the high jump of 2.22m (73) and became the first Choctaw to quality for the Olympic trials since Larry Myricks (4-time Olympian) in 1976. Winsley went on to be named NCAA Mens Field Athlete of The Year for indoor and outdoor seasons in 2008. The womens program also had success over the first 12 seasons. Bridget Foreman (2007 graduate) qualified and competed in the NCAA outdoor track and field championships all four years, and also made an appearance in the NCAA indoor championships her senior year. Liz Laubenberg finished her career in 2011 with back-to-back trips to the NCAA National Championship in the womens 400m Hurdles. In 2013, Jessica Hodges (So) qualified for the NCAA DIII Championships in the Pole Vault, with a jump of 12 Feet. Overall, in his first 12 seasons, coach Ard has had 30 men receive all-ASC honors, with 16 conference individual event champions. The womens team has posted 18 all-ASC members and nine individual champions. In 2008, coach Ard was also named ASC mens track coach of the year. Coach Ard previously built powerhouse programs at each of his coaching stops prior to MC, most recently at Tupelo High School. While at Tupelo his men and women's track teams captured the Mississippi High School Athletic Association class 5A cross country championships in 2001. For his work, he was named the Mississippi Girls cross country Coach of the Year. The Tupelo track teams also excelled under coach Ard with the boy's team earning the 1998 state championship and Coach Ard was named the Mississippi Boy's Track Coach of the Year. He was also selected as the 1998 NFHS National Girls Track Coach of the Year. In four of his five years at Tupelo, his men's teams finished in the top 15 in the nation, finishing as high as 10th in 1999. Before arriving at Tupelo, Ard coached track and cross country at St. Andrews Episcopal School from 1995-1997. Again, he quickly established St. Andrew's as one of Mississippi's top high school programs. His girl's team won the 1996 State 2A track championship, their first-ever championship. In 1996, Ard was named Mississippi girls Cross Country Coach of the Year and in 1997 he was named the Mississippi girls Track Coach of the Year. In 21 years of coaching, Ard has played a huge role in developing 27 All-Americans in track & field and cross country and two individual national champions. In 2010, Ard was voted into the Hinds Community College Sports Hall of Fame, where he competed from 1979-1981. Ard competed in track and football in high school at McCluer Academy. During his high school career, he was a state champion in track in the 400m Dash and Long Jump. He was also a bronze medalist in the 400m and a silver medalist in the Long Jump in the AAU National Junior Olympics. In his high school football career, he earned All-Conference honors, as well as Offensive MVP honors in the state All-Star game. Ard attended Hinds Community College, and while there earned All-American honors in Track and Field. He is married to the former Dawn Dear, and they have two children: Phil, a US Marine with two tours of Iraq, and Adrienne, a 2008 graduate of Mississippi College with a degree in Psychology.