Saint Ambrose University Men's Track

Tomlin was named Midwest Collegiate Conference Men's Track and Field Coach of the Year in 2008 and twice during the 2010 season (indoor and outdoor). Tomlin has led the men to three Midwest Collegiate Conference Championships (2008 outdoor, 2010 indoor, 2010 outdoor), and led the women to their first conference title (2010 outdoor) since 2001. Tomlin has also coached athletes to eight NAIA All-American finishes, raising the total number of SAU track & field All-Americans awards to 13. During Coach Tomlin's tenure, the Fighting Bee men's and women's teams have shattered the recordbooks, recording 139 school records in just 5 seasons. The Fighting Bees have also qualified numerous relays for the Drake Relays, including top 10 finishes by the men's shuttle hurdle relay (10th in '08, 9th in '10), women's shuttle hurdle relay (6th in '09), the men's 4x200 (7th in '12) and women's 4x200m relay (10th in '10). Tomlin's student-athletes have seen major success in the classroom as well, as over 50 men and women have been named Academic All-Americans. Tomlin is a graduate of St. Ambrose University (2005 B.S., 2010 M.B.A), where he was a four-time letter winner for the Fighting Bees track and field team, and a two-time letter winner for the cross country team. He was named MVP of the track team his junior and senior seasons. Dan Zeimet is the head men's and women's cross country coach for the Fighting Bees, and also serves as the assistant coach for track, working with the middle-distance crew. Since being named head cross country coach in 2003, the Fighting Bees have seen its programs become the highly-regarded teams they are today. Since 2003, Zeimets cross country teams have won the Midwest Collegiate Conference six times (men in '06, '07,'08, '09; women in '04, '05). During that time, he has sent two teams and several individuals on to the NAIA National XC Championships, and has had 30+ athletes earn academic scholar honors. From 1999-2002, Zeimet served as the Head Cross Country Coach at Assumption High School, Davenport, Iowa. At Assumption, his boys squad finished in the top 5 at the Iowa state meet in 2001 and 2002 while also winning the Boys Mississippi Athletic Conference Championship in 2001. Zeimet, a '91 BA, '96 MBA alum, ran both track and cross country for four years for the Fighting Bees and was a two-time XC national qualifier. He was inducted into the St. Ambrose Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000. He also serves as the University Registrar. Coach Zeimet and his wife, Melissa, have two children, Tyler James and Leah Rose. Ryan Saddler is a former head coach of the Fighting Bee men's and women's track and field teams, and works primarily with the sprinters and relays. Saddler is a native of Waterloo, Iowa, where he graduated from East High School in 1991. He later graduated from St. Ambrose in 1995 with two undergraduate degrees: a BS Degree in Biology and a BA Degree in Psychology. Currently, Coach Saddler is also the Director for Students with Disabilities at St. Ambrose. He had been Head Coach for the four seasons between 2000-2003. Saddlers Head Coaching career began in 2000 when he stepped in to continue the prolific 19 seasons Coach Kevin Rose invested in rebuilding the Track and Field program. Saddler ran for four years under Coach Rose before serving as his Assistant Coach for three years. Coach Saddler was named the 2000 MCC Women's Coach of the Year, the 2001 MCC Women's Coach of the Year, and also honored as the 2000 MCC Men's Coach of the Year. On the National level he qualified three women to the NAIA Indoor Championships while two qualified for the Outdoor Championships. Five men qualified for the NAIA Indoor Championships and the one that qualified for the Outdoor Championships brought back a fourth place finish and the All-American Honor. Saddler also coached Rob Firrell to a National Championship in the 35# Weight Throw in 2003, only the schools second national championship, and the first for the track and field team. While at St. Ambrose, Saddler was involved in various activities such as: Athletics, the Black Student Union, the Gospel Choir, Residence Life, and the University Choral. During his athletic career, Saddler was a four-year starting defensive back for the Fighting Bee football team and a two-time national qualifier in track and field. Beth Cunningham joined St. Ambrose as an assistant coach to both the men's and women's cross country and track teams in 2006-07. Cunningham arrived at St. Ambrose after receiving her Bachelors degree in Elementary Education from Central College. While at Central, Cunningham excelled in both cross country and track. In 2004-2005, she was an IIAC Indoor Conference Champion in the 5k (in 2004) and in the 3k (in 2005). Also in 2005, she was nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year. Cunningham is originally from Davenport, Iowa, and graduated from Davenport Central High School in 2001. She was assistant track and field coach from 2005-06 at Central College. Cunningham comes to SAU from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa., where she was the assistant coach for cross country and track and field from 2006-2007. Marcus Simpao has been an assistant coach for the Fighting Bees since 2008-09, working primarily with the jumpers while also assisting with sprint workouts. Coach Simpao's jumpers have won multiple conference championships in long and triple jump, while also qualifying for the NAIA National Championships. In 2010, Simpao coach Ian VanAntwerp to the conference championship and national level in the long jump, breaking the oldest conference record in the books. Sarah Medland also broke the school record in the long jump as a freshman. In 2011, Simpao coached freshman triple jumper Naomi Patrnchak to a school record leap and NAIA National qualifying berth. Simpao also led freshman Kayla Sanborn to a conference championship in the triple jump on her way to being named MCC Field Athlete of the year and a top 20 finish in the heptathlon. In 2012, Simpao coached Patrnchak, VanAntwerp, Medland and Sarah Torres to all-MCC finishes in the long and triple jumps, as well as assisting in Rachel Luehrs All-American pentathlon performance.

Zeimets cross country teams have won the Midwest Collegiate Conference six times (men in '06, '07,'08, '09; women in '04, '05). During that time, he has sent two teams and several individuals on to the NAIA National XC Championships, and has had 30+ athletes earn academic scholar honors. From 1999-2002, Zeimet served as the Head Cross Country Coach at Assumption High School, Davenport, Iowa. At Assumption, his boys squad finished in the top 5 at the Iowa state meet in 2001 and 2002 while also winning the Boys Mississippi Athletic Conference Championship in 2001. Zeimet, a '91 BA, '96 MBA alum, ran both track and cross country for four years for the Fighting Bees and was a two-time XC national qualifier. He was inducted into the St. Ambrose Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000. He also serves as the University Registrar. Coach Zeimet and his wife, Melissa, have two children, Tyler James and Leah Rose. Ryan Saddler is a former head coach of the Fighting Bee men's and women's track and field teams, and works primarily with the sprinters and relays. Saddler is a native of Waterloo, Iowa, where he graduated from East High School in 1991. He later graduated from St. Ambrose in 1995 with two undergraduate degrees: a BS Degree in Biology and a BA Degree in Psychology. Currently, Coach Saddler is also the Director for Students with Disabilities at St. Ambrose. He had been Head Coach for the four seasons between 2000-2003. Saddlers Head Coaching career began in 2000 when he stepped in to continue the prolific 19 seasons Coach Kevin Rose invested in rebuilding the Track and Field program. Saddler ran for four years under Coach Rose before serving as his Assistant Coach for three years. Coach Saddler was named the 2000 MCC Women's Coach of the Year, the 2001 MCC Women's Coach of the Year, and also honored as the 2000 MCC Men's Coach of the Year. On the National level he qualified three women to the NAIA Indoor Championships while two qualified for the Outdoor Championships. Five men qualified for the NAIA Indoor Championships and the one that qualified for the Outdoor Championships brought back a fourth place finish and the All-American Honor. Saddler also coached Rob Firrell to a National Championship in the 35# Weight Throw in 2003, only the schools second national championship, and the first for the track and field team. While at St. Ambrose, Saddler was involved in various activities such as: Athletics, the Black Student Union, the Gospel Choir, Residence Life, and the University Choral. During his athletic career, Saddler was a four-year starting defensive back for the Fighting Bee football team and a two-time national qualifier in track and field. Beth Cunningham joined St. Ambrose as an assistant coach to both the men's and women's cross country and track teams in 2006-07. Cunningham arrived at St. Ambrose after receiving her Bachelors degree in Elementary Education from Central College. While at Central, Cunningham excelled in both cross country and track. In 2004-2005, she was an IIAC Indoor Conference Champion in the 5k (in 2004) and in the 3k (in 2005). Also in 2005, she was nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year. Cunningham is originally from Davenport, Iowa, and graduated from Davenport Central High School in 2001. She was assistant track and field coach from 2005-06 at Central College. Cunningham comes to SAU from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa., where she was the assistant coach for cross country and track and field from 2006-2007. Marcus Simpao has been an assistant coach for the Fighting Bees since 2008-09, working primarily with the jumpers while also assisting with sprint workouts. Coach Simpao's jumpers have won multiple conference championships in long and triple jump, while also qualifying for the NAIA National Championships. In 2010, Simpao coach Ian VanAntwerp to the conference championship and national level in the long jump, breaking the oldest conference record in the books. Sarah Medland also broke the school record in the long jump as a freshman. In 2011, Simpao coached freshman triple jumper Naomi Patrnchak to a school record leap and NAIA National qualifying berth. Simpao also led freshman Kayla Sanborn to a conference championship in the triple jump on her way to being named MCC Field Athlete of the year and a top 20 finish in the heptathlon. In 2012, Simpao coached Patrnchak, VanAntwerp, Medland and Sarah Torres to all-MCC finishes in the long and triple jumps, as well as assisting in Rachel Luehrs All-American pentathlon performance.