Wheaton College MA Men's Track

Spence '04 begins her fourth season as head coach of both the men's and women's cross country programs at Wheaton in 2016. Spence spent the previous nine seasons as an assistant coach with the program. Spence earned her Endurance Specialist Certification and Strength & Conditioning Certification, from the USTFCCCA Track & Field Academy, in 2016. A USA Track & Field (USATF) Level I certified coach, she was named the head men's and women's track & field coach at the start of the 2015-16 season. At the 2014 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championships, Spence guided the men's squad to their highest finish since 2004 (fourth overall) and the women's team to their highest placement since 2008 (third overall). Two student-athletes on the women's side also earned NEWMAC All-Conference accolades for their performances at the conference meet, the most for the women's team since 2008 as well. As a four-year member of the indoor and outdoor track & field teams at Wheaton, and a cross country runner her senior year, Spence helped the Lyons win six NCAA track & field championships. A two-year captain for each track & field squad, she earned All-America honors in the indoor 4x400-meter relay and the outdoor 3,000-meter steeplechase as a senior after drawing honors as a sophomore for the indoor 800-meter run. Spence qualified seven times for NEWMAC All-Conference honors. In cross country, she was an all-region and all-conference runner during her lone season of competition. A four-time academic all-conference honoree, including three times in track & field, Spence earned Dean's List citations and a Wheaton Scholar-Athlete award and was named a Wheaton Balfour Scholar. She also received the college's Claudia Friese Special Recognition Award her senior year, due largely in part to her behind-the-scenes dedication to the program and her spearheading all of the track & field teams' fundraising efforts. Spence graduated magna cum laude from Wheaton in 2004 after majoring in American history and minoring in both art history and studio art. Spence went on to receive her master's degree in education with a concentration in curriculum and design from Fitchburg State University.

Mader '12 starts his third season as an assistant coach for both the men's and women's cross country teams and track & field programs in 2015-16. Mader returned to campus after graduating from the college in just three years, receiving his bachelor's degree in international relations and economics with a minor in statistics. During his three years at Wheaton, Mader received Rotary Scholar, Trustee Scholar and Merit Scholar honors. On the oval, Mader claimed All-America honors as a member of the track & field program in 2012 helping the Lyons to an eighth place finish in the 4x400-meter relay at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Mader also served as a captain of the men's track & field team that season and the men's cross country program in 2011. A USATF Level 1 certified coach, Mader is currently the co-head cross country coach at Gann Academy in Waltham, Mass. in addition to his coaching duties at Wheaton. Mader aided the squad in claiming the 2012 MBIL conference championship and also produced four of the top five MBIL All-Stars in the league last season. Mader is still active in athletics as he recently qualified for the USA National Triathlon circuit in 2013. Outside of coaching, Mader also works in the sales operations department at BigBelly Solar, Inc.