Wheaton College IL Women's Cross Country

David Walford enters his 11th year as the head coach of the Wheaton men's and women's cross country teams in 2025. 2025-26 will also mark Walford's third season as the head coach of both Wheaton track & field teams following former head coach Scott Bradley's departure in June of 2023. Walford was an assistant men's and women's track & field coach between 2002 and 2023, serving in a full-time role beginning in 2010. Walford is a six-time CCIW Women's Cross Country Coaching Staff of the Year honoree, and his Thunder women's squad won its record-extending 16th conference title last fall with a first-place finish at the 2024 CCIW Championships. This marked the program's sixth conference trophy under Walford's guidance and second in the last three seasons. Walford's 2019 team placed 15th at the NCAA Championships, led by All-Americans Hannah Roeske and Aryn Embretson. The duo was Wheaton's first to earn All-American honors in the same year since the NCAA format changed to include 32 teams. Walford joined the Wheaton cross country coaching staff in 2002 and has helped to mentor eight All-Americans during his time with the Thunder. During his 21 years as an assistant coach for the Thunder track & field programs, Walford worked with 25 student-athletes who collected a total of 39 All-America recognitions, and he has coached two men's All-Americans in his first two seasons as head coach. He has been a member of the CCIW Coaching Staff of the Year four times and helped lead Wheaton to a sweep of the CCIW Indoor and Outdoor Women's Track & Field Championships in 2017 and 2018. A 2002 graduate of Wheaton College, Walford earned his Master's degree from Wheaton in 2006. He lives in Wheaton with his wife, Aimee, and their three children.

Bradley's 16th year as the head coach of the men's and women's track program. He also served as the head coach of the Thunder cross country programs from 2002 until 2014 Since Bradley has been the head coach of the track and field program, 16 Wheaton student-athletes have earned All-American accolades and seven of his cross country runners were awarded All-American recognition. In May of 2015 Bradley sent two individuals to the Division III Men's Outdoor Track & Field Championships and the 4X400-meter relay team. Additionally, Jordan Tuin represented Wheaton at the Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships in March. In 2014 Brett Haffner and James Waterman earned a spot at the Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships, with Waterman earning All-American honors in the men's steeplechase. In 2013 Emma Gilbertson and Annie Shults represented the Wheaton women's track & field program at the Division III Outdoor Championships and Luke Vance, Parker Thompson and James Waterman represented the Thunder men's program. Vance earned All-America honors in the 800-meter run. In spring 2012, seven Thunder athletes competed at NCAA Outdoor Nationals. Luke Vance (800 meters) and Renee Bettinger (100 meters) each garnered All-American selections for the third and second time, respectively. In fall 2011, the Wheaton men's cross country team finished 12th at  NCAA Nationals with Mark Phillips earning All-American accolades. In spring 2011, two Thunder athletes earned All-American accolades - Renee Bettinger in the 100 meters and Luke Vance in the 800 meters. In spring 2009, Bradley had five Wheaton athletes compete at NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Seniors Brandi McNeil (javelin) and David Larson (pole vault) both earned All-American honors. In fall 2008, Thunder womens cross country team won its league-best ninth conference title and its fourth CCIW Championship in the last five years. Thunder head coach Scott Bradley and his staff were selected as the CCIW Coaching Staff of the Year for womens cross country. Wheaton All-American Lisa Baumert posted a time of 22:12 to win the 6K womens race. Senior All-American Brandon Mull won the 8K Mens Championship for the second-consecutive year. Mull ended up winning the Regional and took fourth place at the NCAA Championships while the Wheaton women's cross country squad finished in 25th place. In 2007, Bradley's women's cross country team won the CCIW Women's Cross Country Championship and under his guidance, Brandon Mull became the first Wheaton cross country runner to win a CCIW Championship since 1985. With Bradley at the helm the Thunder women's Track and Field team finished second at the 2008 CCIW Championships.  In 2006, Bradley was named the NCAA Division III "Coach of the Year" for women's track and field for guiding Wheaton to its first ever CCIW Outdoor Track and Field Championship. In 2005, the Thunder men's cross country team finished 13th in its first trip to Nationals since 1985 and the women's cross country team won its third straight CCIW Championship. The 2003 crown was Wheaton's first share of the conference title in women's cross crountry since 1999. Bradley, a 1986 graduate of Wheaton, has previously coached at the school as an assistant coach for the Wheaton cross country and track and field teams from 1986-95. Bradley earned two letters in track and field as a sprinter and long jumper at Wheaton despite injuries that cut his track career short. He also was a four-time letterwinner for the Wheaton College football program. In 1997, Bradley served as an assistant coach for the track program and was a graduate assistant at the University of Illinois in 1991. He also has a Master's Degree from The United States Sports Academy. Scott and his wife Debbie have two daughters, Coray and Grace, and two sons, Peter and David. The 2016-16 season marks 's 16th year as the head coach of the men's and women's track program. He also served as the head coach of the Thunder cross country programs from 2002 until 2014 Since Bradley has been the head coach of the track and field program, 16 Wheaton student-athletes have earned All-American accolades and seven of his cross country runners were awarded All-American recognition. In May of 2015 Bradley sent two individuals to the Division III Men's Outdoor Track & Field Championships and the 4X400-meter relay team. Additionally, Jordan Tuin represented Wheaton at the Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships in March. In 2014 Brett Haffner and James Waterman earned a spot at the Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships, with Waterman earning All-American honors in the men's steeplechase. In 2013 Emma Gilbertson and Annie Shults represented the Wheaton women's track & field program at the Division III Outdoor Championships and Luke Vance, Parker Thompson and James Waterman represented the Thunder men's program. Vance earned All-America honors in the 800-meter run. In spring 2012, seven Thunder athletes competed at NCAA Outdoor Nationals. Luke Vance (800 meters) and Renee Bettinger (100 meters) each garnered All-American selections for the third and second time, respectively. In fall 2011, the Wheaton men's cross country team finished 12th at  NCAA Nationals with Mark Phillips earning All-American accolades. In spring 2011, two Thunder athletes earned All-American accolades - Renee Bettinger in the 100 meters and Luke Vance in the 800 meters. In spring 2009, Bradley had five Wheaton athletes compete at NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Seniors Brandi McNeil (javelin) and David Larson (pole vault) both earned All-American honors. In fall 2008, Thunder womens cross country team won its league-best ninth conference title and its fourth CCIW Championship in the last five years. Thunder head coach Scott Bradley and his staff were selected as the CCIW Coaching Staff of the Year for womens cross country. Wheaton All-American Lisa Baumert posted a time of 22:12 to win the 6K womens race. Senior All-American Brandon Mull won the 8K Mens Championship for the second-consecutive year. Mull ended up winning the Regional and took fourth place at the NCAA Championships while the Wheaton women's cross country squad finished in 25th place. In 2007, Bradley's women's cross country team won the CCIW Women's Cross Country Championship and under his guidance, Brandon Mull became the first Wheaton cross country runner to win a CCIW Championship since 1985. With Bradley at the helm the Thunder women's Track and Field team finished second at the 2008 CCIW Championships.  In 2006, Bradley was named the NCAA Division III "Coach of the Year" for women's track and field for guiding Wheaton to its first ever CCIW Outdoor Track and Field Championship. In 2005, the Thunder men's cross country team finished 13th in its first trip to Nationals since 1985 and the women's cross country team won its third straight CCIW Championship. The 2003 crown was Wheaton's first share of the conference title in women's cross crountry since 1999. Bradley, a 1986 graduate of Wheaton, has previously coached at the school as an assistant coach for the Wheaton cross country and track and field teams from 1986-95. Bradley earned two letters in track and field as a sprinter and long jumper at Wheaton despite injuries that cut his track career short. He also was a four-time letterwinner for the Wheaton College football program. In 1997, Bradley served as an assistant coach for the track program and was a graduate assistant at the University of Illinois in 1991. He also has a Master's Degree from The United States Sports Academy. Scott and his wife Debbie have two daughters, Coray and Grace, and two sons, Peter and David.