Head Track & Field Coach Bill Lundberg

His fist pumping, his face beaming, Coach Bill Lundberg shouts, “It’s a great day to be a Charger!” as his team prepares for a workout.  

That kind of intensity is not rare for Lundberg, a coach who gets as motivated as his athletes about a workout or meet, and a coach who is as dedicated to his athletes off the track as he is on.

Lundberg began coaching men’s track and cross country at Hillsdale in the spring of 1985.  He also coached the women’s track program from 1993-1999.

Lundberg’s extremely successful running career began at Jackson Community College (MI) and continued at Kansas University with national and conference championships, All-American honors and two appearances in the U.S. Olympic Trials (placing fifth in 1976 but rupturing his achilles in the 1980 semifinals).

Just as impressive are the accomplishments from his 30-year coaching career, 22 of which have been spent at Hillsdale.  He began at Jackson CC in 1977 as the youngest head coach in the nation, going on to win the National Junior College Coach of the Year in 1980.  Lundberg came to Hillsdale after assistant jobs with the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University.

At Hillsdale his teams have won 25 conference track and cross country titles.  His 1992, 1993 and 1994 NAIA cross teams were second, third and second in the nation, respectively, and he was coach of the year in 1994.  In 2000, as an NCAA Division II coach, he was recognized as both conference and regional coach of the year. In 2007, Lundberg was honored as the GLIAC's Indoor Men's Track Coach of the Year.

Off the track, Lundberg has been actively involved with Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  He and his wife Sharon have been married 24 years and have three children: Steven (21), Kate (20) and Thomas (17). 

Assistant Head Track & Field Coach Jeff Forino

Jeff Forino eagerly enters his fifth year as the Charger’s sprints, jumps, throws, and multi-events coach.  And, with the recent success the Chargers have been having in the sprints, jumps and throws- and the exceptional incoming recruiting class- it is easy to see why Forino is so eager to begin the 2007-2008 campaign.

“I am very pleased with our recent recruiting classes,” Forino said with a grin.  “Since I arrived in Hillsdale in August 2003, my goal has been to build a strong sprints, jumps and throws crew to complement our strong distance program.  With the addition of Coach Towne to the staff, and with our last few recruiting classes, I feel like that is now becoming a reality.  I honestly believe the four All-Americans that we had last year is a sign of things to come.”

Before joining the Hillsdale track and field and cross country staff, Forino enjoyed success at the Division I, Division III and high school levels.  From1995-2000, he spent time working with the men’s and women’s track and field teams at Hanover High School in Hanover, New Hampshire.  During this time, he helped lead Hanover to six State Championship seasons. 

From there, Forino moved to Springfield College (2000 – 2002), where he worked with sprinters and jumpers while earning a Master’s Degree in Athletic Administration and becoming a nationally certified strength and conditioning coach with the NSCA.

Most recently, he spent a year at Dartmouth College, where he held the title of Assistant Track and Field/Strength and Conditioning Coach.  While at Dartmouth, Forino had the pleasure of working with Head Field Events Coach Carl Wallin and national qualifiers in the javelin, heptathlon, and decathlon, earning his first Division I All-American’s in those events.  As a strength and conditioning coach, he watched four Dartmouth teams qualify for NCAA Tournament play.

Currently, Forino holds USATF Level II certifications in the Sprints/Hurdles, Jumps, and Multi-Events. 

Jeff and his lovely wife Kristy reside in Osseo.

Assistant Track & Field Coach Andy Towne

Over the past two years, Assistant Track & Field coach Andrew Towne has helped to revitalize the Hillsdale College Track & Field program.  And, now, as he begins his 3rd season, Towne believes the Chargers are prepared to become a nationally-prominent program.

 “Our ability to attract quality student-athletes is the reason we have begun to be successful,” Towne said.  “But, the key to continuing- and expanding- our success is being able to properly develop the student-athletes that we attract to Hillsdale.”
 
 The Chargers’ success was most evident during the 2007 GLIAC Indoor Track & Field Championships.  The Charger Men, who nearly finished in last place the year before, used a total team effort to finish in 3rd place- while almost upsetting the 3rd-ranked team in NCAA Div. II for 2nd place.  Their effort was highlighted by the sprint squad, who captured all of the men’s individual sprint events.

 “To me, what we accomplished with the men during the Indoor season is an example of what we are capable of here at Hillsdale,” Towne said.  “Our men and women don’t belong at the back of the GLIAC.  They belong at the front.”   

As an USATF Level II Sprint/Hurdles coach and a NSCA Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist(CSCS), Towne works with all of the Charger sprinters and hurdlers.  In just two short years, his athletes have earned ten (10) All-Conference awards, three (3) Conference Championships and one All-American honor.  They have also broken five (5) school records.

A former Charger himself, Andrew resides in Hillsdale with his wife, Mary, who is a Hillsdale College alumnae.

Assistant Track & Field Coach Sarah Hinkley

Former Western Michigan University track standout Sarah Hinkley is the newest addition to the Hillsdale College men's and women's track and field coaching staff.  Hinkley will focus her time on the team's men’s and women’s distance runners. 

Hinkley has previous coaching experience with Reading High School, located in Hillsdale County.  Reading's girls track teams have consistently placed in the top five in the state over the past several years.  She has also participated in the Detroit Free Press marathon, finishing fourth overall in the race among all females last fall.  She's currently training for the Olympics.

While at Western Michigan University, Hinkley broke the school record in the 10K race and shares the 4x1500 relay record.  She majored in creative writing and is currently pursuing her master's degree in creative writing at Spring Arbor University.

Assistant Track & Field Coach Michael Nikkila

After spending a year away teaching math and coaching at a high school in Colorado, Michael Nikkila returns to his alma mater.  As a coach, his primary role will be to assist the distance and middle distance programs. 

While at Hillsdale, Nikkila was a part of three national qualifying cross country teams (2000, 2002, 2004) and once qualified individually for the cross country national meet (2003).  He earned All-American honors twice as a Charger--once in cross country (2004) and once on the track in the 3000m Steeplechase (2005).

Nikkila graduated from Hillsdale College in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics.  Immediately after, he took a job teaching math and coaching cross country and track at James Irwin Charter High School in Colorado Springs, CO.  While there he was invited to be a part of a USATF running club sponsored by the Boulder Running Company.  "Since his return to Hillsdale he has been running unattatched with the hopes of someday qualifying for the USATF National Championships."