Are you ready to join the team?
CLICK HERE to request more information and schedule a visit.
Principia College
- Located in Elsah, IL
- Founded in 1912
- Mascot: Panthers
- Faith based - rooted in Christian Science
- Over 30 Majors and Minors offered
- 96% career placement rate
- Ranked #1 2022-23 Best Value for Liberal Arts Colleges in US News and World Report
- Listed in The Princeton Review's "Best of the Midwest" section for 2022
- Average percent of students who apply for and receive financial aid: 95%
OUR CAMPUS
The campus is situated on top of limestone bluffs overlooking the "mighty" Mississippi River. The campus is filled with handsome buildings inside and out. Our campus sits on 2,600 acres and is surrounded by farms and natural landscapes. We are also only 20 minutes from Alton, IL and 45 minutes away from St. Louis, MO, making city life accessible.
ACADEMICS
Principia College offers a one-of-a-kind Liberal Arts education that is both valuable and affordable. With an average class size of 11 and stellar academic support services, student-athletes learn the skills to excel in all aspects of life.
Principia also boasts a phenomenal study-broad program that has taken students to over 26 different countries since 2012. A Principia abroad is always near the top of the list of best experiences students have here!
Principia College Athletics Culture
Principia College has a long history of success. The program has been home to many incredible athletes and outstanding individuals. We understand that running is about more than being the first one to cross the finish line, but we also work hard and love competing. The Track & Field/Cross Country programs have produced 44 NCAA Division III All-Americans, including 3 National Champions: Corey Carter (2019 - 200m) and Ngozi Mwanamwambwa (1992 - 200m). Mark Whalley (1981 - Cross Country)
Your teammates are the ones that will get you through the most difficult times; they will laugh with you, cry with you, sweat with you, and celebrate you. Whether it's a tough workout or serving the community, teammates will have the opportunity to build lasting relationships.
Principia College Track & Field is about learning to navigate challenges, powering through walls, discovering true success, and enjoying the process!)
"The lessons of running are the lessons of life." - Principia T&F Alum
List of Principia Track & Field NCAA Division III All-Americans
1976 - Robert Baker
1977 - Robert Baker, Selim Franklin, Merid Dates
1978 - Robert Baker
1980 - Mark Whalley, Jamie Bollinger
1981 - Mark Whalley (2x)
1987 - Kathy Kavana
1989 - David Pelton
1990 - Kerste Bryant
1991 - Ngozi Mwanamwambwa, Kerste Bryant
1992 - Ngozi Mwanamwambwa (3x) - 200m National Champion
1993 - Ngozi Mwanamwambwa (3x)
1994 - Andrew Schierholtz
1995 - Andrew Schierholtz
1999 - Josh Burek
2000 - Marnie Holly
2003 - Stephanie Hood (2x), Kristina Muller (2x)
2004 - Rachel Charlston
2005 - Rachel Charlston, Lewis Howes
2011 - Drew Clark (2x)
2014 - Wylie Mangelsdorf
2014 - Conrad Bollinger
2015 - Conrad Bollinger (2x)
2016 - Conrad Bollinger
2017 - Nate Richards, Shane Witters-Hicks
2018 - Corey Carter
2019 - Corey Carter (2x) - 200m National Champion
2021 - Chris Puduski
Principia College Outdoor Track & Field Record Board
Principia College Indoor Track & Field Record Board
Will you be the next athlete to break one of these records?
USTFCCCA All-Academic Team
Our Track & Field and Cross Country programs also have a history of success in the classroom. The men's and women's teams have each earned the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Academic Award.
Team Environment
As a team, we work hard to create an environment that promotes learning, hard work, and authenticity.
Patience
By training and competing with patience, we stay clear and focused on what is most important. We prepare workouts and recovery plans that support the development of ability and prepare student-athletes for success in athletics and academics.
Competition
Competition is the pinnacle of what we do. It is an opportunity to demonstrate what we are truly capable of and to showcase the hard work that goes into training on a daily basis.
Training
Our Track & Field program is designed to help runners realize their full potential. Training plans are uniquely tailored to each athlete.
Community and Service
The Track & Field program is active in our community. Each year the team completes over 400 hours of community service.
Organizations we support:
- Alton Boys and Girls Club
- Oasis Women's Shelter
- Pere Marquette IL Youth Center
- Godfrey Bucket Brigade
- Alton Fighting Irish
- Pere Marquette State Park
- Town of Grafton
- Local area churches
International Talent
Twenty percent of Principia's student body comes from abroad. Our campus and athletic programs greatly benefit from the diverse abilities, perspectives, and experiences that our international players bring to the school.
Take your next steps here!
Whether you want to continue to run after college, or just run with a great team, our program has the facilities, knowledge, and resources to help you take your next steps.
COACHING STAFF
The Principia College Cross Country and Track & Field programs are led by Head Coach, Nick Barron. Nick joined the Principia College Athletic Department in 2018 and is also the Associate Athletic Director for Operations. At Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, Nick earned All-American honors in the Distance Medley Relay, placing 3rd at the 2012 Indoor Track & Field National Championships. Nick's Certifications include USATF Level 1, USATF Cross Country Specialist, and USATF Level 2 - Endurance.
Emme Schaefer is from Palos Verdes Estates, California. She graduated from Principia College in 2022, where she studied journalism. She is excited to be back in Elsah, sharing her love of running with the team and helping the athletes make the most of their collegiate cross-country and track & field experience. While running for Principia, Emme earned conference recognition as the SLIAC runner of the week and First-Team All-Conference awards. Upon graduating from Principia College, she was selected as the recipient of the Howard L. Mitchell award, for being an outstanding senior athlete. Outside of running, she enjoys picking up trash on the beach with her family, engaging in creative writing projects, and listening to Taylor Swift’s music.
Ann Pierson is the current Principia College Athletic Director and coaches the field events on our Track & Field team. Ann previously coached field events at Princeton University and the University of Missouri as well as being the Principia College Head Track & Field Coach from 2000-06. She has coached many Conference Champions, All-Americans, and Olympic Trial Qualifiers in her career. Ann was also a very accomplished Track & Field athlete, earning NCAA Division I All-American honors twice as the national runner-up in the high jump while attending the University of Virginia. She helped UVA win the Track & Field National Championship in 1981, and as team captain in 1983, she was the ACC Conference Champion and record-holder in both the high jump and heptathlon. She was also an Olympic Trials Finalist in the high jump in 1984.
OUR COMPETITION
Principia College competes in NCAA DIII. We are one of eight teams that make up the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC), but we travel to meets throughout the Midwest during our season.
The other schools that make up our Conference are Blackburn College (IL), Eureka University (IL), Fontbonne University (MO), Greenville University (IL), Spalding University (KY), Webster University (MO) and Westminster College (MO)
Top Notch Facilities
We are grateful to have one of the most coveted indoor training facilities in the region, the Crafton Athletic Center, which has a 6-lane indoor track and areas for all field event areas. We host many indoor meets in this beautiful facility.
STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING
Principia College has some of the nicest training facilities of any small college! That includes an Olympic Weight Room, a secondary strength training room, an indoor 200-meter track, a full size swimming pool and a separate fitness center.
Crafton Athletic Center
An incredible place to train and compete, this complex is an ideal location for any type of workout (running, swimming, strength, etc) or relaxing in the hot tub.
Thank you for visiting our program
Interested in becoming a Panther?
CLICK HERE to request information and get recruited!
Call or email Coach Barron: 618.363.1329 nick.barron@principia.edu
Credits:
Duncan Wilder, Dan Kistler, Kannon Gill, Wisdom Thomas, Carly Hendrickson