student life

Author: The Crusader Staff Writer, Colin Sadtler

The women’s and men’s tennis teams at the Abbey started nine years ago. The teams have recently become more successful, with the men winning a conference Carolina championship last year. Coach Mike led them to a 22-17 overall record, including 10-0 in conference play. In the conference finals, they played Mount Olive for the deciding match with a thrilling win by Andy G to win it! Coach Mike has created a very successful program by figuring out how to improve the team’s effort, culture, and love for the sport. One of his most significant things is ensuring everyone is accountable for their attitude and action. He is an excellent example of how all programs should run their team.

I asked a couple of returning players who were a part of the team that won conference Carolinas last year what they thought about coming into this year’s first competition. Nicholas Carry said, “I am excited about the tournament but also hoping we can keep the same effort, attitude, and team bond we had last year.” I also asked Coach Mike what he thought about it, and he said, “I love the team’s excitement, but it’s all about being able to carry everything we learned last year to make us better this year.” Last year’s team proved to the Abbey fans and the conference that Coach Mike knows how to run a program correctly.

The teams held a tournament at our tennis courts on Oct. 14 and 15. The top 6 players and all the freshmen played. The freshman are playing to get match experience and their first college tournament out of the way. I also talked to one of the freshmen, Peyton Williams, who said, “We have all been preparing for this tournament, so we know at the end of the day we have put in the work.” All the freshmen seem excited to play but nervous since it’s their first college match experience.

Coach Mike has laid out all the guidelines to be successful for the first-year students in their first tournament, so hopefully, they will use the information and apply it. I asked Preston Johnson what the most significant piece of advice the coach has given him for this weekend was, and he said, “Coach told me to always fight for every point no matter what the score is, even if I’m losing 0-6,0-5. He told me that everyone’s first tournament is hard, but either way enjoys it.”

This article was originally posted in the Fall 2022, Issue 1 of The Crusader Newspaper. Download the full issue.

Author: The Crusader Staff Writer, Presslie Mariner

Coach Dan Finanger, a nationally-recognized distance running coach, is the head cross country and track and field coach here at the Abbey. He has coached for 32 years, including five years at the Abbey. He has coached more than 5,200 athletes across 16 states and sent four athletes to the 1996 and 2000 U.S. Olympic trials. 

In addition, Coach Dan coached the 1995 Boston Marathon team and served as director and head coach in international clinics in Saudi Arabia. He established his running camp, Finanger Running Adventure Camps, with the intent of promoting running in outdoor settings, such as the Cascade and the Rocky Mountains, as well as the Maine Coast.

Coach Dan began his running career when he was a sophomore in high school. He intended to play football; however, he started talking to some of the cross-country guys and decided to give the cross-country team a chance. He has loved the sport ever since! He would go on to run D3 at the Lutheran College in Iowa, where he was a part of seven conference championship teams, including four cross country and two-track. He also served as captain of the cross-country team during his senior year. He and his family moved from Minnesota to Charlotte in 2011, and he began coaching at Belmont Abbey in 2017. Some of the tactics he uses in order to ensure a healthy runner, physically, mentally, and spiritually, include combining the values of “body, mind, and soul.” Another one of his tactics includes grouping the men’s and women’s teams into “packs,” with each “pack” having a “pack leader” in order to ensure that no one is running alone, and it involves more team bonding!

Coach Dan has a firm Christian faith and believes that it provides him with direction and purpose in life. When asked about how he incorporates his faith into running, Coach Dan replied, “I believe that the freedom I receive from my running comes from God providing me that direction!”. Coach Dan has established a handshake on the team known as the “Abbey High Five.” God is the top corner of our hands, while family is at the lower corner, as well as friends and teammates. When you raise your hands above your head to do the high five, you put all of that above you. It shows our priorities and humbles us to say that others, including God, are more important.

The cross country and track teams are fortunate to have Coach Dan as their head coach. His positive attitude, optimism, and strong faith in the Lord have contributed to the overall kind and friendly environment here at the Abbey. Thank you, Coach, for all that you’ve done for us here at the Abbey, and here’s to making more memories and smiles on the team!

This article was originally posted in the Fall 2022, Issue 1 of The Crusader Newspaper. Download the full issue.