August 2021 – March 2022
Football
The Baker football team finished the 2021 season ranked 13th in the NAIA Football FirstDown PlayBook Postseason Poll, with an overall record of 9-2.
Running back JD Woods was named an AFCA NAIA Coaches’ All-American as announced by the American Football Coaches Association for the third consecutive year. He finished his career with 1,057 carries for 6,666 yards, setting an NAIA record for rushing yards in a career. His 96 rushing touchdowns is also an NAIA record.
Men’s Soccer
In the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament Quarterfinals, the men’s soccer team fell to No. 1 Central Methodist, 1-0. The team finished with an overall season record of 9-9-1.
During the season, Gyorgy Kamaras was named the Heart Freshman of the Year.
Women’s Soccer
Finishing the 2021 season with a record of 11-6-2, the women’s soccer team fell to Central Methodist, 1-0, in the Heart of America Conference Tournament Semifinals.
Melissa Siegel was named the Heart of America Newcomer of the Year.
Volleyball
The Wildcats finished the season in November with an overall record of 9-21.
Allisyn Frank was named the Heart of America Freshman of the Year, sharing the honor with Mount Mercy’s Hailey Hested.
Esports
In the 2021 season, the Overwatch team posted a record of 6-1-0.
Women’s Wrestling
At the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament, women’s wrestling took fifth place as a team, while earning two individual conference champions and five top-four finishes.
At the conclusion of the event, Kaylynn Albrecht was named the Heart of America Newcomer of the Year, while teammate Nichole Moore was named the Heart of America Women’s Wrestler of the Year. Addie Lanning finished off the major awards for the Wildcats as she was named the Heart of America Assistant Coach of the Year.
Eight Wildcats qualified for 2022 NAIA Women’s Wrestling National Invitational. With three top-seven finishers, including second place from Kaylynn Albrecht, the team placed 12th.
Men’s Wrestling
Qualifying seven (Breyden Morrill, Dalla Koelzer, Joey Hancock, Isaiah Luellen, Brett Bober, Malachi Karibo, Joey Ewalt) wrestlers for the NAIA National Championships, the Baker men’s wrestling team took second place at the 2022 Heart of America Men’s Wrestling Conference Championships.
Taking eight wrestlers to nationals, the Baker men finished 16th, and Isaiah Luellen placed third individually and was named an NAIA All-American.
Women’s Bowling
Clinching its third straight conference championship, the Baker women’s bowling team took home first place at the 2022 Heart of America Conference Championships. At the NAIA National Tournament, the team did not place, but Caitlin Lucas was named an NAIA All-American, joining Megan Carpenter as the only two women from Baker University to be named NAIA Women’s Bowling First Team All-Americans. The team’s head coach Cheryl Keslar was named the NAIA National Women’s Coach of the Year.
Men’s Bowling
At the 2022 Heart of America Conference Championships, the men took home fifth place. The team will compete in USBC Sectionals on March 12-13.
Dance
The dance team won the 2022 Midwest Regional and Heart of America Conference Championships. At the NAIA National Championships in March, the team finished in sixth place.
Women’s Basketball
The Baker women finished the 2022 season with a record of 8-20 and 4-15 in Heart of America play.
Men’s Basketball
Baker finished the 2022 season with an overall record of 12-15, while going 8-11 in Heart of America play.
Jalen Patterson has earned Heart of America Men’s Basketball Second Team honors. This is Patterson’s second All-Conference selection, earning first team honors in 2021.
Women’s Indoor Track & Field
At the Heart of American Conference Championships, the Baker women’s 4×800-meter relay team, consisting of Mia Wilhoit, Jordan Hawman, Peyton Sannan, and Rachel Sterner, won the conference title in a time of 9:44.10.
Elizabeth Ibidunni finished second in the women’s 60 meters, setting a new Baker record with a time of 7.75, while also finishing second in the 200 meters with a time of 25.31.
At the NAIA Indoor National Championships, Tajanique Bell posted a time of 9.00 in the 60-meter hurdles, placing 21st. Elizabeth Ibidunni posting a time of 58.86 in the women’s 400 meters and placed 23rd.
Men’s Indoor Track & Field
Baker men’s indoor track and field team placed third at the Heart of America Indoor Track and Field Conference Championships.
Justin Moore was conference champion in the 200 meters and set a school record of 21.89. Jordan Weimer was conference champion in the 600 meters while also setting a school record of 1:21.07. Robert Huebert placed fourth place in the 800 meters with a time of 1:55.84, breaking another Baker record.
At the NAIA Indoor National Championships, Jordan Weimer placed 16th in the 600 meters. Justin Moore placed 15th in the 200 meters in a time of 21.76.
Men & Women’s Cross Country
Baker women placed second and the men placed eight in the Heart of America Conference Championships.
At the NAIA Cross Country Championships, Valerie Aceves-Power, in her first national championship appearance, finished 192nd with a time of 20:22.6 for 5 kilometers and finished one place in front of teammate Mia Wilhoit, who ran 20:22.8. Wilhoit finishes a strong cross country career as a three-time national qualifier.
Cheer
The Wildcat cheer team finished seventh at the Heart of America Conference Championships.
Men & Women’s Golf
In October, the Baker golf teams hosted the Wildcat Match Play Championships at Prairie Highlands Golf Course. the women finished third and the men took home fifth place.
Baseball & Softball
The Wildcat baseball team began the 2022 season with a win on Monday, defeating St. Mary, 14-10.
In their home opener doubleheader, the Baker softball team run-ruled Kansas Wesleyan in game one, 9-1, before defeating the Coyotes in game two, 9-2.
Both teams are welcoming the new season with new fields and practice facilities as a part of the Baker Builds Champions capital project.
