Director of Athletics John Sutyak

Director of Athletics John Sutyak reflected on his first two months in his new role with a letter of introduction to Ferrum College alumni.

Dear Ferrum Panther Alumni,

As I sit in the Norton Center, it is hard to believe that I have been here now over two months as the Director of Athletics at Ferrum College. It is also unfathomable that I would be sitting here in the last half of March with no contests being played and the season suspended indefinitely. The events in our world due to COVID-19 have certainly forced us to reevaluate how we live and work. It has been a life altering experience for all.

With that said, I couldn’t be more thankful to be a part of the Ferrum family during these turbulent times. The welcome I have received from alumni, faculty, and staff upon my arrival was nothing short of tremendous and has only solidified the feeling I experienced when I first came to Ferrum on my interview. This truly is a special place and I am so glad to have joined the Ferrum community.

My initial days on Ferrum Mountain Road were filled with an enormous amount of support from campus leadership, faculty, and staff. It is clear how important the intercollegiate athletic experience is on campus and I am honored to have the opportunity to work with so many talented coaches and staff members. I have been intentional in engaging our athletics and campus staff, faculty, and student-athletes to learn what it is that makes the Ferrum athletic experience special. Additionally, I have learned how we can further enhance our work as a department, and college, in delivering a student-athlete experience that is second to none.

Being present as Ferrum announced the start of a track and field program was a great way to begin my tenure here and I am thankful for the work that Head Cross Country Coach Mark White and Interim Athletic Director Gary Holden did in getting that program started. Since then, I had the privilege to experience some fantastic performances on the playing surfaces. I was able to witness numerous school records in the pool at the ODAC swimming & diving championships, observe Alisha Elizalde ’20 become our first all-American in women’s wrestling, see the men’s wrestling team win a fifth consecutive Southeast Wrestling Conference championship (and have two men qualify for the NCAA championship), watch men’s basketball advance to its first ever ODAC playoff at the Salem Civic Center, and experience the softball team achieve a national top-25 ranking. I have no doubt that with the support of the campus, and you all as our alumni, we will continue to witness great things out of future Panther teams in the years to come.

I won’t lie: the last few weeks have been an emotional roller coaster. While we all know that suspending the season under the blanket of a global pandemic was the right thing to do, it has been difficult for all of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff to see the spring season suspended indefinitely. Despite the current disappointment, I have been inspired by the level of resilience and perspective of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff. They all know that it is OK to be disappointed at a season being disrupted, but they also haven’t lost sight of the seriousness we face as a world right now and that the health and safety of everyone is of the utmost importance.

Our President, Dr. David Johns, likes to remind us that “Ferrum” means “iron”.  And it is in that vein that I remind us that all Ferrum Panthers – past, present and future – are resilient, strong, and tough as iron. My pledge to you is that we will work nonstop to continue to the proud tradition of Panther athletics, even in these tough times. As things go back to a more normal pace in the near future, my hope is that I will have the opportunity to interact with all of you, our alumni. I look forward to meeting many of you and learning about your Ferrum experience in the coming months.

Stay safe and healthy out there and Go Panthers!

John Sutyak
Director of Athletics

Mark White will serve as Ferrum College’s track and field coach.

Ferrum College has announced the addition of men’s and women’s track and field programs, slated to being in the fall 2020 semester.

Mark White, who is in his second year as head coach of the Ferrum men’s and women’s cross country teams, has been appointed to serve as head coach for all four track and field teams. White previously served as assistant track and field coach for nine years at Radford University, from 2007-2015.

“Track and field is such a great fit for Ferrum College for a number of reasons,” said President David Johns. “We appreciate the leadership and innovation of Coach Mark White for helping make this happen, and are excited to see how the program grows over the coming years.”

“It is extremely exciting that we announce the addition of men’s and women’s track and field as a varsity sport at Ferrum,” said Director of Athletics John Sutyak. “Track and field consistently has been one of the largest growing high school sports in the country, so adding the sport will allow us to not only complement our cross country program, but also take advantage of the large pool of prospective college students that already participate in the sport.”

“To say I’m excited for Ferrum to begin a track and field program is an understatement,” said White. “It is a great day for Panther Nation, and I am honored to begin this new chapter. I look forward to building this program brick by brick, and we will no doubt add quality student-athletes to Ferrum and our athletics community.”

Read more on the Ferrum College athletics webpage, here.

John Sutyak has been named Ferrum College’s new director of athletics. 

Ferrum College announces John Sutyak will be its new director of athletics. Sutyak is the former director of athletics and recreation at Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts.

“I am pleased that John Sutyak will be joining our leadership team at Ferrum College. Athletics has played an important role at the College for years, and we are all looking forward to the next chapter under John’s leadership,” said Ferrum College President David Johns.

“As a former Ferrum College athlete, I am thrilled to have someone with John’s broad experience and background as Ferrum’s next athletic director,” said Vice President of Institutional Advancement and External Relations Wilson Paine. “John’s passion for college athletics and his commitment to supporting our student-athletes and coaches makes him the perfect fit to lead our athletics department and build on Ferrum’s rich history in athletics.”

After a national search, Sutyak arrives at Ferrum College with experience steeped in collegiate athletics. His career began in a dual role as the assistant sports information director and area coordinator in residential life at Wheaton College from July 2002 to August 2003. He then spent three years working in athletic facilities and varsity sports operations at Yale University before returning to Wheaton in July 2006 as the assistant director of athletics. He eventually became the associate director of athletics and assumed the role of director of athletics and recreation in April 2012.

During his eight-year stint as Wheaton College’s director of athletics, the college saw significant growth of donors and contributions to Wheaton’s Lyons Athletic Club. Sutyak was also involved in the development and construction of the first artificial surface athletic field, a $3.8 million project. Under his tenure, Wheaton’s athletic teams qualified for 33 NCAA championship events and won 16 New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) regular season and conference titles, highlighted by baseball’s run to the national championship game in 2012, four top-10 finishes by the women’s track and field program, and regional championships by softball in 2015 and baseball in 2017. Sutyak also served six years on the NEWMAC Executive Committee, including a two-year term as president, and was the New England Chair of the NCAA Division III Softball Committee from 2008 to 2012. Outside of collegiate athletics, he has worked at Gillette Stadium during New England Patriots home games since 2002, working both with the Patriots media relations team and the National Football League on its Player Participation crew.

“I am extremely excited and humbled to be named director of athletics at Ferrum College. The moment I stepped foot on campus, I immediately felt at home and sensed that Ferrum is a very special place,” said Sutyak. “I am looking forward to working with student-athletes, coaches, faculty, and staff to continue the proud tradition of Ferrum College athletes. Our goal as a Division III institution will be to work toward providing all our student-athletes with a first-class experience, on and off the playing surface, while simultaneously striving to compete for conference championships.”

A native of Scarborough, Maine, Sutyak received his Bachelor of Arts in history from Wheaton College in May 2000. In 2002, he earned a Master of Education in athletic administration from Springfield College. During graduate school, he served as an assistant baseball coach at Western New England University during the 2001 and 2002 seasons, where he played a part in the team’s first Great Northwest Atlantic Conference (GNAC) championship and first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2001. At Scarborough High School, he was a two-sport athlete (baseball and basketball) and a finalist for the Maine Mr. Baseball Award in 1996. A former four-year baseball player for the Wheaton Lyons, he was a member of the college’s first varsity baseball team in 1997, the program’s first two NEWMAC championship teams in 1999 and 2000, and a part of its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2000. He also tied the NCAA record for home runs in one inning with two against the University of Southern Maine in 1998.

Sutyak will assume his role at Ferrum College on January 1, 2020.

Learn more about Ferrum College athletics here.

Ferrum College alumnus and former professional baseball pitcher Billy Wagner was inducted to the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in a weekend celebration over November 1-2, 2019. The ceremony was held in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Wagner credits much of his success to Ferrum College: “Going to Ferrum was the greatest thing that ever happened in my life,” Wagner said in an article that appeared in the October 30 edition of The Roanoke Times.

Wagner spent three years at Ferrum College until he was recruited by Houston in the 1993 Major League Baseball draft. His professional career includes stints with the Houston Astros (1995-2003); Philadelphia Phillies (2004-2005); New York Mets (2006-2009); Boston Red Sox (2009); and Atlanta Braves (2010). Wagner now coaches high school baseball at The Miller School in Albemarle County.

“There is absolutely no way somebody that hasn’t been to Ferrum could understand the beauty of Ferrum and what it entails,” Wagner concluded during the interview.

Learn more about Wagner’s athletic achievements here.

Read more about Wagner in this Roanoke Times article.

Talum Smith ’20 (center) stands with President David Johns and Head Women’s Wrestling Coach Breonnah Neal at the October 30 Wrestle Like A Girl Gala.

Ferrum College senior and member of the women’s wrestling team Talum Smith was honored Wednesday, October 30, 2019, during the Wrestle Like A Girl Fourth Annual Gala. The gala was held in Washington, D.C. at the National Museum for Women in the Arts.

Out of 427 nominated student wrestlers, Smith was chosen to receive the Afsoon Roshanzamir Johnston Courage Award presented by Tiffany and Co. The award was created in 2016 by the Wrestle Like A Girl Foundation to honor Afsoon Roshanzamir Johnston, who moved from Iran to the U.S. and became the first woman in America’s history to win a wrestling medal for the U.S. at the 1989 World Championships. The Afsoon Roshanzamir Johnston Courage Award honors athletes who have to use immense personal courage to participate or compete in sports, even when participating could put them at great risk.

“I feel deeply humbled and honored to receive this award. It feels amazing to know that I can inspire other people, especially young girls, and be a great role model to them,” said Smith. “I want to thank Wrestle Like A Girl for hosting this event and everything that they are doing to empower and invest in women.”

“Her award is fitting,” explained Ferrum College President David Johns. “Talum is one of the most courageous young women I know, in all aspects of life.”

“She is hardworking, dedicated, and a great leader who always has a smile on her face and produces positive energy,” said Ferrum College head women’s wrestling coach Breonnah Neal. “Talum is well-deserving of this award because of all of the obstacles she has faced.”

A criminal justice major hailing from Washington, D.C., Smith did not initially plan on pursuing higher education due to the expense and having to move away from her siblings. In spite of the odds, she made her way to Ferrum College and began working a full-time job to pay for school.

In her sophomore year at the College, she came out for the women’s wrestling team, showing up at every practice that didn’t interfere with her full-time job. Also in her sophomore year, at age 19, Smith was diagnosed with leukemia.

“I was blindsided by the news,” said then head women’s wrestling coach Jessica Medina. “As she told me this, she had a smile on her face. She didn’t want anyone to pity her or worry.”

Throughout treatment, Smith continued to work and go to class with an oxygen tank in tow. She took summer classes to raise her GPA. She was determined to wrestle for Ferrum College. In fall 2018, Smith received the happy news that the disease was in remission.

In January 2019, with her doctor’s permission, Smith competed in the Tornado Open. “She wrestled her heart out that day, inspiring our entire team,” said Medina. “Because she wanted to compete on her college team, she pushed herself in the classroom to have the opportunity.”

“Talum embodies the spirit of Ferrum College–determined, focused, and courageous,” said Johns, with pride. “She is an inspiration to us all.”

Read more about Afsoon Roshanzamir Johnston here, and about the Afsoon Roshanzamir Johnston Courage Award here.

Learn more about Wrestle Like A Girl here.

Learn more about Ferrum College’s women’s wrestling here.

Billy Wagner

Former Ferrum College and Major League Baseball standout Billy Wagner has been selected for induction into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. The seven-time MLB All-Star had a record-setting baseball career at Ferrum from 1991-93 before being drafted into the pros.

Wagner is one of eight individuals that comprise the 2019 National College Baseball Hall of Fame induction class, including the winningest coach in college baseball history and the player of the decade in the 1990s.

Wagner closed his three-year Ferrum College career with a 17-3 record and 1.63 earned run average, and still to this day holds the NCAA Division III single-season record for strikeouts per nine innings at 19.1 with 109 strikeouts in 51.1 innings in 1992. He was a 1993 first-team NCAA Division III All-American for the Panthers. Wagner was selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball 1993 June Draft by the Houston Astros, as the #12 pick overall.

Wagner’s 18-year professional baseball career, 16 in the majors, includes: Auburn Astros (A) 1993, Quad City River Bandits (A) 1994, Jackson Generals (AA) 1995, Tucson Toros (AAA) 1995, Houston Astros 1995-2003, Philadelphia Phillies 2003-05, New York Mets 2005-2009, Boston Red Sox 2009, Atlanta Braves 2010. Wagner made his Major League Baseball debut September 13, 1995 with the Astros. He is a seven-time MLB All-Star (1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010), and was the 1999 MLB National League Rolaids Relief Award Winner.

The 2019 National College Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held in conjunction with the College Baseball Night of Champions celebration, November 1-2 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Read the full press release on Ferrum College’s athletics website.

Tickets for the 2019 induction will be available on the Night of Champions website at www.cbfnightofchampions.org. For more information, contact Mike Gustafson, National College Baseball Hall of Fame president and CEO, at gus@collegebaseballfoundation.org.

Ninety-four student-athletes earned all-academic team recognition for the Panthers from the Old Dominion Athletic Conference in 2018-2019, Ferrum College’s first year as an ODAC member. Student-athletes who compete in conference-sponsored sports may receive recognition if a GPA of 3.25 is achieved. Nearly all of Ferrum College’s ODAC sports had at least one representative.

2018-19 ODAC All-Academic Team

Ferrum College is making final preparations to host the 2019 NCAA Division III Wrestling National Championships, to be held Friday and Saturday, March 8-9, at The Berglund Center in Roanoke, Virginia.

This year marks the first time that the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships have been contested in the Commonwealth of Virginia. One previous NCAA Wrestling Tournament has been held in Virginia, back in 1936 when Washington and Lee University hosted the event as an all-divisions tournament. This is the first time Ferrum College has hosted a national championship in any sport.

Ferrum Coach Nate Yetzer saw three of his wrestlers qualify for this year’s NCAA Tournament with top-three finishes at the Southeast Regional in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Freshman Levi Englman won the 133-pound weight class, junior Mario Vasquez placed second at 141 pounds and senior Blake Rosenbaum was the 174-pound champion. All three will be making their first NCAA appearances.

“Our entire group of guys wrestled so well at the NCAA Southeast Regionals last weekend at Lycomong College, and I couldn’t be more proud of them,” said Head Coach Nate Yetzer. “Levi, Mario and Blake all punched tickets to the NCAA Tournament with semifinal wins, and we had freshman 125-pounder Jalen White come close with a fourth-place finish. We’re looking forward to hosting the championships this close to campus and plan to make it a quality experience for the entire field of competitors. Fans will be treated to a show, NCAA Division III wrestling is so competitive today and we’ll see some exciting action.”

The NCAA Tournament begins Friday morning at 11:00 a.m. with Session I. Session II begins at 6:00 p.m. Friday, and will be preceded by the opening ceremonies at 4:45 p.m. Session III is set to begin at 10 a.m. Saturday morning. Saturday evening, the Parade of All-Americans begins at 6:15 p.m. and will be followed immediately at 7:00 p.m. by the championship finals. Complete Schedule

Visit Ferrum’s championship host site above for information of tickets, schedule and media credentials. Ticket prices are as follows:

• Adult: single session $15, all-session $55
• Youth: single session $12, all-session $43
• Student: single session $12, all-session $43
• Senior citizen: single session $10, all-session $43
• Group adults (10 or more): single session $10, all-session $35
• Group students (10 or more): single session $8, all-session $30

A total of 180 wrestlers from six regionals across the country qualified for the NCAA Tournament. In order to qualify, wrestlers must place in the top three at one of six regionals. NCAA Tournament Qualifiers Announcement

The Service for Grateful Memory for Hank Norton will be held in Vaughn Chapel on the Ferrum College campus at 2 PM on Saturday, February 2, 2019. The memorial service may be watched live online here. The service will then be archived and may be viewed at a later date by following this link and choosing the “On Demand” tab.

January 17, 2019: On Wednesday, January 16, Ferrum College bid farewell to a Panther legend. Former football coach and director of athletics Hank Norton passed away at the age of 91.

“Ferrum College mourns the passing of Coach Norton, whose influence on our community and on generations of young athletes was monumental,” said Ferrum College President David Johns. “I am grateful for the opportunity to have watched Panther football this past season with Hank and to hear his many stories of games and players through the years. We send our heartfelt condolences to Coach Norton’s family.”

Ferrum Junior College President, Dr. Ralph Arthur, hired Wilbert Henry Norton, Jr. in the spring of 1960 as the College’s fourth head football coach. Within his first few seasons at the helm of the program, Norton transformed Ferrum into one of the top teams in the country. The Panthers joined the National Junior College Athletic Association in 1961, and Norton took the team to the 1965 and 1966 Shrine Bowl. Norton’s Panthers won NJCAA national titles in 1968, 1974, and 1977.

Norton led Ferrum College into NCAA Division III athletics by the 1985-86 school year and became a member of the Dixie Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, which is now the USA South. Panther football was immediately successful, with post-season playoff runs in 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1990. Under Norton’s direction, the team also won NCAA South Region titles in 1988 and 1989.

Ferrum College enjoyed Norton’s strengths as head football coach for 34 seasons until his retirement in 1993. More than 50 of his former players went on to play professional football, including National Football League All-Pro running back Chris Warren. Billy Wagner and Eric Owens, both baseball players at the College during Norton’s coaching days, also went on to play major league baseball. In all, Norton coached 46 All-Americans while at Ferrum College. His teams won 15 NJCAA Region X titles and six Coastal Conference crowns.

During his career, Norton was named Coach of the Year three times by the NJCAA in 1965, 1968, and 1974. In 1979, Norton’s name appeared on the Virginia Sports Wall of Fame. He is also a member of the Ferrum College Alumni Sports Hall of Fame, the University of Lynchburg Sports Hall of Fame, the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, and the National Junior College Athletic Association Football Hall of Fame.

Norton is a household name at Ferrum College and in the Ferrum area. The section of Virginia State Route 40 that stretches from Rocky Mount to the Ferrum, approximately 10 miles, is named in his honor. Norton was a dedicated leader, a fly-fisherman, and a genuinely caring coach who was tough but believed in his athletes.

“Coach Norton meant so much to so many people,” explained Ferrum College’s Director of Athletics Abe Naff, who was hired by Norton in 1981 as the assistant football and baseball coach. “It’s hard to put into words the impact Coach Norton has had on Ferrum College, the Panther athletic program, and Franklin County, Virginia.”

Norton attended Marshall University and Concord College.  He earned his bachelor’s degree from Lynchburg College in 1951 and then served in the Army as a physical recondition instructor in medical field school, where he also played on the Army Black Knights football team from 1951-52.  Prior to his arrival at Ferrum College, Norton served as football, basketball, and track coach at Powhatan High School from 1954-59, where he also taught history and science. Norton obtained his master’s degree in education from the University of Virginia in 1956.

Norton is survived by his three adult children, Patty and her husband David Gunter, Will and his wife Jodie, Jack and his wife Kristi, 10 grandchildren and one great grandchild.

A memorial service will be held for Norton at 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 2, in Vaughn Chapel on the Ferrum College campus in Ferrum, Va.

Samuel Richmond Webb
February 2, 1926 to December 1, 2018

On Saturday, December 1, the Ferrum College community bid farewell to the coach who started the institution’s first competitive football program.

Samuel “Sam” Webb, hailing from Bluefield, VA, was born on February 12, 1926. He graduated from Concord College in 1951 and arrived at Ferrum College in 1955 as the head coach of the intramural six-man football team.  Webb began the competitive football program by making recruiting calls from then-Ferrum College President Ralph Arthur’s office.  The College also received generous donations of football equipment from University of Richmond; Virginia Tech; Virginia Military Institute; and Washington and Lee University; and Panther football was born.

During his time at Ferrum College, Webb also served as head basketball coach, head baseball coach, and athletic director.  Health concerns forced him to resign after the spring of 1957 and he began a career in masonry and sales at Riverton Corporation in Salem, VA.  Tom Berry, a 1957 Ferrum College alumnus, described Webb as “a mentor, friend and father figure to us all.  He wore so many hats: football coach, basketball coach, baseball coach and athletic director. I don’t know how he did it all. It’s hard to describe the impact he’s had on my life. He was such a good person.”

Gary Holden, Ferrum College’s sports information director, along with President David Johns, visited Webb in Salem two days before he passed.  “I got to know Sam fairly well a couple of years back when I was writing a book,” remarked Holden. “He was so humble and cared about others. I was able to talk with him privately a couple minutes before we left. I needed to say some things to him and I’m glad I did.”

Webb is survived by his son, Charlton Webb of Knoxville, TN, and his daughter and son-in-law, Whitney Webb Maddox and Rob Maddox, of Vinton, VA.

Read more about Coach Webb on Ferrum College’s athletics page here: https://www.ferrumpanthers.com/general/2018-19/releases/20181201gi3cb2 and at The Roanoke Times here: https://www.roanoke.com/sports/colleges/founding-father-of-ferrum-football-passes-away/article_a367d610-5fc4-5ad6-b4f6-19d104d89eee.html.

Irma Smart

President David Johns recently announced a generous gift from Ms. Irma Smart of Axton, VA to initiate a Ferrum College Women’s Golf program. The gift provides start-up funds for the program, training, and other opportunities for student-athletes.

A member of the Ferrum College Board of Trustees since 2015, an avid golfer and member of Forest Park Country Club as well as Chatmoss Country Club in Martinsville, VA, Smart says, “Our golfers travel to tournaments around the country and are ambassadors for the College and the sport. Golf’s unique in that it’s scored individually and as a team, so it builds a sense of personal integrity and responsibility. It’s my pleasure to be able to extend that opportunity and experience to a whole new set of student athletes. And – since golf isn’t a spectator sport, there are fewer opportunities to raise funds for the program. I’m hoping that the publicity surrounding the gift will inspire others to support Ferrum College programs – both athletic and academic.”

Ferrum College currently fields 22 NCAA Division III teams and will move from the USA South to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) for the 2018-2019 school year. The Panthers have sponsored a men’s golf team for almost 50 years into the late 1960s, and had club competition back as far as 1954.

“I’m very proud of the Ferrum College golf program,” says eighth-year head men’s golf coach Adam Crawford, who will also coach the women’s team. “We’ve built a remarkably successful program so I’m excited about adding the women’s team to continue that tradition. Ms. Smart’s donation will allow us to enhance the total experience for students and help us compete for championships. I think the timing is fantastic especially as we transition into the ODAC. I’m deeply appreciative of her willingness to make a difference in the lives of our students and I’m very optimistic about the interest I’ve already received from potential students regarding the program.”

This commitment to student athletes has allowed the College to launch seven new varsity sports in recent years – with women’s golf as the eighth. According to President Johns, “Athletics has always been an important part of a Ferrum College education. Offering successful varsity and club programs brings motivated students to Ferrum from all over the country – and that benefits all of us. Team sports, when combined with a lively academic program, cultivate lasting values of cooperation, respect, and excellence. Adam Crawford and all of our coaches, are teachers and mentors who work tirelessly to help our students succeed, not only for a season, but for a lifetime.”