8/11/2021
After a chaotic 2020-21 season, Ferrum College’s sports competitions will resume this fall. Panther football opens at home with a 6 p.m. game against Averett University on September 4. Head Coach Cleive Adams ’02 will instruct the Panthers against Averett’s Cougars, a team he coached for six years prior to his 2020 arrival at Ferrum College.
Additionally, the College is inviting Panther fans to become members of the Panther Club, which has supported Ferrum athletes for over 50 years. Memberships provide Ferrum’s 27 varsity athletic programs with leadership development, advanced technology for game streaming, and upgrades to athletic areas. Panther Club members will also receive exclusive benefits, including reserved parking at games, access to the President’s Suite, free decals, and more. Click here to learn more and join the Panther Club.
“Last season was unique in many ways,” wrote Director of Athletics John Sutyak, in an email about the Panther Club. “In the end, all of our student-athletes had the opportunity to compete in meaningful games. We [sent] our men’s and women’s wrestlers to their respective national championships, resulting in one all-America honoree. Additionally, we had three academic all-American student-athletes, three ODAC Scholar Athletes of the Year honorees in their respective sports, and 190 student-athletes were named academic all-ODAC, the fifth most in the conference.”
Check out the Panthers’ fall football schedule here.
Cross country begins with the Virginia Tech Invitational in Blacksburg on September 1. The 2021 cross country schedule is here.
Men’s soccer starts with a home game against Pikeville on August 22. Here’s the fall schedule.
Women’s soccer will begin its season away against Lynchburg on August 25. The fall 2021 schedule is here.
The equestrian program is gearing up for the University of Virginia IHSA Show in Charlottesville on October 9. The 2021-22 schedule is here.
The field hockey team is poised to go up against Lincoln Memorial in a home opener on August 28. Check out the 2021 field hockey schedule here.
Women’s volleyball begins the season with a home game against Patrick Henry on August 28. The fall schedule is here.
Visit the Ferrum College Athletics website for more fall 2021 sports information.
Director of Athletics John Sutyak has announced the promotion of Carrie Austin to an assistant athletic director effective December 1. Austin will join Sports Information Director and Assistant Athletic Director Gary Holden in her new responsibilities.
Austin arrived at Ferrum in January 2014 as head field hockey coach after serving as the associate head field hockey coach at Appalachian State University (NC) from 2007 through 2013. She has since added senior woman administrator and compliance director responsibilities to her resume. Austin also became a member of Ferrum’s senior athletic administration team.
“I’m very excited to announce Carrie as an assistant athletic director,” said Sutyak. “Since my arrival at Ferrum, Carrie has been a valued team member, a trusted colleague and someone who has been a respected member of the community in representing the department on campus. The work she has done alongside Gary Holden in advancing our operations in the area of athletic compliance was critical to our internal procedures prior to my arrival. I am looking forward to her sharing her expertise in all aspects of the department as we continue to evolve and move forward as an athletic department.”
Austin’s management experience also includes serving as game supervisor for the 2020 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament first round game in 2020, and as hospitality coordinator for the 2019 NCAA Division III Men’s Wrestling National Championships and the 2018 NCAA Division III Men’s Wrestling Southeast Regional, both of which were hosted by Ferrum College.
Read more on the Ferrum College Athletics website here.
In 2019, Ferrum hosted the NCAA Men’s Wrestling Tournament at the Berglund Center in Roanoke, VA. 2019 photo.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has announced site selections for national championship events for the 2023 through 2026 cycle, and Ferrum College has been selected to host the 2023 Division III Men’s Wrestling Championships. Ferrum will host the event Friday and Saturday, March 10-11, 2023 at the Berglund Center in nearby Roanoke, Virginia.
“All of us at Ferrum College are ecstatic to be chosen to serve as the host of the 2023 NCAA Division III Men’s Wrestling Championship” stated Ferrum College Director of Athletics John Sutyak. “The staff at Ferrum did a remarkable job back in 2019 and it is a testament to the hard work that happened here that the NCAA has rewarded us with another opportunity to welcome the world of Division III men’s wrestling back to the Roanoke Valley. This is an exciting time for Ferrum wrestling and a huge thank you goes out to Assistant Athletic Director Gary Holden, and our Head Men’s Wrestling Coach Ryan Riggs, for putting together a successful bid.”
“I’m grateful for the opportunity for Ferrum College to host the Division III Men’s Wrestling National Championships again in 2023,” said Riggs. “I’m looking forward to working with the Berglund Center event staff and VBR Sports again, making it a quality experience for the competitors, coaches, and fans. We have a lot of wrestlers from the Roanoke Valley and Commonwealth of Virginia who could be wrestling for national titles. It’s exciting! I want to thank President Johns, John Sutyak, and Gary Holden for all of the work they do.”
Read more in this article on Ferrum’s Athletics webpage.
Despite a spring semester that was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including the cancelation of the spring athletic season, Ferrum College is celebrating a substantial increase in unrestricted giving to the Ferrum Fund and to Ferrum athletics.
“We asked our alumni and friends for support, and they responded in an overwhelming way,” said Vice President for Institutional Advancement and External Relations Wilson Paine ’07.
For fiscal year 2020 (July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020), the College saw a 33% increase in giving to the Ferrum Fund compared to last year, with close to 900 donations totaling over $400,000. Additionally, donations to athletics increased by 40% with gifts exceeding $140,000 from over 500 donors, which is double the donors from last year.
“It is extremely exciting to achieve this accomplishment during such a difficult and unexpected year,” said Director of Athletics John Sutyak, who arrived at the College in January of this year. “I’m continually impressed by our loyal supporter base and their commitment to Ferrum athletics and our student-athletes.”
Along with Ferrum’s dedicated donors and the addition of corporate sponsorship opportunities, Sutyak credits the increase in athletic giving to his coaching staff; Assistant Director of Athletics and Sports Information Director Gary Holden, and the institutional advancement staff, particularly Paine, Director of Development Bart Smith, and Director of Annual Giving Crystal Gibson.
Gifts to the Ferrum Fund go to a variety of programs at the College, including scholarships, academic programs, and student support. Ferrum Fund dollars help provide aid to students who may no longer have the means to continue their education due to financial hardships created by COVID-19.
“This is a great victory for Ferrum College and Ferrum athletics. We are grateful to our alumni, parents, and supporters who made gifts despite the shortened spring season and other challenges,” said Paine.
To learn how to support Ferrum athletics and the Ferrum Fund, and for more information about corporate sponsorship opportunities, please contact Wilson Paine at wpaine@ferrum.edu or 540-365-4211.
Learn more about the Ferrum Fund here, and more about Ferrum athletics here.
Legendary Coach Hank Norton
Through gifts from family, friends, and former football players of Coach Wilbert Henry “Hank” Norton, an endowment honoring Coach Norton’s 34 years of service to Ferrum College has been established.
The endowment will support The Norton Outdoor Adventures, formerly known as Ferrum Outdoors, and will pay tribute to his love of the environment. Norton was an avid fly-fisherman and enjoyed the great outdoors in addition to coaching and mentoring student-athletes.
The program encompasses activities such as disc golf, hiking, camping, caving, skiing, biking, and paddle sports that focus on getting outside and enjoying nature, with an emphasis on safety and learning.
“Throughout our lives, Dad had a reputation as a highly respected football coach. What excites us about the establishment of this [program]…is that it honors his actions as a leading citizen-advocate for clean water and a clean environment,” wrote Norton’s children, Pattie Norton Gunter, Will Norton, and Jack Norton, in a statement of support.
“I am incredibly grateful for Coach Norton’s family as well as his former players and friends who came together to make this happen,” said Vice President for Institutional Advancement and External Relations Wilson Paine. “The Norton Outdoor Adventures is a fitting tribute to Coach Norton’s contributions to Ferrum College outside of football, and this endowment solidifies Ferrum’s commitment to providing our students the opportunity to explore the natural environment and develop a deeper appreciation for the outdoors.”
Norton, who passed away on January 16, 2019 at the age of 91, has been described as tough but caring, leading Ferrum College into post-season playoff runs, winning titles, and coaching 46 All-Americans during his career at the College.
Learn more about Norton Outdoor Adventures here.
Learn more about Coach Norton here.
If you would like to donate to the Norton Outdoor Adventures program, please visit www.ferrum.edu/giving, or contact the Office of Institutional Advancement by calling 540-365-4211 or emailing advancement@ferrum.edu.
Ryan Riggs, who has been with the Panther wrestling program the past four seasons and recently completed his second year as associate head coach, will become the next head men’s wrestling coach at Ferrum College.
“We are extremely pleased that Ryan Riggs has agreed to be the next head men’s wrestling coach at Ferrum College,” said Director of Athletics John Sutyak. “Ryan has been instrumental in helping to build Ferrum into a national program and regional power within the NCAA. Having an accomplished coach already on staff allows us to continue the upward trajectory of Ferrum men’s wrestling on the national level. In having the opportunity to work with him and observe him as a coach the last few months, I have full confidence in Ryan and how we will work together to keep Ferrum men’s wrestling strong.”
“I want to thank our Director of Athletics John Sutyak, Associate Athletic Director Gary Holden, and President Dr. David Johns for believing in me as the next head wrestling coach at Ferrum College,” said Riggs. “I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to lead this program and amazing student athletes. I am ready to build on the success of this last season and have very high expectations for the future of Ferrum wrestling.”
Riggs was promoted to associate head coach at Ferrum in July 2018. In doing so, he took on more day-to-day operations of the program, including recruiting, fundraising, practice development and coordinating Ferrum men’s wrestling social media presence. He was instrumental in helping Ferrum host the 2019 NCAA Division III Wrestling National Championships at the Berglund Center in Roanoke, Virginia. Riggs also helped the Panthers host the NCAA Southeast Regional tournaments in 2017 and 2018. He has served as tournament director for the Star City Classic, Southeast Duals, and Panther Open, all tournaments hosted by Ferrum.
A native of Perry Township, Ohio, Riggs prepped at Massillon Perry High School, where he was a double All-American at the Asics Greco-Roman and Freestyle Fargo National Championships. He qualified three times for the Ohio State Tournament, was a two-time Ironman Tournament place winner, and a Beast of the East Tournament finalist. Riggs was ranked nationally by USA Wrestling and Amateur Wrestling News before continuing his career at Cleveland State University as a scholarship wrestler. He placed 5th at the Eastern Wrestling League Tournament in 2007 and was ranked as high as #3 in the league.
Riggs becomes only the second head men’s wrestling coach in the seven-year history of the program. He succeeds Nate Yetzer, who stepped down last week to accept the head wrestling coach position at Roanoke College.
Read more on the Ferrum College Athletics website.
Adams stands with President David Johns during Adams’ 2019 induction into the Ferrum College Sports Hall of Fame.
Athletic Director John Sutyak has announced the hiring of alumnus Cleive Adams ’02 as the new football coach at Ferrum College.
“I am excited to welcome Cleive Adams back to Ferrum as our new head football coach,” said Sutyak. “It was critical that we identified someone who is of high character, that can positively mentor our current and future football student-athletes and who not only knows Ferrum, but embraces who we are and can effectively recruit and retain high level students and football players to the college. Cleive fits those traits and has a proven record of success in his tenure as the head coach at Averett. We are excited that he will be leading the Black Hats into the future and work toward our ultimate goal of competing for the ODAC championship.”
Prior to his stint at Averett, Adams served two stints as an assistant coach at Ferrum, from 2003 to 2004 and again from 2007 to 2013. During his second stint, Adams served as the Panthers’ defensive coordinator. He was an assistant football coach and special teams coordinator at fellow Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) member Washington and Lee University from 2005 to 2006.
“It’s an absolute honor to be named head football coach at Ferrum,” said Adams. “To be a part of a program with such a rich tradition represents an awesome opportunity. I’m looking forward to a new beginning with my alma mater and a productive partnership with the Ferrum Athletics department and campus community.”
A native of Radford, VA, Adams played football at Ferrum under legendary Coach Hank Norton in 1988 and 1989. After stepping away from school to start a family, he returned to Ferrum in the late 1990s to resume work on his degree, eventually earning a Bachelor of Science from Ferrum in recreation and leisure with a minor in psychology in 2002. In 2019, Adams was named to the Ferrum College Alumni Sports Hall of Fame.
Adams will succeed Rob Grande, who stepped down earlier this month to accept a position with the Iowa State University football coaching staff.
Ferrum College will hold an introductory press conference to formally announce Adams’ hiring on Wednesday, April 1 at 1:00 p.m. The event will be streamed live here.
Read more on the Ferrum College Athletics website.
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.
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.
Ferrum College junior Brian Mann from Pearisburg, VA, has been named to both the 2018 American Football Coaches Association Division III All-American Team, and the 2018 Google Cloud Academic All-American NCAA Division III Football Team. He is the College’s first ever student-athlete to earn academic and athletic All-American recognition.
Mann, who is majoring in business administration and financial management, was named to the All-Conference first team by the Old Dominion Athletic Conference this season, and is one of only two ODAC players named to the 2018 AFCA All-American team. Mann earned a place on the Academic All-District V first team in November, which made him eligible for Academic All-American. He ranks as Ferrum College’s seventh Academic All-American and the second in Panther football. Currently, Mann holds 14 school records, received an ODAC nod in 2018, and was USA South Offensive Rookie of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year in 2016 and 2017.
Read more about Brian Mann’s athletic and academic achievements here and here.
Ferrum College’s Gary Holden was recently featured in the College Sports Information Directors of America 360 magazine for his expansive knowledge in collegiate athletics.
Currently serving the College as sports information director and assistant athletic director for compliance, Holden’s career began in the mid-1980’s as an assistant wrestling coach at Plymouth State University, and grew to include head wrestling coach and residence hall director at the university. Holden joined Ferrum College as sports information director in 1991. Except for a small hiatus as SID to Lynchburg College from 1997-1998, Holden has called Ferrum College his home for almost 30 years. While at Ferrum, he has seen and done just about everything in collegiate athletics, including serving as sports information director, assistant athletic director, compliance director, head men’s tennis coach, interim head women’s tennis coach, and commissioner to the Atlantic Central Football Conference.
“Life as an SID can be a blur sometimes,” Holden remarked. “Add in compliance work and you jump from one thing to the next to keep up. It’s crazy, but I wouldn’t change it for anything.”
A native of Nashua, New Hampshire, Holden and his wife Leslie reside in Ferrum, and are the parents of two grown sons Taylor and Drew. He is the author of the book Black & Gold, A History of Athletics at Ferrum College, which he wrote and self-published in 2014. Holden was inducted into Plymouth State’s Sports Hall of Fame in October 2015.
Read more about Holden’s career and accomplishments in Will Roleson’s article in CoSIDA 360 here.
