The Viking coaching staff at Bethany is committed to excellence in sportsmanship.
Ryan KraghKragh is currently entering his seventh season as a member of the Bethany Lutheran College coaching staff and fourth as head coach. Prior to taking over the reins of the program in 2005, Kragh was the Vikings' pitching coach for three years, working with squads that combined for a 71-52 record, including back-to-back NJCAA Region XIII Championships. This past season in only Bethany's second year of UMAC play, the Vikings finished third with a record of 12-9. Kragh's baseball history is a rich one. The Minot, N.D., native was a four-year letterwinner at the University of North Dakota, where his name appears in the top 10 of numerous pitching categories and his school record for career pitching wins was just recently broken. After earning his bachelor's degree in physical education and elementary education, he pitched professionally with the Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks of the Northern League. An injury cut his playing career short and he returned to his alma mater, coaching pitchers for three seasons. Under Kragh's tutelage, three pitchers were drafted and went on to play professionally. Kragh also headed up the American Legion baseball program for Jamestown, N.D., leading the Blue Jays to a fifth-place finish in the State A Tournament. Kragh's dedication to the game of baseball is clearly evident from his community involvement. He directs Bethany baseball camps throughout the year and spends his summer months involved in clinics and camps throughout southern Minnesota. Kragh also finds time to umpire many amateur and high school games in the Mankato area. Coach Kragh is currently pursuing a master's degree at Minnesota State, Mankato. His wife, Ruthann, is the registrar at Bethany. The Kraghs and their two children, Mariah and J.D., make their home in Mankato. Assistant coach Andrew DollerschellCoach Dollerschell is in his second season coaching at Bethany. Dollerschell transferred to Bethany after attending Minnesota State, Mankato for three-and-a-half years. After becoming a Viking, Dollerschell made an impact becoming a two-year starter for BLC. During his two years, Dollerschell earned all-conference and all-region honors, as well as winning the teams' Gold Glove Award in his senior season. Dollerschell, a native of Olivia, Minn., attended BOLD High School where he was a three-sport athlete and earned all-conference honors in football and baseball. Dollerschell is now in his senior year at Bethany where he plans to graduate in the spring with a history degree. During his last four summers, Dollerschell has spent time being the assistant coach for the BOLD Legion baseball team. Coach Dollerschell will be working with the catchers and hitters. Assistant coach Brady GrohsAs a first-year assistant coach, Brady Grohs looks forward to continuing his efforts as part of the Bethany baseball program. Grohs a right-handed pitcher, pitched for the Vikings for two years earning conference and team recognition. In his junior campaign he was named All-Conference 1st Team as well as All-Region 1st Team. In his final season playing for the Vikings, he was named team captain. Grohs, a Maple Grove, Minn., native, has also made great strides as Bethany’s first strength and conditioning coach in the past year. Grohs plans to continue with his strength and conditioning training as well as working with the Viking pitching staff. Assistant coach Andy StoltCoach Andy Stolt is in his first season coaching baseball at Bethany. Stolt, a native of New Ulm, was named both All-Conference and All-Region in while playing baseball at New Ulm Public High School. He became a Bethany Viking and was runner up for the MCCC Player of the Year in 2002. After two years of Bethany baseball, Stolt played at the University of North Dakota before coming back to finish his college career at Bethany. In his final season as a pitcher for the Vikings, Stolt was named All-Conference, 1st Team and had 10 complete games. Stolt will use his pitching experience to work primarily with the pitchers while also helping with recruiting efforts.
Rick JeddelohRick Jeddeloh enters his fifth season as head coach at Bethany with an impressive coaching history. In his first season at the helm, he led Bethany to a 19-14 record and its first appearance in an NJCAA National Tournament in 42 years, finishing sixth. He was also honored as the Region XIII and District 4 Coach of the year. In 2004, Jeddeloh was awarded the National Championship Coaches Award. Then in 2006, He was named as both the UMAC Co-Coach of the year and the North Central Regional Coach of the Year. Prior to being named head coach in the spring of 2003, Jeddeloh has served as an assistant coach at Bethany for 10 seasons. His other coaching experience includes two seasons as an assistant coach at Minnesota State University, Mankato (1991-93), and six seasons as an assistant at Waseca High School (1985-91) and head coach at St. Clair High School (1995-2001) for six seasons. In addition to coaching basketball, Jeddeloh has been the Bethany men's golf coach for 12 seasons. This year, Jeddeloh also coached the women's golf team. A former golf pro, Jeddeloh's experience and leadership has proven extremely valuable to Viking golfers. Jeddeloh stays active in the off-season playing golf, traveling, and spending time with his wife, Kirsten, in addition to directing the Bethany summer basketball program. Associate Head Coach Lyle JonesLyle Jones, the former coach of the women's basketball team at Bethany for 12 years, returns for a second year with the men's coaching staff. During his 11 years at the helm, Jones molded the Viking women's basketball program into a yearly regional contender. During this stretch, Jones led his teams to six divisional, three state and two regional championships. Jones left with an impressive .780 win percentage. He is now looking forward to the season ahead and is happy to be part of Bethany basketball once again. Jones and his wife, Katie, and their children live in North Mankato. Assistant coach Joe SzwajaThis will be Joe Szwaja's second year coaching at Bethany. Previous to coaching at Bethany, Szwaja coached the Mankato East seventh grade boy's basketball team during the 2004-05 season leading them to a 9-3 record. Then, during the 2005-06 season, Szwaja coached the ninth grade boys basketball team at New Ulm to a 15-10 record. Szwaja played college basketball for one year at North Iowa Area Community College and then two years at Minnesota State University, Mankato, where he received a bachelor's degree in physical education. He is currently a graduate assistant at Minnesota State as he works toward his master's degree in adapted physical education. Assistant coach Jeremy ColeThis is Jeremy Cole's first year as assistant coach. He served previously as student manager for two years. Cole was also an assistant coach for the boys' team at Mt. Olive Lutheran School for one season. He will graduate this December with an elementary education degree. Cole plans to teach fifth grade and hopes to coach his own basketball team. In his spare time, he enjoys golfing, fishing, and spending time with his wife, Laura. Assistant coach Darren TigheThis will be Darren Tighe's first year as an assistant coach for Bethany. Tighe spent the last two years as the freshmen boy's basketball coach at Cedar Mountain High School. In 2004, he coached the seventh grade boy's basketball team at Holy Redeemer and also ran the seventh grade All-Marshall Team. Overall as a head coach, he has accumulated a 49-30 record. Tighe is currently enrolled at Minnesota State University, Mankato, where he is majoring in English education. He hopes to someday teach and coach at the high school or college level. Assistant coach Jeff FishThis will be Jeff Fish's first year as an assistant coach for Bethany. Jeff has been the assistant boys coach at St. Peter High School from 2001-07. He has also been very active in the youth basketball programs in St. Peter for the past eight years. In the off-season, he is the club house manager at the Le Sueur Golf and Country Club.
Tiffany Young KlockziemHead coach Tiffany Young Klockziem is now in her fifth year at the helm of the Vikings. Young Klockziem is a product of Bethany and its sports programs, having played on very successful Viking volleyball, basketball and softball teams. She received her A.A. from Bethany Lutheran College, and during that time she was an NJCAA Division I and Kodak All-American guard for the Vikings, helping the team win a State title and compete for a regional title. While at Bethany, Young Klockziem was also named to the All-Region volleyball team and was a member of two national tournament teams (softball and volleyball). Young Klockziem then went on to Huron University, Huron, S.D., where she was an NAIA II Basketball All-American, and with her team, finished her college career as the NAIA II National Championship Runner-up. Young was an All-Conference selection in basketball, volleyball and softball, named an NAIA Division II Volleyball Academic All-American, and Huron University's Student-Athlete of the Year. During her college career, Young Klockziem participated in four national tournaments in volleyball, basketball (2) and softball. Young Klockziem received a B.A. from Huron and a M.A. in exercise science from Minnesota State University, Mankato. She is currently teaching in the health and human performance division at Bethany and is pursuing her Ph.D. in health education. Tiffany and her husband, David, and daughter, Savannah, reside in Mankato. Assistant coach Jenny GiesekeA standout athlete at numerous levels, Jenny Gieseke joins the Bethany coaching staff for her fourth year. An NJCAA All-America in volleyball while at Bethany, Gieseke is also the head girls volleyball coach for Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial High School. Having been teammates with Coach Young Klockziem at both Bethany Lutheran and Huron, Gieseke knows the system and the process which will make her a great asset to the Bethany women's basketball program.
Rick JeddelohRick Jeddeloh begins his eleventh season as the coach of the golf team at Bethany Lutheran College. Under his coaching, Bethany golfers made a number of appearances at NJCAA national tournaments. Having spent many years as a golf professional, Jeddeloh's experience and leadership will make Bethany golf a force to be reckoned with for years into the future. Jeddeloh and his wife, Kirsten, make their home in Mankato.
Rob PipalA former Bethany athlete, Rob Pipal is in his 10th season leading the Bethany men's soccer program. This year will be the first in six seasons where Pipal will coach only the men's instead of both the men's and women's teams. His playing credentials include 20 years with the Corinthian Soccer Club-which won the MSA top division four times and the MRSL top league four times-as well as his two years on Bethany's soccer team where he earned the team's "Mr. Hustle" award. Other coaching honors include winning the 2002 Dana Cup U-19 "B" flight trophy in Denmark with the Mankato United U-17 girls team. Pipal recently completed licensure training for "Premier" status with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. He enjoys incorporating his new knowledge into Bethany's on-field performance. Pipal and his wife, Lori, have three children and make their home in Mankato. Assistant coach Bryce LaingOriginally from St. Francis, Minnesota, Bryce Laing came to Bethany in 1999. Laing played two seasons of soccer, becoming the highest goal scorer of the 2000-2001 season. Graduating Bethany in 2003 with a degree in studio art emphasizing graphic design and painting, he and his wife and two small children reside in North Mankato. Assistant coach Oliver LindquistA graduate of Mankato West High School, Oliver Lundquist started his Bethany career as a member of the 2000 soccer team. He was a first-year starter on a successful team with a record of 15-3-2. Lundquist rejoined the team in 2003, where he was captain and the leading scorer with 12 goals and 4 assists. Due to an ACL injury, the 2004 season was frustrating, but Lundquist came back in 2005 again as the leading scorer and captain of the team. Lundquist's speed and excellent skills make him one of the best offensive players ever to play under coach Pipal. Lundquist started coaching part time in 2006 and will coach full-time this fall. He will graduate from Bethany in December with a degree in business.
Derick LyngholmA 1997 Bethany alumnus, Derick Lyngholm enters his first season as coach of the Vikings women's soccer team. Lyngholm returns to Bethany after serving as an assistant coach for the Bethel University men's soccer program for the past six years. Working primarily with the goalkeepers and recruiting, Lyngholm helped lead Bethel to the 2004 MIAC Tournament. It marked the Royals first post-season berth in over 20 years. During his tenure, Bethel goalkeepers set school records for shutouts in a season, shutouts in a career, were twice named captain, won team MVP honors, conference player of the week, and received first team all-conference accolades. As a player, Lyngholm was a two-year starter for the Bethany Vikings from 1995-96. As a freshman he started every game at goalkeeper and helped lead the team to a 14-3-1 record and a #15 national ranking. Lyngholm then played for the Bethel Royals from 1997-98. As a senior, he etched his name in the NCAA record books when he recorded 32 saves against top rated and defending national champion Wheaton College. Lyngholm received his A.A. from Bethany and both his B.A. in Media Communication and his M.A. in Communication from Bethel University in Saint Paul. In addition to his duties as head coach, Lyngholm is also an Instructor in Bethany's Communication Department. Assistant coach Jeana LuedtkeJeana Luedtke enters her first season as an assistant coach with the Vikings. Luedtke was a four-year starter as a midfielder at Minnesota State University, Mankato. A two-time all-conference and all-region player, Luedtke finished her career with the second most assists in Mavericks history. A native of Omaha, NE., Luedke was a four-year starter for Millard South High School. As a senior, Luedtke was named All-State Class A and All-Nebraska by the Omaha World Herald. She served as a team captain as a senior. Her teams reached the state tournament during her freshman, junior and senior seasons and she ranked in the top 20 in scoring for the state of Nebraska three times.
Head Coach Leigh Ann LaFaveA first-year coach last season, Leigh Ann LaFave looks forward to her second season with the Vikings. A 2005 graduate of Alma College in Alma, MI, LaFave was a four-time first-team all-conference player in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA). A pitcher, LaFave also was a three-time all-region player, twice being voted both the Scots team MVP and the Most Valuable Pitcher in the MIAA. As a junior, LaFave was a third-team All-America selection for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA), setting Alma’s single-season ERA record in conference games with a 0.13 mark. A second-team NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete as a senior, LaFave was also nominated for the 2005 NCAA Woman of the Year Award. After four seasons at Alma, LaFave left as the Scots all-time career leader in ERA, strikeouts, and shutouts; and is second for complete games, innings pitched, and wins. Assistant coach Edward FritzEdward Fritz begins his first season as an assistant coach for Bethany. Fritz has been involved in coaching for many years with experience in slow pitch softball, high school wrestling, and body building. In addition to coaching, Fritz is employed with the Department of Corrections where he is a correctional officer and an ICWC crew leader. Fritz resides in Morristown with his wife and daughter.
Adie HarstadThis spring Adolph (Adie) Harstad begins his 17th year of coaching men's and women's tennis at Bethany Lutheran College. A graduate of Northwestern College (Wis.), Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, and the University of Wisconsin, Harstad also teaches religion at Bethany, and is a professor at Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary. Coach Harstad still loves the game of tennis as much as ever and continues to be an active player, regularly competing at the Mankato Athletic Tennis Center and at various United States Tennis Association (USTA) tournaments throughout the Midwest. Adie and his wife Helen live in North Mankato. Their three children, Christopher, Derek, and Karina, have all played tennis at Bethany. Assistant coach Dick AriansDick Arians has worked with Coach Harstad and the Bethany tennis teams for eight years, providing Bethany's student-athletes with tennis instruction and match support. Over the past 30 years, Arians has been an active player, enthusiast, promoter and coach. He has served on the board of directors of Colonial Tennis Club in Dover, Delaware, where he and his wife, Ruth, enjoyed a reign as the club's husband-wife champions. Coach Arians is a district sales manager with Alltel. As a member of the Rochester Indoor Tennis Club and the Mankato Athletic Tennis Center, Arians continues to participate in local leagues and USTA tournaments in Minnesota and Wisconsin, keeping his skills as both a player and a coach very sharp.
Susan WildeSusan Wilde begins her first season with Bethany Lutheran College volleyball this year. Wilde is a 1991 graduate from Minnesota State University, Mankato, where she earned her teaching degree in social studies with a concentration in sociology. After graduating, Wilde took part in the Beginning Teacher Internship Program at Maple River High School from 1991-92, and she has been with the district ever since. In 1999, Wilde received her masters in curriculum and instruction from MSU. Wilde resides in Amboy, MN, with her husband, Chad, and her three children: Marissa, Tanner and Ellie. Wilde has been coaching volleyball since 1991, including high school, summer leagues, and Junior Olympic. The last nine years, Wilde has been the head volleyball coach at Maple River High School where her teams won four Valley Conference championships with one runner-up finish. The Eagles were 20-9 and 24-5 in Wildes last two seasons, respectively. Assistant Coach Joel SchmidtJoel Schmidt, a native of Mapleton, joins the volleyball coaching staff with many years of experience behind him. Schmidt began coaching volleyball at the University of Minnesota-Waseca in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1992, Schmidt moved from coaching to officiating at both the high school and college levels and has been a volleyball official ever since. Schmidt is employed as a cost accountant for Truck Bodies and Equipment International, Inc. in Lake Crystal. He and his wife, Tracy, have two daughters, Kiersten and Amber.
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