The Goshen College athletic department is excited to welcome Lisa Voyles as the new associate head track & field and assistant cross country coach. Bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience, Voyles was hired over the summer and began her new position on August 1st, 2024.
Before beginning her career as a running coach, Voyles has had a decorated career as a collegiate runner. A former athlete for Indiana Tech, Voyles won national titles in the indoor mile, outdoor 800 meter, indoor distance medley relay, and outdoor 4×400 meter relay. She was also named 2024 NAIA Women’s Indoor Track & Field National Scholar Track Athlete of the Year, as was stated on the GC athletics website.Additionally, she majored in exercise science and completed an internship at Indiana Tech. “Her experience as an athlete is valuable,” says Head Coach Rustin Nyce, “her knowledge of training and the track and cross country scene is tremendous.”
The hiring process for the position, according to Nyce, was centered around finding someone who understood “the core values of our team and exemplified those, and didn’t really have to be taught … but also understanding how to be competitive and really how to get our athletes that we have to the next level.”
When asked about what core values the coaching staff was looking to reinforce, Nyce stated, “it comes down to how I would like to see our coaches treat people, and she treats people like we want to: With dignity and respect, but also in an encouraging way.” Nyce continued, “She’s always about a step or two ahead, just in how she’s interacting with [the athletes], getting them ready for the next step, building confidence in them.”
A key feature of Voyles’ influence on the team has been the integration of a more structured weight training program in addition to running workouts. According to Voyles, these workouts are “essential” for a successful cross country program.
Voyles went on, “I definitely wouldn’t underestimate the importance of that … part of our goal with weight training is to have more muscle recruitment … the more muscle recruitment you have, the more you’re going to be able to do.”
Members of the team have already noticed the difference that the new lifting program has brought on, and how it brings them together as a team. Jacob Friesen, a sophomore, said that this season, the team has had “a lot more emphasis on doing lifting, core and plyos as a team … it’s been nice to have teammates supporting you in the gym, and [Lisa] shows up to lifts and teaches you how to do specific things.”
Kevin Liddell, senior cross country athlete, comments on Voyles’ coaching, saying “these are things she said she did when she trained so we do them with enthusiasm.” Voyles’ success as a runner herself creates a drive in athletes to push themselves to reach their goals.
Not only does Voyles support the team through strength and conditioning, but also in her attitude. “She brings a lot of experience and a lot of energy… she’s a super fun coach to have around,” said Friesen.
Liddell noted that “she has had a great impact on our team both with physical fitness and mental fitness … since our program is moving towards wanting to win titles she has been great in shifting the mentality towards that.”
Liddell concluded by saying “Lisa is a great fit for the future goals of this program and her insight is inspiring and credible.”
As a coach, she intends to offer knowledge on the mindset, discipline and dedication that is required for GC to compete and be successful at the NAIA national championships. “I think that you learn a lot through your successes, but also through your failures,” she said.
Voyles has specific goals in mind for the team. “You want to have good culture. You want to be supportive of each other,” said Voyles. In Voyles’ philosophy, developing that culture allows everyone to have the support they need to “achieve their goals and to go further.”
Voyles has described her experience at GC in very positive terms. “It’s been pretty awesome. Honestly, I’ve enjoyed it and loved it a lot.”
Voyles went on, “I love the team, they’re really awesome people to work with. And so I feel like that’s probably the best part of it, is just seeing them every day.”
Voyles made clear that in her view, above all else, students should “know that they’re more than an athlete.”
“I feel like that’s an important lesson I learned in my career, and something that I want to continue to put out there for others to connect with,” Voyles said.