NU’s Mark Mandi Named Coach of Character
LA GRANDE, Ore. – Northwest University’s head cross country/track & field coach Mark Mandi was named the Cascade Collegiate Conference Coach of Character, the conference office announced today. Mandi will be the CCC’s nominee for the national award.
“Mark is an integral and influential member of our department,” stated NU Director of Athletics Gary McIntosh. “His character and subsequently his desire to develop character in his athletes are what make him stand out as a coach.”
Mandi has served as head coach of the Eagles since 2009. “Sports are a great medium for revealing and building character,” Mandi said. “As a coaching staff, we are always looking for opportunities to refine and encourage character development, whether in a group or individual setting.”
As part of the nomination process schools had an opportunity to have a student-athlete submit a letter of recommendation. Former Eagle standout Kyle Cole provided a letter for Mandi that will be included in the material sent to the NAIA.
“Coach Mandi challenged me to find out who I was as a person versus allowing me to focus solely on my athletic aspirations,” stated Cole. “He cared about who I was becoming as a young man more than as an athlete.”
The national award winner will be announced in September during the annual NAIA Awards Day.