Manhattan Christian College Athletics is excited to announce the addition of women's golf, while bringing back men's and women's cross country, as varsity sports for the 2025-26 academic year. Today's announcement marks the introduction of women's golf at MCC, and are reintroducing cross country for the first time since 2021-22. The Thunder will still compete in the National Christian College Athletic Association for these sports. Women's golf will compete in Division I of the NCCAA as they do not have two separate divisions. Cross country will compete in Division II. Both sports compete in the Fall championships of the NCCAA.
The NCCAA Women's Golf National Championship is hosted at Hammock Beach Resort's Conservatory Course in Palm Coast, Florida from October 20th-22nd. The NCCAA Division II Men's and Women's Cross Country National Championships are hosted at Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course in Joplin, Missouri on November 14th.
The athletic department is currently working on schedules for both women's golf and cross country. They will be released on our website once completed.
How to Follow the Thunder: For complete information and to stay up-to-date with Manhattan Christian College Athletics, visit www.mccthunder.com and follow the department's social media pages on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
Danika "Dani" Hepner has been named the Co-Head Women's Soccer coach to lead the women's soccer team for the 2025 season.
Hepner is no stranger to MCC as she is a recent alum and currently works in the admissions office. Hepner was on the women's volleyball team from 2020-2023 and helped lead the team to two Final Four finishes and a runner-up finish at the NCCAA DII National Volleyball Championships.
While new to the sport of soccer, Coach Hepner brings a wealth of knowledge in leading others in spiritual growth, building a positive team culture, and thrives while investing and serving others.
Dani will also help sponsor men's and women's cross country, as well as women's golf.
Originally from Derby, KS, Coach Hepner resides in Manhattan with her husband, Tyler Hepner, who will also serve the women's soccer team as an assistant coach.
The men and women’s cross-country runners are looking forward to picking up where things left off last fall.
Things will start up with a return meet to McPherson College to compete in the Carol Swenson Invitational. Manhattan Christian will race on this course twice this season and will see tough competitors. MCC will also travel Crowder College and finish up at the Last Chance Meet hosted by Ozark Christian College.
“The Thunder will race against some of the top NAIA Cross Country runners this fall, which I think will push our runners and just make them that much better when it comes to our last meet in Joplin before the National Meet,” stated head coach Mindy Eckert.
In the first year of being reinstated, it saw each runner improving on their times each race. Kate McGee returns this season, she was just a couple minute shy of making the NCCAA DII National Meet last year and will be looking towards that goal this year.
Ian Uphoff, in one of the tougher courses, made it to Nationals with a time of 32:03.40. Due to other commitments Uphoff was unable to attend.
Click for the full schedule.
The NCCAA announced today the 2021-22 Men's and Women's Cross Country Scholar-Athletes. For Manhattan Christian College, two runners received this award.
Senior Drew Will, a dual degree student, competed in all four meets in the reinstated season for the Thunder. Will is currently working towards his degree in Youth Ministry along with Human Development and Family Studies at Kansas State University.
On the Women's side, senior Darby Cook was named. Cook unfortunately dealt with back issues that only allowed her to run in one meet this year. She is also a dual degree student who is studying Life Sciences with a Pre-Med emphasis at KSU, while getting a degree in Bible and Leadership at Manhattan Christian.
"Both these athletes show great work ethic, either in the classroom or on the course. They both are high character students with a positive attitude in all they do," stated head coach Mindy Eckert.
The fall season came to a close back on October 30 with the runners competing at the Ozark Christian Last Chance Meet.
In its first season back, since 2017, the Manhattan Christian College Cross Country teams are getting the 2021 season off to a great start. Having competed against some tough NAIA runners over the last few weeks has proven some difficulties but has made each runner improve. Over this past weekend at the Tabor College Cottonwood Challenge, Freshman Ian Uphoff qualified for the NCCAA Division II Championship Meet with an 8K time of 32:03.40.
Head coach Mindy Eckert, in her first year as the coach had this to say, “I’m excited and happy for Ian. Competing against some quick NAIA kids can be tough but also challenging and Ian took that head on. He ran his race and stayed focused on what he needed to do. I am very proud of all my runners here at MCC.”
Up next for the Thunder will be the Ozark Christian College Last Chance Meet October 30. Following that will be the National Champion Meet in Joplin, MO November 12.
