Track and Field | 6/30/2009 12:00:00 AM

Jessica Becker has been named assistant track & field coach at McPherson College.

“I am very excited to have someone of Jessica’s caliber join the program,” said McPherson College Head Coach Joe Eby. “She brings experience from not only the KCAC level, but from the national level as well.”

Becker was the 2009 NAIA outdoor shot put champion after finishing second at the 2009 NAIA indoor championships.

Becker swept the 2009 KCAC shot put and discus championships for a second straight year after winning the 2008 NAIA national indoor shot put title then finishing second at the 2008 NAIA outdoor championships,.

Jessica earned NAIA All-American honors six times and was a five-time NAIA Academic All-American in indoor and outdoor track and field. Becker was three time KCAC champion in both the shot put (2005, 2008, 2009) and discus (2006, 2008, 2009).

Currently the KCAC meet record holder in both the shot put (48’8”) and the discus (145’0”), Becker also holds the Bethany College school records in both indoor and outdoor shot put. Becker’s personal best in the shot put came in winning the 2009 NAIA Outdoor championship, with a throw of 51’6.25”.

A 2009 graduate of Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kan., with a degree in K-12 health and physical education, Becker was named Bethany College’s “Female Athlete of the Year” three times during her collegiate career.

A 2004 graduate of Capitan (New Mexico) High School, Becker served one season as assistant track and field coach for throwing events at Bethany College where she coached four national qualifiers. She has also served three seasons as an assistant track coach, two years as assistant basketball coach, and one season as assistant volleyball coach at Southeast of Saline High School, Gypsum, Kansas.

Becker plans to begin studies towards a master’s degree in health, physical education and recreation at Emporia State University this fall.