Bill Taraschke is in his 25th year of teaching and coaching at Baldwin-Wallace College in 2008-2009. Under Taraschke's tutelage, the Yellow Jacket men's and women's track and field and men's and women's cross country programs continue to be among the finest in Division III. In addition to coaching, Taraschke is a professor in B-W's Division of Health and Physical Education.
During his past 24 seasons at B-W, Taraschke has coached 44 teams to Ohio Athletic Conference titles (10 in cross country and 34 in track), including the 1995 men's outdoor track crown. In addition, Taraschke has been named as the OAC Coach of the Year 33 times, NCAA Division III Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year 12 times, and in both 1997 and 2002, he was selected as the NCAA Division III Women's Outdoor Track Coach of the Year.
Prior to becoming cross country coach, Taraschke was the offensive backfield and kicking coach for the Yellow Jacket football team.
A two-time Mid American Conference discus champion, Taraschke was the head track and field coach and defensive coordinator at Chadron State College in Nebraska before coming to B-W. Taraschke previously was a head coach at Milan, Ohio Edison High School (1966-69), Canton, Ohio Glenoak High School (1969-71) and Brookside, Ohio High School (1971-75).
Taraschke is a member of the NCAA Track Coaches Association; the NCAA Division III Track & Field Rules Committee; the American Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance; a number of educational honor societies; and has been a guest lecturer at numerous track and field clinics. Taraschke has served as the NCAA Division III national meet director twice and has been the track meet director for the Ohio State Games.
Taraschke received his undergraduate degree from Ohio University in 1964, his master's degree from Southern Illinois in 1966 and his doctorate in exercise physiology from the University of Toledo in 1984.
To contact Head Coach Bill Taraschke, please call him at 440-826-3322 or e-mail him at wtarasch@bw.edu.
Eric Schmuhl '05 is in his first season of coaching at Baldwin-Wallace in 2008-2009. Coach Schmuhl will be in charge of recruiting as well as coaching the jumpers and combined events athletes for B-W's track and field program .
Schmuhl, who earned an undergraduate degree in education at B-W, returns to the College after spending the past year as a graduate assistant coach for track and cross country at Muskingum College, where he earned his Master’s of Arts in Education. In addition to his coaching duties, he was in charge of recruiting and building the strength and conditioning program for the track and cross country teams. In one season at Muskingum, Schmuhl coached four OAC Champions including one athlete who broke three school records en route to qualifying for the NCAA Division III outdoor championships.
Prior to coaching at the collegiate level, Schmuhl was an assistant coach for track and cross country for three years at his high school alma mater, Medina Senior High School in Medina, Ohio. While at Medina Senior, Schmuhl coached the Bees to three straight Conference and District Team Championships as well as the 2006 Regional Team Championship that included five individual champions and three regional record-breakers. In that span, Schmuhl also coached his runners to 13 OHSAA championship meet appearances, nine school records, four Medina County Records, and 15 All-Ohio honors.
Schmuhl, a 2001 graduate of Medina Senior High School, was a 2001 OHSAA State qualifier in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles and a two-year team captain in track.
At B-W, Schmuhl ran four years of indoor and outdoor track under Taraschke and earned eight varsity letters. He was an NCAA Division III National qualifier for outdoor track in 2004 and 2005 and the 2004 OAC champion in 400-meter intermediate hurdles. He was also a seven-time All-OAC honoree, a 2005 honorable mention Academic All-OAC selection and a three-time Vance Carter Award Winner as the Most Outstanding Male Hurdler. Schmuhl has a USATF Level 1 coaching certification and currently serves as a trustee and clinic instructor to the Greater Medina Track Club, Inc.
To contact Coach Schmuhl, please call him in his office at 440-826-2009 or e-mail him at eschmuhl@bw.edu
Craig Braithwaite '67 is in his 34th season of coaching at the College in 2008-2009. He has amassed one of the most impressive resumes in Division III.
Under his guidance he has led 20 athletes to All-American achievements in addition to 16 relay squads that have achieved that same honor. In all, Coach Braithwaite has helped tutor 84 All-American performances. Additionally, he has coached athletes that currently hold eight school records.
Coach Braithwaite attended B-W from 1963-67, where he competed in the 100, 220 and 440-yard dashes individually and as a member of the 440 and mile relay teams outdoors, and in the 55, 300 and 440-yard dashes and as a member of the 800 and mile relay teams indoors. He was the Ohio Athletic Conference champion in both the 100-yard dash and in the 55-yard dash in 1967. In addition, Coach Braithwaite earned small college All-American accolades in the 440-yard relay in both 1966 and 1967. His achievements both on the track and in the classroom earned Coach Braithwaite entry into the B-W Alumni Athletic Hall.
Braithwaite graduated from Lakeside, Ohio High School in 1963 after winning the 100 and 220-yard dashes and placing second in the 440-yard dash at the OHSAA (Ohio High School Athletic Association) Class A State meet in 1963.
In 1998, Coach Braithwaite retired from a 31-year career as a biology teacher at Berea High School where he also served as the Head Track and Cross Country coach from 1967-1976. Coach Braithwaite returned to his alma mater in 1976-77 to serve as an assistant coach in cross country and track under the legendary Paul "Sparky" Adams, who was his head coach. With Coach Braithwaite as a member of the Adams staff, B-W won 13 OAC crowns in cross country and track. During his 32-year career at his alma mater, Coach Braithwaite has been a part of 47 OAC titles.
Braithwaite and his wife Sandy reside in Olmsted Falls.
To contact Coach Braithwaite, please call him in his office at 440-826-3644 or e-mail him at cbraithw@bw.edu.
Todd Swisher ‘94 is in his 12th season as a hurdles and sprint coach in 2008-2009. He has helped to produce some of the areas finest hurdlers and sprinters at both the high school and collegiate level.
Coach Swisher is a 1989 graduate of Mentor High School and a 1994 graduate of B-W. He ran track at the College from 1990-1993. He was a member of the 1992 OAC champion and NCAA Division III National Championship Meet qualifying 400-meter relay team.
Coach Swisher began his coaching career at B-W in 1996 and is in his second stint at the College after spending two years at the high school level at local Middleburg Heights Midpark. While at B-W, Coach Swisher has tutored All-Americans Jeff Petersmeyer and Issac Fears and national qualifiers Rochelle Meyer, Libby Nelson, Justin Miller and Eric Schmul.
Coach Swisher is currently employed at Midpark High School as a social studies teacher. Coach Swisher and his wife, Danielle, have a son named Kade.
To contact Coach Swisher, please call him at 440-826-3644 or e-mail him at tswisher@bw.edu
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Jarrod Davis is in his first season of coaching at Baldwin-Wallace in 2008-2009.
A graduate of Youngstown State University, Davis leaves the Penguin track and field program as one of the most decorated throwers in school history. For Davis’ career, he was a three-time Horizon League Champion in the weight, hammer, and javelin throws. Davis also holds three YSU indoor throwing records, including two conference-bests, and was named a National Strength and Conditioning Association All-American in 2007.
Davis earned his bachelor’s degree in computer information systems in 2005 and completed his master’s degree in 2007. Academically, he was a first team ESPN The Magazine University Division Track and Field Academic All-America selection in 2005-06.
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