Coach Robert Shankman, in his 34th year at Rhodes, is among the most successful active coaches nationally within NCAA Division III. Under his leadership, the Rhodes Track & Field and Cross Country Teams have won a combined 49 conference titles between the Southern Athletic Association and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. This includes 14 men’s cross country titles, eight women’s cross country titles, ten men’s track & field titles, and 17 women’s track & field titles.
In addition, Shankman has coached 117 NCAA national qualifiers in track & field. In cross country, eleven teams (five men and six women) have advanced to the NCAA National Championship Meet, as well as 29 individuals. 33 individuals have earned All-American status, 30 in track and field and three in cross country.
The Rhodes women have captured conference titles in track & field 14 of the previous 15 years dating back to 2008. Shankman coached multi’s standout Jessie Hunt as the first women’s All-American for the Lynx, finishing fourth nationally in the Heptathlon in 2001. 1500 meter specialists Amy Paine (4:26.55; two-time All-American) and Marie Brandewiede (4:29.65; four-time All-American) also drew national attention in the early 2000’s, with Paine finishing second at the ’03 National Championships. Hurdler Moly Buck, a six-time NCAA national qualifier, led two 4x400 relays to nationals, while earning All-American status individually in the 400 hurdles in 2010. Buck’s teammate, Sandy Henin was Rhodes’ first 800 meter All-American, running 2:11.19 at the 2011 outdoor championships. Standout sprinter/hurdler Sadie Yanckello rewrote the record books from 2012-2015. A 12-time national qualifier in relays and individual events, Yanckello was a four-time All-American. She anchored All-American 4x100 meter relays teams in 2012 (Yanckello, Lindsey Svehla, Chelsea Temple, and Mary Kate Mullen) and 2015 (Yanckello, Alice Fugate, Chelsea Temple, and Bri Hardeman), as well as the current school record 4x400 relay team of Yanckello, Kendall Reed, Chelsea Temple, and Alice Fugate (3:48.10) in 2015. In addition, she achieved All-American Status in the 400 hurdles (1:00.77) in 2012 and the 400 meter dash in 2015 (55.42), while establishing school records in both events. Leda St Cyr continued a strong tradition of producing outstanding 400 hurdlers, qualifying for the National Championship Meet in both 2018 and 2019. Teammate Sara kate Capel also qualified for the national meet in both ’18 and ’19 in the high jump (5’5 ¾”). Long jumper Maddie Chandler also advanced twice to the national meet (’20 & 21) by jumping over 19’. Teammate Rachel Sullivan also qualified twice for the national meet, jumping 5’6” during the ‘23 indoor and outdoor seasons.
The men’s track & field program produced several All-Americans in the mid-90s, including triple jumper Jason Walter, who finished seventh indoor and fifth outdoor during the 1997 season. High jumper Tim Barkley finished seventh in the high jump in ’98, while Javelin standout Matt Wilkinson placed seventh during the 1999 season. During the 2009 campaign, sprinter Jon Mervine qualified for the outdoor national meet, setting a new school record in 400 hurdles in 53.34. Standout sprinter Jeremy Phillips was a four-time national qualifier in the jumps and sprints, finishing sixth in the 100 meter dash in 2015 and third in the 200 meter dash during the 2016 indoor season. Renn Eason, a five-time national qualifier in the high jump (6’11”) and three-time All-American, was the first track & field national champion for the Lynx. In addition to capturing the 2017 indoor individual title, Eason earned All-American titles both indoor and outdoor during the 2018 season. Tej Suber (hammer) and Spencer Fields (10000 meter run) both broke school records and advanced to the outdoor national championships in 2018. Most recently, distance standout Jared Briant established school records in the 3000 (8:34.41), 3000 Steeplechase (8:55.94), and 5000 (14:31.61) and was a six-time NCAA national qualifier, three times in the 3000 steeplechase and three times in cross country. Teammates Luke Gerzon and TJ Clayton both represented the Lynx in the 100 meter dash at the 2023 National Championship Outdoor Meet, with Clayton finishing 6th, earning All-American Status. This past winter, Clayton also earned All-American Status in the 200 Meter Dash Indoors.
In women’s cross country, Shankman coached 16 individual qualifiers to the NCAA National Championships since 1995. Nicole Horvath was the first NCAA individual national qualifier, reaching the national meet in 1995, 1996, and 1997. Teammate Emily Ferguson was a two-time national qualifier, winning the region individual title in 1998. Lydia Gibson was another distance standout for the Lynx in the early years of the program, qualifying for the national meet in both 1998 and 1999. Track standouts Amy Paine, Marie Brandewiede, and Elizabeth Wester (each individual national qualifiers) led the Lynx to their first ever NCAA team appearance at the national championship meet, as the team of Paine, Wester, Brandewiede, Betsy Bogler, May King, Lauren Glas, and Haley McConaghy) won their first ever NCAA Southeast Region title in 2002. Led by All-American Taylor Stevens (35th at the ’08 National Championship Meet), the Lynx again qualified a team in ’09, ’10, and ’11. The ’10 team of Stevens, Caroline Webster, Anna Johnson, Becca Olivarez, Kelsey Dudziak, Sandy Henin, and Maddie Harrigan won the NCAA Southeast Region title for the second time in school history. Distance standout Brittney Alexander qualified individually for nationals in 2013 and 2014, and then led the team to an appearance during the 2015 season. During the 2016 season, Ashley Litoff led the team to another national’s appearance, finishing 32nd overall and becoming the second Lynx to earn All-American status in women’s cross country.
In Men’s Cross Country, Brian McCarthy became the first of nine NCAA individual qualifiers, reaching the national meet in 2000 and 2002. Other double individual qualifiers include Chris Moore (‘09/’10) and Alex Noel (‘13/’14). The team of Alex Mahoney, Nick Lewis, Mark Handelman, Lucas Warth, Will Sheftall, Scott Barrows, and David Huntzinger brought home the first every NCAA Region Championship Title in 2006, followed by a 21st place finish at the NCAA Championships. Distance standout Spencer Fields qualified individually for cross country nationals in 2015, then led the Lynx to consecutive team appearances in ’16, ’17, and ’18. The team’s 17th place finish at the ’18 National Championship Meet is the highest finish in school history. Toler Freyaldenhoven, member of the ’18 team, became the school’s first male NCAA All-American in Cross Country, placing 37th overall.
In addition, Shankman has received considerable recognition among his colleagues. He has been voted SAA (formerly SCAC) conference coach of the year 22 times in cross country and 27 times in track & field. The United States Track & field and Cross Country Coaches Association has honored Shankman with Regional Coach of the Year awards in 2002, 2009, and 2010 for women’s cross country, in 2003, 2010, 2014, and 2015 for women’s outdoor track & field, and for 2017 and 2018 in men’s cross country.
Coach Shankman is a graduated of Rhodes College (formerly Southwestern at Memphis), where he competed as a hurdler from 1977-1980. He received his Masters of Education from the University of Memphis is 1993. Shankman was a member of the Executive Committee for the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coach Association, serving as President of Division III Cross Country from 2014-16. He served as the NCAA Southeast Region Cross Country Meet Director in 1995 and 2010, and has achieved USAT&F Level II certification status.
