The Malone Pioneers are athletic teams of Malone University in Canton, Ohio, United States. The Pioneers compete in Division II of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as members of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC). Malone joined the G-MAC after four seasons in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) from 2012–13 to 2015–16. Malone joined the GLIAC and Division II in the 2011–12 season (as an independent in its provisional status) and completed the NCAA Division II membership process in July 2013 after having previously competed in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA); mostly known for its tenure with the now-defunct American Mideast Conference from 1965–66 to 1988–89, and from 1993–94 to 2010–11.

In 2016, the Pioneers began play in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, also known as the G-MAC.

Varsity teams Men's sports Women's sports Baseball Basketball Basketball Cross country Cross country Golf Golf Lacrosse Lacrosse Soccer Soccer Softball Swimming Swimming Track and field Track and field Volleyball Co-ed sports

Baseball The baseball team, founded in 1963, plays home games at Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium, their home since 2021. The team previously played at the stadium from 2008 through 2015, before using the baseball field at nearby Jackson High School from 2016 through 2020. During the 2016 and 2017 seasons, the team also held a few home games at Schoonover Stadium on the campus of Kent State University. The program's longest tenured coach is Bob Starcher, who led the Pioneer baseball program for 23 seasons, accumulating 521 wins. During Starcher's tenure as head coach, the program experienced 19 winning seasons and 12 conference or district titles.Malone College : Baseball In 2007, the last baseball game was played on the site of long-time Bob Starcher Field at Malone College.

Football

Malone University played football continuously between 1993 and 2018. The program began under head coach Joe Palmisano with a 23–23 tie against Bethany (WV) on September 4, 1993.College Football Data Warehouse Malone College Football 1993 results Malone concluded their program with an all-time record of 104 wins, 164 losses, and 2 ties. The last head football coach was Fred Thomas, who coached from 2016 to 2018. He took over the program from Eric Hehman, who held the position from 2009 until 2015. The school disbanded the team in February 2019.Malone University dropping football program amid restructuring on Akron Beacon Journal (archived), February 1, 2019

Conference titles

+ Year Conference Record1995Mid-States Football Association Mideast Division3–0–11996Mid-States Football Association Mideast Division5–11998Mid-States Football Association Mideast Division5–1

Postseason history +NAIA Football Playoffs Year Round Result1995Round 1W 24–23, GenevaQuarterfinalsL 7–15, Findlay1998Round 1L 41–46, Georgetown (KY) +Victory Bowl Year Result Location2006L 28–56, North GreenvilleYounts Stadium2007W 45–17, GenevaReeves Field2008L 44–49, Northwestern (MN) Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

Track and field/cross country There have been a total of 133 Men's NAIA track and field All-Americans and 17 NAIA national champions. On the woman's side, there have been 59 NAIA All-Americans and two national champions. Both of these totals include indoor and outdoor track and field. Keith Spiva is arguably the most accomplished track and field athlete produced by Malone. He won 4 NAIA national titles and was named an All-American 6 times. He is also the only Malone track and field athlete to win back-to-back national titles in a single event (1989 and 1990 200 meter dash). Christopher Sinick is the most decorated male athlete, with a total of 11 All-American awards in both cross country and track. Combination of track and field with cross-country accomplishments, there have been 69 additional Men's NAIA All-Americans and 28 Woman's NAIA All-Americans. Moreover, Malone has produced one Men's and one Woman's individual cross country national champions.Malone College : NAIA All-Americans

Christian Dorosario, a member of the Malone Pioneers in the 1970s and school record holder in the mile relay, competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics and 1976 Summer Olympics in the short sprints.

National championships Cross country (men's) NAIA Single 1972 Occidental 92–169 2007 Black Hills State 59–202 2008 Azusa Pacific 61–118 2009 Concordia Nebraska 44–166 Cross country (women's) NAIA Single 1999 Spring Arbor 77–160

Malone has won the following national honors: NAIA Men's national cross-country champions: 1972, 2007, 2008 and 2009 Malone College : November 17, 2007 Men's national cross-country runner-up: 1973, 1980, 1989, and 2001Yearsitechampionpointsrunner-Uppoints Women's national cross-country champions: 1999 Women's national cross-country runner-up: 1998 NCCAA Men's national track & field champions: 1973, 1989, 1991, and 2007Welcome to the NCCAA: National Christian College Athletic AssociationWelcome to the NCCAA: National Christian College Athletic Association Men's national cross-country champions (Division I): 1986–1992, 1994, 1995, 1997–2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2006Welcome to the NCCAA: National Christian College Athletic Association Women's national track & field champions: 1987–1989, 1999–2002, 2004, and 2005Welcome to the NCCAA: National Christian College Athletic Association Women's national cross-country champions (Division I): 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1997–1999, and 2004Welcome to the NCCAA: National Christian College Athletic Association

Volleyball Women's Volleyball has been played at Malone since 1975 and has amassed nearly 900 all-time wins. The current coach Tanya HockmanMalone College : Tanya Hockman has been head of the program since 1999 and has held the position longer than any other volleyball coach at Malone.

The Malone volleyball program has been an extremely successful one through the years, particularly in the mid 1980s and now under Hockman, who has led the team to over 450 wins during her tenure. The 2001 team tied the school record for most wins in a season at 41 and the program also has two AMC titles (2000, 2001) under Hockman.Malone College : Volleyball

References

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