Bushnell University Athletic Hall of Fame
Dr. Heike McNeil was the inaugural running coach for the Beacons, leading the men's and women's cross country program for 13 years and the men's and women's distance track teams for 11. She was the third-longest serving coach of any sport in school history before her retirement in 2019.
The Beacon Cup, given each year to the team that best represents Bushnell athletics on the field, in the classroom, and though their character, was renamed the Dr. Heike McNeil Cup in 2019. Her teams won the trophy nine times in 13 years.
During her career, McNeil developed Bushnell into one of the premier distance running programs in the NAIA. Her teams were consistently ranked in the top-25 nationally and from 2011 to 2018 at least one gender qualified for seven straight NAIA National Championships. McNeil was the architect for Bushnell's first Cascade Collegiate Conference Championship in any sport, winning the 2014 title. It was the first of three straight for the Beacons, with McNeil being voted the CCC Coach of the Year three times.
Under her guidance the Beacons finished fourth in the NAIA in 2011, third in 2014, and second in 2016. The 2015 season will go down as the best ever with Bushnell collecting their first ever NAIA National Championship with McNeil being named the NAIA Coach of the Year.
During her career she recruited and coached 59 All-Cascade Conference athletes and 11 Individual CCC Champions, along with an incredible 30 All-American performances and over 60 NAIA Scholar Athletes.
Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Photo Gallery
Dr. Heike McNeil Inducted into Hall of Fame - Bushnell University Athletics (bushnellbeacons.com)
McNeil to Step Down After Cross Country Season - Bushnell University Athletics (bushnellbeacons.com)
Coach McNeil Reflects on Cross Country Season - Bushnell University Athletics (bushnellbeacons.com)
