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Natalie Bach-Prather

Head Coaching Accomplishments
  • 1 ASC Men's Individual Champion
  • 1 ASC Women's Freshman of the Year
  • 11 ASC All-Conference Male Runners
  • 5 ASC All-Conference Female Runners
  • 7 ASC Runners of the Week multiple times per season
  • 35 Male ASC Academic All-Conference
  • 59 Female ASC Academic All-Conference
  • 22 Individual Men Regional Qualifiers
  • 14 Individual Women Regional Qualifiers
  • 1 Women’s Team Regional Qualifier
  • 1 Male ASC Medal of Honor Recipient 
  • 1 Female ASC Medal of Honor Recipient
  • 6 ASC Women’s Team Sportsmanship Award
  • 4 ASC Men’s Team Sportsmanship Award
  • 3 Men's Team Regional Qualifiers
  • 3 ASC Women’s Individual Sportsmanship Award
  • 4 ASC Men’s Individual Sportsmanship Award
  • 8 Male ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award Nominees
  • 9 Female ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award Nominees
  • 1 Male ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award Winner

Bach-Prather, a native of Marshall, Texas, is entering her 11th year as the head coach for the women’s cross country program, 9th for the men's program, and 13th year overall in coaching at East Texas Baptist University where she started in 2008. After volunteer coaching in 2008, she became the assistant coach for both programs in 2009. She was named head women’s cross country coach in 2010 and men’s head coach in 2012. Bach-Prather is currently serving her fourth year of a four year term as the South-South East regional representative for the NCAA National Cross Country and Track and Field Championships Committee. She is also serving as Vice-Chair for the ASC Track and Field Conference.

Bach-Prather ran cross country all four years as a student-athlete at ETBU between 2003-2008. As an athlete she was one of the top female runners for the program and achieved All-ASC second team. She has a strong background in training being certified by the Cooper Institute as a personal trainer, yoga instructor, and nutritional instructor.  She has ran in the 2011, 2013, and 2014 Boston Marathons and competed in Ironman Texas in 2012 finishing in 12 hours and 33 minutes. Natalie has continued to compete athletically throughout her coaching career. She competed for a sponsored triathlon team called Wooly G’s Bike and Fitness from Longview, Texas, between 2011-2014 and coached by Eric Deller. In 2014, she qualified for the Age-Group World Championships in triathlon for her age category and represented the United States in Chicago, Ill., in September 2015. Bach-Prather changed to Team IE, coached under Greg Mueller until 2016. During her triathlon career she competed in over 50 sprint triathlons, 15 half marathons, 5 marathons, 8 half-Ironman, and 1 Ironman. Bach-Prather was also awarded USTA All-American for the years 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015.

Bach-Prather graduated from East Texas Baptist University in 2008 and completed her master’s degree in December 2012 from Stephen F. Austin State University.  She is married to Michael Prather and in 2017 they had their first child, Benjamin Prather. 
 
2021 Spring Season
  • Men's Team finished 6th in the ASC
  • Women's Team didn't record a finish
  • 1 Male received All-ASC first team
  • 1 Male received ASC Newcomer of the Year
  • 1 Female received All-ASC second team
2019 Season
  • Men's Team finished 7th in the ASC
  • Women's Team finished 7th in the ASC
  • 2 Men/1 Woman qualified for Regionals
  • 1 Male received All-ASC first team
  • 1 Male ASC Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year
  • 2x Male Runner of the Week awards
2018 Season
  • Men's Team finished 3rd in the ASC
  • Women's Team finsihed 5th in the ASC
  • 7 Men/3 Women qualified for Regionals
  • 2 Women received All-ASC second  team
  • 1 Female ASC Freshman of the Year
  • 2 Males received All-ASC first team
  • 1 ASC Individual Champion
  • 1 Male received the ASC Sportsmanship Award
  • 2 ASC Team Sportsmanship Awards (men, women)
  • 4x Male Runner of the Week awards
2017 Season
  • Both Men and Women’s Teams finished 6th in the ASC
  • 2 Men/1 Women qualified for Regionals
  • 1 Male named All-ASC first team
  • 1 Men/7 Women received ASC Academic All-Conference
  • Men’s Team received the ASC Team Sportsmanship Award
  • 1 Male received the ASC Sportsmanship Award
  • 1 Male/1 Female received the ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award
 2016 Season
  • Both Men and Women’s team finished 5th in the ASC
  • 2 Women qualified for Regionals
  • 1 Female named All-ASC first team
  • 3 Men / 9 Women received ASC Academic All-Conference
  • Women’s Team received the ASC Team Sportsmanship Award
  • 1 Female received the Individual ASC Sportsmanship Award
  • Two overall meet wins by one female runner
  • 2x Runner of the Week
  • 1 Male received the ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award
 2015 Season
  • Men’s Team finished 5th
  • Women’s Team finished 3rd, and was the first team in program history to qualify for Regionals.
  • 5 Men Qualified for Regionals
  • 1 Male named All-ASC first team
  • 1 Male named All-ASC second team
  • 1 Female named All-ASC second team
  • 5 Men /7 Women received ASC Academic All-Conference
  • 2x Runner of the Week
  • Both the Men and Women’s Team received the ASC Team Sportsmanship Award
  • 1 Male / 1 Female received the Individual ASC Sportsmanship Award
  • 1 Male / 1 Female received the ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award
 2014 Season
  • Men finished 5th / Women finished 4th
  • 3 Men / 3 Women qualified for Regionals
  • 1 Male named All-ASC first team
  • 1 Male named All-ASC second team
  • 1 Female named All-ASC first team
  • 5 Men / 4 Women received ASC Academic All-Conference
  • Both the Men and Women’s Team received the ASC Team Sportsmanship Award
  • 1 Female received the Individual ASC Sportsmanship Award
  • 1 overall meet win by one male runner.
  • 3x Runner of the Week
  • 1 Male / 1 Female received the ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award
2013 Season
  • Men finished 4th / Women finished 5th
  • 2 Men / 2 Women qualified for Regionals
  • 1 Male named All-ASC first team
  • 3 Men / 3 Women received Academic All-Conference
  • The Women’s team received the ASC Team Sportsmanship Award
  • 1 Male / 1 Female received the ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award
 2012 Season
  • Men finished 6th / Women finished 8th
  • 2 Men / 3 Women received Academic All-Conference
  • 1 Male / 1 Female received ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award
 2011 Season
  • Men finished 5th / Women finished 8th
  • 2 Men/2 Women qualified for Regionals
  • 1 Male named All-ASC second team
  • 2 Men / 3 Women received Academic All-Conference
  • 1 Male received the ASC Medal of Honor
  • 1x Runner of the Week
  • 1 Male / 1 Female received the ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award
 2010 Season
  • Men finished 10th / Women finished 8th
  • 4 Men / 5 Women received Academic All-Conference
  • 1 Female received the ASC Medal of Honor
  • 2x Runner of the Week
  • 1 Male / 1 Female received the ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award
 2009 Season
  • Men finished 8th/ Women finished 6th
  • 5 Women received Academic All-Conference
  • 1 Female received the ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award

AWARDS UNDER NATALIE BACH-PRATHER

ASC TEAM FINISHES

WXC MXC
2021 S: NA 2021 S: 6th
2019: 7th 2019: 7th
2018: 5th 2018: 3rd
2017: 6th 2017: 6th
2016: 5th 2016: 5th
2015: 3rd 2015: 4th
2014: 4th 2014: 5th
2013: 5th 2013: 4th
2012: 8th
2011: 8th
2010: 8th

ALL-ASC RUNNERS

WOMEN

Year Team Runner
2021 S 2nd Madelyn Smith (12th - 25.41.2)
2018 2nd Melissa Kidder (8th - 25:27), Almalisseth Rodriguez (9th - 25:39)
2016 1st Shelby Taylor-Spencer (7th overall - 23:55.6)
2015 1st Shelby Taylor (5th overall - 25:16.98)
2014 2nd Shelby Taylor (8th overall - 25:11.33)

MEN

Year Team Runner
2021 S 1st Mack Broussard (3rd - 26:29.2)
2019 1st Mack Broussard (4th - 26:29.2)
2018 1st Mack Broussard (1st - 25:56.3), Beau Billings (7th - 28:20.49)
2017 1st Mack Broussard (4th overall - 27:02.2)
2015 1st Landon Price (7th overall - 28:32.29)
2015 2nd Ian Spencer (16th overall - 29:34.40)
2014 1st Landon Price (4th overall - 27:24.87)
2014 2nd Ian Spencer (12th overall - 28:51.08)
2013 1st Landon Price (4th overall - 27:22.78)

NCAA REGIONAL QUALIFIERS

WOMEN

Year Runners
2018 Melissa Kidder, Almalisseth Rodriguez
2017 Melissa Kidder
2016 Shelby Sparks, Shelby Taylor-Spencer
2015 Megan Merrill, Shelby Sparks, Shelby Taylor, Chloe Hudson, Amy Daly, Hannah Crisp, Alyssa Cummings
2014 Megan Merrill, Shelby Sparks, Shelby Taylor

MEN

Year Runners
2019 Mack Broussard
2018 Mack Broussard, Beau Billings, Stephen Brown, Timothy Beall, Preston Kimmel, Anthony Alvarez, Tyson Tapp
2017  Mack Broussard, Beau Billings
2015 Landon Price, Ian Spencer, Mario Mendez, Seth Powers, Beau Billings
2014 Landon Price, Ian Spencer, Mario Mendez
2013 Landon Price

ASC RUNNERS OF THE WEEK

Year Runners
2019 Mack Broussard (Sept. 9, Oct. 14)
2018 Mack Broussard (Sept. 4, Sept. 17, Sept. 24, Oct. 8)
2016 Shelby Taylor-Spencer (Sept. 5, 13)
2015 Landon Price (Oct. 5, 12)
2014 Landon Price (Oct. 7, 13, 20)

INDIVIDUAL SPORTSMANSHIP OF THE YEAR

Year Runners
2019 Mack Broussard (M)
2018 Beau Billings (M)
2017 Beau Billings (M)
2016 Shelby Taylor-Spencer (W)
2015 Megan Merrill (W), Landon Price (M)
2014 Megan Merrill (W)
2013 Madison Kauffman (W)
 

ASC NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Year Runners
2021 S Rangel Miller (M)

ASC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

Year Runners
2018 Almalisseth Rodriguez (W)

ASC TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD

Year Team
2018 ETBU Women's Cross Country, ETBU Men's Cross Country
2016 ETBU Women's Cross Country
2015 ETBU Women's Cross Country, ETBU Men's Cross Country
2014 ETBU Women's Cross Country, ETBU Men's Cross Country
2013 ETBU Women's Cross Country