Doug Larson is one of the greatest track and field athletes in
Whitworth history, and during his time, was one of the best in the
United States. He won the National Association of
Intercollegiate Athletics decathlon title in 1981 with a score of
7,516 points, which was the highest electronically timed score ever
recorded at the NAIA championship meet up to that time. His
time in the 1,500 meter run, the final event of the decathlon, was
the fastest ever at the time in the decathlon. His overall
score was the fourth-highest collegiate score in the country that
year, at any level. He was invited to train at the Olympic
Training Center in Colorado Springs that summer. In 1981 he
won NAIA District 1 titles in the 110 high hurdles and the
400 hurdles. In 1982 he won NAIA District 1 titles in the 110
high hurdles, the 400 hurdles and the high jump. He graduated
from Whitworth in 1983 with a B.A. in physical education,
recreation and history. For the last 17 years he has worked
as a Recreation Specialist for the State of Washington. He
currently resides in the Seattle area with his wife, Chris, and
son, Christopher.
Mark Linden is one of the great two-sport athletes in Whitworth
history, earning all-star status in both baseball and
football. In baseball he led the Pirates to a pair of NAIA
District 1 titles (1988 and 1989), earning All-District recognition
both seasons. As a junior he batted .335 with 57 hits, 11
doubles and 25 runs batted in. As a senior he batted .358
with seven home runs and 36 runs batted in. As a football
player for three seasons (1988-90) he set Whitworth records for
career carries (705), career rushing yards (3,318), career
all-purpose yards (5,376) and single-season all-purpose yards
(1,911). He was named the 1990 Columbia Football Association
Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for 1,068 yards and
scoring nine touchdowns. After playing two seasons in the
Chicago Cubs organization, Linden went on to coach baseball as an
assistant with Wichita State University (1994-95) and the
University of South Carolina (1996). He became the youngest
Division I head coach in the country in 1996 at Centenary. He
is currently the head coach at Skagit Valley College and is a
regional sales manager for a northwest firewood distributor.
In its history Whitworth College has had one team national
championship (1960 baseball) and only three teams have finished as
national runners-up. The 1995-96 men’s basketball team
was one of those teams. The Pirates won the Northwest
Conference title and finished with an overall mark of 26-5, setting
a school record for wins in a season. The Pirates led the
nation in team three-point field goal percentage (42.7%).
Head coach Warren Friedrichs was named NCIC, Little All-Northwest
and NAIA Division II Coach of the Year. Nate Dunham was the
NCIC Player of the Year and a First Team NAIA Division II
All-American. Roman Wickers was named First Team All-NCIC and
Second Team All-American. The Pirates won 13 games in a row,
until finally losing in overtime to Albertson College in the
national championship game. Gabe Jones and Nate Williams,
along with Dunham and Wickers, were named to the NAIA Division II
all-tournament team. Members of the team were: Jeff
Arkills, John Beckman, Nate Dunham, Gabe Jones, Greg Jones, Tyler
Jordan, Jeff Mix, Doug Schultz, Louis Vargas, Sean Weston, Roman
Wickers, Nate Williams, and Julian Nakanishi. The coaching
staff was Warren Friedrichs, Rodney Wecker and Jon Adams.
