The Messiah University track & field programs have risen to worldwide fame in recent years, with three former Falcons having earned their way into Olympic competition.
Brian Sell - Messiah University / Saint Francis University
Brian has gone further than any other one-time Falcon with the pinnacle of his illustrious career being his competition at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. That year, he finished 22nd in the marathon after finishing 3rd in the U.S. Olympic Trials that same year.
He also finished 13th in the marathon at the 2004 Olympic Trials after leading the race through 21 miles. Through the 2011-12 track & field seasons, Sell continued to be listed three times on Messiah's top-10 lists for all-time performances.
Post-collegiately, Sell competed for the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project, an elite Olympic Developing distance running club.
A more detailed bio on Brian Sell
can be found here.
Chris Boyles - Messiah College '02
A two-time U.S. Olympic Trials decathlete, Boyles set the standard for post-Messiah athletic achievement. A two sport national champion and eight-time All-American during his time as a Falcons, he went on to an incredible seven-year career in the sport of track & field, competing in 23 post-collegiate decathlons-- 13 of which boasted international competition.
The 2002 grad matriculated quickly to the highest stage of competition, qualifying for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials-- and finising 10th overall. In the following years, Boyles racked up incredible finishes at the USA Championships, finishing among the top five decathletes on six different occasions. He won his first international competition in Desenzano, Italy in 2006.
In 2007, the International Association of Athletics Federations' rated Boyles the 14th-best decathlete in the world. He went on to compete in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials, though an untimely ankle injury forced him to withdraw from the event.
In all, Boyles was selected to represent the United States in 11 competitions, and was a member of the U.S. Pan American Team in 2007-- finishing sixth in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Specializing in the jumping events, Boyles reached markes of 24'7" in the long jump, 17" in the pole vault, and 7'2" in the high jump. He post-collegiate lifetime best score in the decathlon was 7,855 points, set in 2006.
In the winter of 2011-12, Boyles was also voted by the Falcons' fans as
one of Messiah's “Top 50 Athletes” of all-time.
Patrick Roach - Messiah College '09
Summer 2012: Patrick Roach
competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials as a competitor in the 800-meter run. It was Pat's second-ever participation in the Trials, having competed in the 800-meter run at the 2010 U.S. Championships (equivalent to the Trials, but for a non-Olympic year).
He is a 2009 graduate of Messiah College, where he was a three-time NCAA All-American. He was named both the MAC Indoor and Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year in 2009, and was 8th all-time in NCAA history in the 800-meter at the time of his graduation. Roach's All-American honors came in the 400-meter dash (5th, 2008), Indoor 800-meter run (3rd, 2009), and 800-meter run (2nd, 2009).
Through the 2011-12 track & field seasons, Roach still holds nine Messiah records. (
Complete records for the Falcons can be seen here.) In the winter of 2011-12, Roach was also voted by the Falcons' fans as
one of Messiah's “Top 50 Athletes” of all-time.
Among Roach's training have been events with
S.W.I.F.T. racing, a running club predominately made up of Messiah College cross country and track & field alumni. The club was started in 2008 as a way to continue the close bonds forged between the Falcons' competitors. The club's members put an emphasis on training and competing for the purpose of glorifying God.
After completing his undergrad degree in Politics at Messiah College, the native of Boiling Springs, Pa., completed a law degree at The College of William & Mary.
