Francis Marion University athletic officials have announced that
former Patriot cross country and track and field runner
Mark Bedenbaugh and former tennis player
Sam Lundkvist will be the newest inductees into
the FMU Athletic Hall of Fame on March 1, 2003.
Bedenbaugh was a member of both the Patriot
cross country and track and field squads from 1981 to 1985.
He earned the B.S. degree in political science in 1986 and the
M.Ed. degree in 1990. He currently resides in West Columbia
and teaches at Pelion High School, where he is head coach of the
Panthers' highly successful cross country and track and field
programs. He has also been a part owner of a running store,
Strictly Running Inc.
As a member of the Francis Marion cross country team, he
captured the NAIA District Six cross country individual title and
was named his team's most valuable player in 1983 and 1984. A
two-time All-District runner, he ran in three NAIA national
championship meets and helped lead the Patriots to district team
titles in 1982 and 1984.
For many years, he held the school's five-mile course record of
25:01 set as a senior in 1984.
As a member of the track and field team, he earned All-District
honors three times and ended his career seventh on the Patriots'
all-time points list with 304.50. He earned All-District
honors three times on the track. He helped the Patriots to
four district team titles, and he ran the 800-meters at the 1984
NAIA national meet. The 1983 mile relay team, that he was a
member of, still owns the school record with a time of 3:22.91.
He also served as an assistant cross country coach for the
Patriots in the fall of 1985. At Pelion, his squads have won
several state championships and numerous conference crowns.
He has garnered several state coach of the year awards.
Still an active runner, he is president of the Elite Training
Club. He is a USA Track and Field certified official,
director of the Strictly Running Racing Team, and race director of
the Hot Summer's Night 5,000-meter race.
