Bahrke begins his 14th year as head coach of both the Northwestern College cross country and track and field teams in 2025-26.
Family: wife - Lyndsay; children - Payge, Olyvia and Isaac
Alma Mater (Year): Northwestern College (2001)
Playing Career: Three-time NAIA All-American (2000, 2001); three-time national qualifier
Coaching Experience:
2012-present - Head Coach at Northwestern College
2007-2011 - Head boys Track and Field coach at Kingsley-Pierson High School
2010-11 - Head boys Cross Country coach at Kingsley-Pierson High School
2001-06 - Head Cross Country/Assistant Track and Field Coach-Iowa Falls/Alden H.S.
Coaching Accomplishments:
Men's Cross Country team won back-to-back GPAC Titles in 2016-17
Men's Cross Country team posted best ever finish (6th) at NAIA Championship in 2016
Men's Cross Country won its first ever GPAC Championship in 2016
Men's Cross Country team qualified for nationals four straight years (2014-17); 1st appearance (8th overall) since 1993
Men's Cross Country has sent runners to nationals in each of the last 10 years (2013 - 2022)
Women's Cross Country qualified for nationals in 2017 - finished 13th
Women's Cross Country was the GPAC Runner-up in 2017; among top five teams in GPAC in six of last seven years
Women's Cross Country earned first national ranking in 2017, first since 2011
Both Cross Country teams (M/W) have been named NAIA Scholar Teams every season under Bahrke.
Men's Track and Field - GPAC Runner-Up at both indoor and outdoor championships-best ever finish in 2018
Men's Track and Field scored the most points ever at GPAC Indoor Championship (2013, 2015, 2018)
Men's track and field placed 27th at 2015 NAIA Indoor
Women's indoor track and field finished 6th at NAIA Championships (2018)
Women's outdoor track and field scored the most points in program history at the GPAC Championships in 2015 (91)
Women's track and field team placed 26th at 2015 NAIA Outdoor
Both Track and Field teams have been an NAIA Scholar Team every year under Bahrke.
Other Coaching Accomplishments:
Karen Ettleman - National Champion in the Heptathlon (2015)
Will Norris finished third at the 2016 NAIA Cross Country National Championship - best ever finish by a Red Raider
7 NAIA All-Americans (Outdoor) - 2024
2 NAIA All-Americans (Outdoor); 1 NAIA All-American (Indoor) - 2023
2 NAIA All-Americans (Outdoor); 1 NAIA All-American (Indoor) - 2022
1 NAIA All-American (Outdoor); 5 NAIA All-Americans (Indoor) - 2021
no outdoor season; 3 NAIA All-Americans (Indoor) - 2020
4 NAIA All-Americans (Outdoor); 4 NAIA All-Americans (Indoor) - 2019
7 NAIA All-Americans (Outdoor); 15 NAIA All-Americans (Indoor) - 2018
5 NAIA All-Americans (Outdoor); 16 NAIA All-Americans (Indoor) - 2017
8 NAIA All-Americans (Outdoor); 11 NAIA All-Americans (Indoor) - 2016
9 NAIA All-Americans (Outdoor); 11 NAIA All-Americans (Indoor) - 2015
12 NAIA All-Americans (Outdoor); 5 NAIA All-Americans (Indoor) - 2014
2 NAIA All-Americans (Outdoor); 7 NAIA All-Americans (Indoor) - 2013
3 NAIA All-Americans (Cross Country) - Will Norris (2016), Katie Bosch (2017), and Dylan Hendricks (2020)
“I am blessed with the opportunity to coach such a great group of athletes,” commented Bahrke. “They seek to glorify God in all they do.”
Bahrke's Years at Northwestern: (Cross Country only)
2024 Women - 6th; Men - 5th
2023 Women - 7th; Men - 5th
2022 Women - 4th; Men - 5th
2021 Women - 6th; Men - 3rd
2020 Women - 3rd, Men - 2nd
2019 Women - 3rd, Men - 4th
2018 Women - 3rd, Men - 2nd
2017 Women - 2nd, Men - 1st
2016 Women - 5th, Men - 1st
2015 Women - 9th, Men - 2nd
2014 Women - 8th, Men - 2nd
2013 Women - 7th, Men - 5th
2012 Women - 7th, Men - 6th
Bahrke's Years at Northwestern: (Track and Field only)
2025 W Indoor - 6th; W Outdoor - 5th; M Indoor - 5th; M Outdoor - 5th
2024 W Indoor - 5th; W Outdoor - 5th; M Indoor - 6th; M Outdoor - 6th
2023 W Indoor - 6th, W Outdoor - 6th; M Indoor - 6th, M Outdoor - 6th
2022 W Indoor - 5th, W Outdoor - 5th; M Indoor - 6th, M Outdoor - 6th
2021 W Indoor - 6th, W Outdoor - 6th; M Indoor - 4th, M Outdoor - 3rd
2020 W Indoor - 5th, W Outdoor - n/a; M Indoor - 7th, M Outdoor - n/a
2019 W Indoor - 4th, W Outdoor - 5th; M Indoor - 5th, M Outdoor - 4th
2018 W Indoor - 6th, W Outdoor - 6th; M Indoor - 2nd, M Outdoor - 2nd
2017 W Indoor - 6th, W Outdoor - 5th; M Indoor - 3rd, M Outdoor - 4th
2016 W Indoor - 7th, W Outdoor - 7th, M Indoor - 5th, M Outdoor - 5th
2015 W Indoor - 7th, W Outdoor - 4th, M Indoor - 5th, M Outdoor - 5th
2014 W Indoor - 7th, W Outdoor - 7th, M Indoor - 4th, M Outdoor - 5th
2013 W Indoor - 7th, W Outdoor - 7th, M Indoor - 4th, M Outdoor - 4th
Updated June 2025
