By: Director of Athletic Communications and Public Relations Kevin Ruple
BEREA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University Brown & Gold Club welcomes Natalie Winkelfoos '03 as its new President, former All-American steeplechaser and cross country standout Tim Budic '03 and two-time All-Region punter Rob Becker '04 to its Board as Sport Liaisons.
Click Here to for more information on the entire Brown and Gold Club Board.
Winkelfoos, who is one of the most accomplished women's athletics directors in the country, was named Director of Athletics at Oberlin in 2012 and currently serves as Associate Vice President for Athletics Advancement since the spring of 2018. She moves from being the Board Vice President into the President's role. Doug Amy '90 '93 (MBA), who assumed the President's role during the inaugural first two years of the organization, moves into a Past President's role.
Winkelfoos was an outstanding four-year student-athlete and leader at BW and entered the Brown & Gold Hall of Fame a year ago. She was a standout guard on the basketball court for legendary head coach Cheri Harrer. In her four seasons on the varsity team, Winkelfoos helped the Yellow Jackets compile a 100-17 record, win two Ohio Athletic Conference regular season crowns, two OAC Tournament titles, and advance to three NCAA Division III National Tournament appearances, including two "Elite Eight" finishes (2000 and 2001). Individually, Winkelfoos was both an All-OAC and Academic All-OAC selection as well as BW's Most Outstanding Defender.
Budic is one of the best-ever cross country and track and field distance runners and earned four letters in each sport. He also is a member of the BW Alumni Athletic Association Hall of Fame.
In cross county, the Eastlake, Ohio native and North High School graduate was a three-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference (Top-10) and two-time All-Ohio (Top-35) and four-time All-Great Lakes Region (Top-35) runner. He finished 82nd at the 2000 NCAA Division III National Championship Meet and was the OAC's Men's Cross Country Runner of the Year in 2000. In track, Budic was an NCAA Division III All-American in 2003 when he was the national runner-up in the 3000-meter steeplechase (8:54.83). He still holds the OAC record in the steeplechase, owns four BW track and field records and was the OAC's Most Outstanding Runner in 2003. Budic also set an OAC Championships Meet record in 2003 when he won the 3,000-meter steeple in 9:00.63 and the 5,000-meter run in 14:44.53. As a student-athlete, he served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Budic serves as the Regional General Manager at Greif, Inc.
Becker was both a two-time All-OAC and Academic All-OAC selection and was the two-time A.B. Bonds, Jr. Most Outstanding Special Teams award-winner. He also twice earned Division III All-North Region accolades.
Becker currently serves at this alma mater as the Associate Director of Recreational Sports and Services and manages the day-to-day services of the Lou Higgins Recreation Center. He also is instrumental in facilitating the year-end Student-Athlete Awards Ceremony and has been a key facilitator of the annual Brown & Gold Reverse Raffle.
To get involved or learn more, please visit the Brown and Gold Club Website or contact Director of Alumni Engagement Christie Davenport by email at cdavenpo@bw.edu.
