Anderson makes jump from Marist to NCC.

Byline: Curtis Anderson The Register-Guard

The athletic department at Northwest Christian College is on the verge of a tremendous growth spurt.

The Beacons plan to shed their longstanding status as an independent school next fall when they join the Cascade Collegiate Conference. The current configuration of 10 schools in Oregon, Washington and Idaho is governed by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

To gain admission to those organizations, the Beacons were required to add four varsity sports - they chose men's and women's soccer and cross country - which will double the size of their athletic budget, increase scholarship needs and mark a dramatic step up in the level of competition.

In order to manage this dramatic growth, NCC will introduce Corey Anderson as the school's new director of athletics this morning at a 9 o'clock press conference in the lobby of the Morse Event Center.

Anderson, 35, has been athletic director at Marist High School for the past nine years. The 1994 graduate of the University of Oregon also served as head coach of the Spartan boys basketball team, leading the team to the 2000-01 Class 3A state championship.

`Corey is a perfect fit for our institution,' said Michael Fuller, the NCC dean of student development. `He loves Eugene. He understands the mission of our college, and he knows what it means to be a student-athlete. He is well-respected in this community, and he has a strong vision for the development of an athletic program. I believe Corey will help us do incredible things here.'

Anderson's first order of business will be finishing up the search process for head coaches in each of the Beacons' new athletic programs. Finalists already have been identified for each position. He also needs to hire a sports information director and athletic trainer in the near future.

But for now, he is basking in the good fortune that brought him to NCC. Anderson and his wife, Holly, have two young children - 3-year-old J.J. and 1-year-old Jackson - and he didn't relish the thought of having to uproot his family and move out of the area to pursue his dreams.

`The main thing that attracted me to this job is that it's a college-level position,' he said. `Those opportunities don't come along too often. Plus, I don't have to move from Eugene to continue on with my career ... for this to happen and not have to change zip codes, I feel very blessed.'

In the past, NCC athletics have been defined by the success of its men's basketball team. Within the past five years, however, the Beacons have added women's basketball, softball and volleyball.

Besides adding the four new sports in the fall, they will take a look at starting a golf program in 2007-08.

`When we looked at our 10-year build-up plan, we quickly realized that growing the athletic department played into most of our strategic goals,' Fuller said.

Both Fuller and Anderson understand that there could be substantial growing pains as the Beacons adjust to the rigors of an NAIA schedule.

The Cascade Conference includes Albertson College, Cascade College, Concordia University, Corban College, Eastern Oregon, Evergreen State, Northwest University, Oregon Tech, Southern Oregon and Warner Pacific.

`The biggest factor in being competitive is recruiting,' Anderson said. `By joining the Cascade Conference, we think a higher level of student-athlete will look at us. You don't go to the NAIA because you want to be a pro. These kids still have a zest for competition, but they also know that academics is their future.'

CAPTION(S):

New NCC athletic director Corey Anderson will be juggling several sports as the school expands into soccer and cross country next year.