Welcome to the NCCAA: National Christian College Athletic Association

5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Michelle Berry was brought to tears by the response of prayer on her behalf. Her surgery went well and the doctor is encouraged that the disc is repaired and that the nerve will respond. Thank you for your prayers.

Please continue to pray for Paige McFadden (22), daughter of Crowley's Ridge College Athletic Director Paul McFadden. She continues to recover from the serious injuries she received in a car wreck. She lost a kidney and her liver is damaged. Three vertebrae were fused in her lower back. They hope she will be released from the trauma center in the next week or so and moved to a rehab facility. Please continue to lift Paige and her family in your prayers.

Michelle Biles, daughter of NCCAA Board member and Pro-Am Co-Chairs Terry & Connie Metzger, is recovering from surgery to have her colon removed. The doctors confirmed that the surgery was definitely needed. Pray for her as she recovers this surgery and prepares for the next surgery to take place in June.

Please continue to pray for Mr. Oren Paris II, father of Oren Paris III, President of Ecclesia College. Mr. Paris has been battling heart problems for several months but, most recently, he was diagnosed with a hernia. However, during the hernia surgery, the doctor found a spot on his kidney presumed to be cancerous. Tests are being run and, if it is cancerous as they believe, they will likely remove his kidney or determine a better course of action. Please pray with the family that this is not cancer and for his health to be restored. The entire Paris family thanks you for your prayers on their behalf.

Michelle Berry, daughter of NCCAA Board member Paul Berry, will have back surgery on Jan 25 in NY City. Please pray for peace in her heart and wisdom for the doctors as they perform this procedure. Please pray that there will be no nerve damage as a result of this procedure.

Please pray for Paige McFadden (daughter of Crowley Ridge Athletic Director, Paul McFadden). Paige was in a car wreck and is in the hospital in Memphis. She had some very serious injuries and will require a lot of rehab.

Please lift Roberts Wesleyan College Men's Soccer Coach, Mark Fish, and his family in prayer. Mark's brother, Brian, passed away yesterday after a two year battle with cancer. Brian had accepted Christ as his Savior and the family is at peace as they know he is now well with His Lord. Pray for comfort and continued peace as they deal with the sense of loss.

Please continue to pray for Pat Williams, Senior Vice President of the Orlando Magic and friend of the NCCAA. Pat continues to battle cancer and is preparing for a stem cell process on February 1, which is the final earthly option available to him. He is encouraged and knows the Lord has him in His hands. The stem cells will be his own that have been harvested over the past few months. Pray that the Lord will use this method to heal Pat.

Please pray for Candee Flener, wife of Asbury University’s women’s basketball coach, Bart Flener. Candee was attacked as she got out of her car at work this morning and received a knife cut on her face. She had surgery today to repair the damage and is resting comfortably at home. It was an apparent random act of violence and the man was caught just minutes later. Please pray for this family as Candee recovers from this terrifying experience.

Please pray for the family of Bob Mannes, longtime friend of the NCCAA, who passed away yesterday. Please keep this family before the Lord through the days ahead.

Please pray for Dee Morris, NCCAA National Tennis Chair and Women’s Tennis Coach at Cedarville University. She is having another hip replacement surgery on Monday. Following her last hip replacement, she experienced some complications and asks for special prayers on her behalf. While she does not anticipate difficulties, she knows prayer will see her through the recovery process ahead.

Please pray for the Southern Wesleyan University community. Nowlan Allen, senior baseball student-athlete, died in his sleep Tuesday due to complications from diabetes. Further, as a prayer update, please pray for the family of SWU alumnus, Travis Eiler, former NCCAA intern and cross-country student-athlete. Travis died while overseas on the mission field and word has just come to us that he was apparently murdered. The cause of his death is under investigation. Services for both of these young men will be held this Sunday, December 18. Please pray for the Allen family and the Eiler family as they process the shock and sudden loss of their sons.

Please pray for the sister-in-law of Kyle & Dianna Bloom, NCCAA Board of Directors. Brenda has been battling cancer for a while now but has taken a turn for the worse. Doctors are predicting that she will not make it to Christmas. Please pray for her husband, daughters, son and grandson as they walk this path. Pray that the Lord will touch her in His will. Dianna’s father is also battling serious health issues at this time and needs prayer as well. Please remember this entire family in your prayers.

Please be in prayer for NCCAA Office Manager, Jill Hancock’s sister-in-law, Andree, who had a mastectomy yesterday. Initial reports indicate there was no spread of the cancer in the lymph nodes, but the final pathology report is still to come. She will still have to undergo chemo treatments, as well. Our prayer is that Andree’s reports will continue to show “cancer free” and that she will tolerate the chemo well. This will make for a little “different” Christmas for her family (in CT) this year, but she does covet your prayers on her behalf.

Please pray for the family of Chris Holliday, longtime friend of the NCCAA. Chris’ younger brother passed away very unexpectedly over the weekend. Please pray for Chris’ mother as she processes this sudden loss and for Chris as he manages the details of the funeral and needs for his family at this time.

Please pray for little Victoria Laymon, daughter of Mike & Gracia Laymon, former staff of Word of Life. Victoria is 7 years old and had surgery to remove a brain tumor this morning in Albany, NY. This has been very heartbreaking news and I ask you to join me in praying for a full recovery for little Victoria and also for her parents.

Friends of mine, Tod and Staci Windlan have a 17 year old daughter, Kennedy. Kennedy has an initial diagnosis of a blood and bone infection and has been in Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis. She has had severe fevers and sever joint pain. All of us with children know how painful and helpless we feel when our children are sick. Thank you for your prayers.

Josie Scott, Athletic Administrative Assistant at Moody Bible Institute is scheduled for mitral valve replacement surgery on Tuesday November 1, 2011. This procedure requires open heart surgery. Please pray for wisdom in the selection of valve, surgery and recovery. She is expecting a 5-7 day post-op with 1 day in the ICU, another 4-6 days in the hospital and an extended home recovery. Please also remember her husband David and her family in your prayers.

They did a biopsy on Charlie’s spleen Friday and the report was negative. His lung cancer has now been moved from Stage 4 to Stage 3 because of this good news. It is now localized in one spot in the lung and nothing shows up anywhere else in his body! God is answering prayers.

Please pray for Larry Olson, our Cross Country and Women’s Basketball Coach, and his wife Bev. Larry will begin treatment next week for prostate cancer. He will have radiation treatment five days a week for eight weeks, starting next week.

Benjamin Johnson, brother of NCCAA student-athlete Dan Johnson of North Central University, was in a motorcycle accident last week leaving him paralyzed from the sternum down. Your prayers are requested for him today as he undergoes surgery to fuse the severed spine together. This procedure is expected to take 5-8 hours. Please pray for Benjamin and the doctors as they perform the surgery. Pray for healing and for Benjamin’s family as they negotiate this path.

Please pray for my neighbor, Charlie Warth, who was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. My wife, Nancy, & I just moved to this neighborhood a few months ago with the focus of reaching our neighbors for the Lord. Little did we know what immediate opportunities God had for us. Pray that we will be able to minister to this family and for God’s healing hand on Charlie.

Prayer Update: Ben Johnson, brother of NCCAA Student-Athlete Dan Johnson of North Central University, was airlifted last night to another hospital better equipped to handle the severity of the injuries that Ben had suffered from his motorcycle accident yesterday. Ben is now in a medically induced coma. Their parents arrived during the wee morning hours today and will meet with the Doctors this morning. Please be in continued prayer for Ben Johnson, that a miracle would occur and he will not be paralyzed or suffer any long term effects from this accident. Please be in continued prayer for the Doctors, that they would be given supernatural wisdom to discern what to do. Finally, please be in prayer for the Johnson family as they walk this path, especially remembering Dan as he processes what has happened to his brother and as he tries to maintain his school work.

Please pray for my mother- & father in-law who survived a tremendous accident in their motor home on Saturday afternoon near London, KY. Their front passenger side tire blew causing them to leave the highway and crashing into an embankment. My mother-in-law, Kathy Benson, was thrown through the front window after it had popped out. She had just returned to her seat after getting a bottle of water and had not yet fasted her seatbelt. However, she was life-lined to UK hospital in Lexington with a small skull fracture and several stitches, cuts and bruises to her face and upper body. My father- in-law, Rod Benson, received no injuries. The travel home was totaled. We are extremely grateful that, since Saturday, Kathy was able to be transported home for more neurological treatments and rest. We know that God’s hand was on Rod’s & Kathy’s lives. She is recovering at home with a neck brace and lots of TLC from her family. Thank you for the NCCAA community and your prayers.

The NCCAA received an urgent prayer request for the brother of a student-athlete, Dan Johnson (golf team) of North Central University. Dan’s younger brother was just in a motorcycle accident. The first report indicates his younger brother may be paralyzed. Please be in prayer for Dan as this has been a rough semester (his apartment was burglarized earlier this semester taking most of his belongings). Pray especially for his brother for healing, the doctors, and Dan's parents and family.

Please pray for Chuck Kandt, member of the NCCAA Pro-Am Committee. Chuck is having knee surgery Tuesday morning and appreciates your prayer support through this process and the days of recovery to come.

Please be in prayer for longtime Moody Bible Men’s Soccer Coach Joe Harding. Coach Harding (NCCAA Hall of Fame 2010 inductee) is scheduled for pancreatic surgery on Monday, October 17th here in Chicago. We covet your prayers for Joe’s surgeons, a successful procedure and a speedy recovery.

Please be in prayer for the 5 year old son, Ian, of Chris (& Lisa) Williams, AD at Southern Wesleyan University and an NCCAA Board Member. Ian had to return to the hospital today (had just come home) because of a kidney infection and high temperatures since last Thursday. They don’t know what is causing this, and he doesn’t seem to be responding to the treatment. Pray for healing for Ian, as well as strength and energy for Chris and Lisa (there are 4 other children at home). This is obviously a trying time for their family, and they covet the prayers of the NCCAA family. Thank you for lifting them to the Great Physician.

It's hard to believe but it's been 4 weeks ago today that my life was about to change forever through the incredibly generous gift of a kidney. After a roller coaster first couple weeks things have settled down and are going along fairly smoothly. I am feeling stronger by the day and actually already feel better than I have felt in months.

It has not been easy being on the other end of the medical profession, and God is still teaching me to let go of always needing to be in control (a work in progress :) ). It has been a humbling experience to have college presidents and AD's whom I have never met praying for me through this journey. I have heard stories about the power of prayer, but to actually live it firsthand has been overwhelming. Words cannot express how thankful I am to have so many prayer warriors with me through this. A special thanks to Dr. David Miller, who not only has been the point person through this journey, but has been a better friend than a man deserves.

Again, a huge thank you to everyone who has been praying for me. Please continue as there are still challenges to come. This is what the NCCAA is all about, and I am so very proud to be a part of such a wonderful organization.

Indiana Wesleyan University Women’s Basketball player, Leah Whittaker, passed away this morning at 8:45 am after an eight month battle with colon cancer. Leah’s courage and kind, loving spirit throughout her battle truly impacted countless lives for Christ, and while the university and family are deeply saddened by her passing, they are grateful that she is now pain free and with the Lord in paradise. Please join us in lifting up Leah’s family in prayer during these trying days of loss. Information on funeral arrangements will be forthcoming as we receive word.

Please pray for Dr. Scott True, member of the NCCAA Pro-Am Committee. Scott had a successful kidney transplant this morning and all aspects went well. The donor surgery went very well too. The next few days are critical as the new kidney begins to function. Please continue to pray for a steady recovery, no signs of rejection, speedy & good recovery for the donor, and strength for Scott as his health is restored. Praise to the Creator of all things who also restores hope and health, strengthens us in weakness, & calms the storms we face!!! Scott sends his love and appreciation for all the prayers.

Please be in prayer for Dr. Scott True, a long-time friend of the NCCAA and member of our Pro-Am Committee. Scott has passed all the pre-op tests and will have kidney transplant surgery next Tuesday, Aug. 2 at 8:15 a.m., in Cincinnati, OH. Pray for great wisdom and guidance for the doctors and transplant team and for a smooth recovery and return to complete health. Thank you for being such faithful prayer warriors.

Thank you for the prayer requests, it is part of what makes being a member of the NCCAA something special. Three years ago this week you sent out a prayer requests for my son, Charles, as he lay in a coma with a TBI as a result of a bicycle/car accident. Our family, the RWC community and all of our friends in the NCCAA (both known and unknown) can rejoice today that God’s favor was upon him. At the time there was great uncertainty as expressed by the doctors; however, we were always certain that God was with us and that the prayers of his people would not go unanswered. Although then we did not know what those answers would be, recovery involved excellent medical care, hard work in rehabilitation, and the prayer support of many. God’s grace has allowed Charles to have a recovery and continue to recover beyond what could have been humanly expected. He will be entering his junior year of college this fall. Today, he is running in a Ronald McDonald House 5k as he prepares for participation on the x-country team at Roberts Wesleyan. Running in a Ronald McDonald House 5k is especially signification for him since he knows that his parents spent 50 days living at a Ronald McDonald House during the time of his hospitalization. Again, thanks to you and the NCCAA family for your prayers and for the reminder to us all from time to time that there is something greater than intercollegiate athletes (as great as that is) that binds us together.

Please remember the family of Dan & Kelly Wood. Their 26 year old nephew, John, passed away suddenly on Saturday and which was a great shock and loss to the entire Wood family. Remember his parents, Pete & Kim Wood, & sister, Ashley, and her family as well as the extended family during these days.

The Metzgers are praising the Lord that their daughter, Melissa Biles, will be discharged from the hospital today. Her respiratory system has improved daily since coming off the ventilator earlier this week and the doctors are pleased with her progress. Continue to pray for Melissa as she will now go to the Mayo Clinic for further tests to see exactly how best to proceed. Terry, Connie and the whole family have been blessed and encouraged by the NCCAA family's response during the past 8 days.

Please continue to pray for Melissa Biles, daughter of Terry & Connie Metzger. She remains on a ventilator and is still sedated. While double pneumonia is a big part of her battle at this time, doctors feel there are auto immune issues that are the underlying cause of her health problems. Terry is returning home but Connie is going to remain with Melissa for the duration of her hospitalization. They ask for prayers of healing for Melissa as well as for God to guide the doctors’ as they determine a course of treatment. Pray for Melissa’s husband and all the family as this has been a very stressful and exhausting time for them.

Melissa Biles, daughter of Terry & Connie Metzger, is now stable and showing signs of improvement. The outlook is much better at this time as compared to yesterday. The family has been deeply touched and humbled by your words of encouragement and prayers on Melissa’s behalf. Please continue to lift her and the family in your prayers as Melissa still has a way to go for complete recovery.

Angie Miller, wife of Dr. David Miller, Pro-Am Committee, thanks you for your prayers on her behalf during her recent surgery. Surgery went well and she spent two weeks with a metal rod through her 2nd toe and into her mid foot which was removed yesterday. The Millers were truly strengthened with your prayers & notes of encouragement.

Please pray for Melissa Biles, daughter of Terry & Connie Metzger, Board of Directors and Pro-Am Co-Chairs. She has been admitted to ICU with a fever of 104 and with what seems like an infection attacking her lungs. She is on 100% oxygen at this time and the doctors need divine guidance. Pray for healing for Melissa as well as for her husband, Marty, and the entire Metzger family.

Please pray for Angie Miller, wife of Dr. David Miller of the NCCAA Pro-Am Committee. She is having foot surgery this morning and they appreciate your prayers on her behalf.

Mr. Oren Paris II, father of Oren Paris III (President of Ecclesia College), is home from an extended hospital stay battling heart disease. While doctors say it is too risky to perform surgery, he is starting to regain strength. Please continue to lift Mr. Paris to the Lord and pray that the medications will help him continue on the road to recovery.

Please pray for Oren Paris II, father of Oren Paris III, President of Ecclesia College. Mr. Paris II has been hospitalized in Cleveland, OH with a failing heart. He has atrial fibrillation and a leaking mitral valve, but the major concern is a badly damaged tricuspid valve that seems to be irreparable. This is a God-sized problem needing a God-sized miracle on Mr. Paris’ behalf. Please lift this family to the Lord and pray for the doctors as well as they determine a course of action.

Following a thorough examination and assessment of Gary Carter, biopsies were performed this morning from a tumor located in Mr. Carter's brain. The preliminary results are that his tumor appears to be malignant. Once the pathology report is available, which will take several days, treatment options will be discussed with Mr. Carter and his family. In the meantime, Mr. Carter is in excellent spirits and good physical condition. He is resting comfortably, surrounded by his family. Please continue to pray for Gary and his family during this time.

The Ozark Christian College campus itself was untouched by the recent tornado that swept thru Joplin this past Sunday. It was actually about 3/4 mile north of the major destruction. However, we did have a number of college families that lost their homes or severely damaged them. We lost one student and that family could really use our prayers. As of noon yesterday there are still 256 people in the Joplin area that are officially listed as missing in addition to the 125 confirmed dead. The Red Cross is using the OCC gym as a relief center and we are housing a number of volunteers in our dorms that have come to Joplin to assist us in recovery. We appreciate your continued prayers over the summer as we attempt to recover from this. Thank you all for your concern thus far.

Please pray for Larry Olson, Women’s Basketball Coach at Manhattan Christian College, and his wife Bev, as Larry has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. He will be pursuing treatment this summer.

Please pray for Anne Menear, Athletics Director of Central Christian College of the Bible. Anne is having surgery to remove a brain tumor but praises the Lord that the doctors say it is not malignant. She will not have to have chemotherapy or radiation treatments. Her prayer is that this surgery will alleviate headaches she’s been experiencing.

Please pray for Coach Gary Carter, Baseball Coach at Palm Beach Atlantic University and MLB Hall-of-Famer. Gary learned recently that he has several small brain tumors and is going to Duke Medical Center for a more in-depth diagnosis and course of treatment.

Please pray for Bill Martlett, brother-in-law of Willie Holley, Athletics Director at Mid-America Christian University. Bill is battling Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and is in the last stages of his battle against this disease. Pray for Willie and his wife, Janet, as they travel to be with her brother and for the extended family as they journey through these difficult days.

Please pray for the National Office staff and volunteers as we work at the BMW Charity Pro-Am this week raising much needed funds for the NCCAA. Pray that we will be a light for Christ as we work and for strength and energy throughout the event. Pray also for our donors who are traveling in to play in the two one-day tournaments on our behalf. We praise the Lord that we have earned two spots in the bonus pool as a result of their sacrifice of time, talents and treasures.

Please pray for the family of Brent Casteel, women’s soccer coach at Northland International University and NCCAA National Women’s Soccer Chair. Brent’s dad has Stage 4 Pancreatic cancer so Brent is moving his family to Florida (Orlando area) to be near his dad and would appreciate your prayer support. Brent and his wife will be looking for work and a place to live in the area. Please pray for Brent’s father as well as Brent’s family and their transition.

Please pray for Dr. Scott True, NCCAA Pro-Am Committee member and longtime friend of the association. Scott has been diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease and is in need of a kidney transplant, hopefully from a living donor. Unfortunately, his sister has been ruled out as a candidate. Please pray that someone will step forward as a donor who will be a perfect match. It must be someone with Type O blood and someone who is willing to travel to Cincinnati, OH for the procedure. If you or anyone you know has interest in being tested as a match, please contact Scott as soon as possible. You may contact him and also send words of encouragement to him at doctrue@aol.com.

We just received word from friends of the NCCAA, Ben & Laura Harrison, that a friend of theirs, 34-year-old Derek Taatjes, youth pastor of their church, and his 5 month old son, died as a result of smoke inhalation when a fire broke out in their home overnight. His wife, Charity, and their two young daughters were out of town when the fire broke out. Please pray for this young family and their church as they grieve this tragic loss and pray that God will use it for His good.

Please be in prayer for two Colorado Christian student-athletes who lost their mothers to cancer in the last two weeks. Women’s Basketball player Raven Darnell’s mom passed away a little over a week ago after a struggle with brain cancer, while Baseball player Chris Graves lost his mom to breast cancer this past weekend.

Please pray for Cameron Ward, son of Raji Ward of NCCAA preferred vendor Cowart Awards. Cameron broke both bones in his wrist while playing soccer and is meeting with orthopedic specialists today to determine the course of action. Raji also requests prayer for his mother, Louise Ward, who is suffering bursitis following hip replacement surgery last fall. They covet your prayers for healing in both cases.

Shawn Condra, Athletic Director of Manhattan Christian College, requests prayer for baseball student-athlete Eammon Bradley. Eammon was injured while diving for a fly ball during their game on Saturday. He has a skull fracture above his right eye. It's a depression fracture of the sinus which means part of his sinus cavity caved in and will need surgery in a week or so to repair it. It is uncertain that he'll play anymore this season. Please pray for Eammon, his team and his family.

Scott Pothoven's mother meets with a surgeon at the Mayo Clinic on April 18. They will discuss options to remove two spots that were found on her brain during her appointment at Creighton. The family asks that you pray for continued healing, for peace and comfort, for wisdom for the doctors, and that both spots can and will be completely removed. They praise God for His faithfulness to all the prayers lifted on their behalf. The family's desire is that His name will be lifted and exalted through this whole experience.

Please pray for the mother of Scott Pothoven, friend of the NCCAA. She has been battling cancer for several months and has been undergoing new medications through Creighton University. While she has handled the treatments especially well, she and Scott’s father travel to Creighton for testing today. Pray that the cancer has shrunk and for their safe travel. Scott asks that you pray for God’s healing hand on his mother and that they can be a witness to the medical staff who will be seeing her over.

Continue to pray for Brenda Veach, the sister-in-law of Dianna Bloom. Her cancer has been diagnosed as “stage 3”. She will begin chemo and radiation treatments soon.

Please remember the family of Dr. Sherrill & Nayla Babb, NCCAA Board member, as his 94 year old father passed away earlier this week. Sherrill reports that it has been a celebration of his father’s life as he has gone to be with the Lord.

Please pray for Bob Mannes, longtime friend of the NCCAA. He is suffering congestive heart failure and appreciates your prayers.

Vance Thompson and his family need your prayers. Vance is the 2 year old son of Kyle Bloom’s (NCCAA Board member) cousin. Vance was just diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor and had surgery this week removing most of the tumor. He will begin chemotherapy in the near future and has a long road of recovery ahead of him. Pray for his family as they walk this road.

Please pray for Melissa Biles, daughter of NCCAA Board member and Co-Chairs of the NCCAA Pro-Am Committee, Terry & Connie Metzger. Melissa has been battling colitis for some time, but was hospitalized this week with serious complications. The first prognosis is complete removal of her colon but they are hoping for an alternative treatment.

Pray for Bob White, Athletics Director of Palm Beach Atlantic University. Bob was hospitalized again with heart problems. After having four stints inserted a while back, he is again showing signs of blockage even though he has been on a very strict vegetarian diet. Pray for Bob’s health and for his doctors and they try to help him through his heart issues.

We praise the Lord for His overwhelming presence at the NCCAA Pro-Am. It was a wonderful time for NCCAA donors and friends to gather on behalf of the NCCAA. Several prayer requests came to us through the event that we want to pass along to you:

Pray for George & Elaine Miller (former president of Davis College) who will be traveling to Cuba soon for ministry.

Please pray for Eddie & Cricket Terrell’s daughter who is suffering a serious eye infection.

David Wheeler, brother of John Wheeler (NCCAA Board member), broke his ankle and toe during the Pro-Am. Please pray for his recovery.

Continue to remember Sharon O’Connor, wife of Davis College Athletic Director Tom O’Connor. Sharon continues to battle cancer and needs God’s healing hand on her body.

Jason Fick, grandson of Earl Wheeler, friend of the NCCAA, continues to recover following a serious head injury. He continues to improve daily but still suffers the effects of the magnitude of the injury. The family expressed their sincere appreciation of your prayers during this crisis.

Pray for Stacey & Dan Wood (no relation to our Executive Director) of Ohio who were first time attenders of the NCCAA Pro-Am. They have two young boys and are looking for a church home.

The following staff members of the Hammock Beach Resort also shared prayer concerns with us:

Angie – for her teenage daughter to be a better person and listen to her family as they try to help her.

Gary – he and his wife must move in 3 weeks and they need to find the perfect home that will also accommodate their dog.

Another employee shared his thanks to the Lord for paying for his sins on the cross.

After being released from the hospital yesterday, Jason Fick (18) was in great pain taken back to the hospital and has been admitted into the NICU. The new cat scan showed no new bleeding but doctors are administering intravenous steroids today. Please continue to life Jason and his family in your prayers.

Please remember Donnie Bostwick, Athletics Director and Men’s Basketball Coach at Oklahoma Wesleyan University, in the passing of his father. Donnie appreciates your prayers for his family.

Jason Fick is scheduled to be released from the hospital today following a serious head injury last week. His family expresses their sincere appreciation for all the prayers on his behalf.

Please pray for the NCCAA Pro-Am fundraiser taking place March 18-21 at Hammock Beach Resort in Florida. Pray for the National Office staff and volunteers, but especially that the Holy Spirit will meet with us in a special way. We will conduct three Christian Service Projects (CSPs) during the event, including free clinics for local youth in the Palm Coast community. Pray for Southeastern University coaches and student-athletes as they lead these clinics. The National Office will be closed Thursday, March 17 through Tuesday, March 22 as we run this event.

Please be in prayer for Jason Fick, Pro-Am attendee and grandson of Earl & Joan Wheeler, who has been in ICU in Savannah after a fall while at McDonald’s with friends last Saturday night. He has a severe concussion, significant pain in his back and upper body, and bleeding on 2 spots on his brain, but all vitals appear well and the prognosis is good. Please pray for the medical team who is caring for Jason and for God’s continued healing on Jason. Also pray for Tim and Linda Fick, Jason’s parents, and Earl and Joan as they deal with his healing and care.

Please pray for Mike & Brenda Veach, brother & sister-in-law to Dianna Bloom, wife of NCCAA Board Member Kyle Bloom. Brenda just learned that she has cancer. The news has hit the family very hard, especially with their children. The family appreciates your prayers on their behalf.

Continue to lift Pat Williams of the Orlando Magic in your prayers as he battles Multiple Myeloma, a form of blood cancer. He has begun a very aggressive form of treatment and appreciates your prayers on his behalf.

Please pray for Pat Williams of the Orlando Magic. Pat has requested the prayers of the NCCAA on his behalf as he has been diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma which is a form of blood cancer. Pat is a scrapper and he'll fight through this. His doctor is one of the area’s leading oncology and hematology experts. He has begun an aggressive treatment program of chemotherapy and is focused on getting the disease into remission.

Please pray for Judson University’s athletic trainer, Carrie Sailer. Carrie was recently diagnosed with a rare cancer called Adrenal Corticol Carcinoma or adrenal cancer. The mass on her adrenal gland is 23 cm and she also has two masses on her liver with the largest one at 11 cm. It is also on her nodules on her lungs. She is currently in the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota getting diagnosis and treatment. She asks for prayers on how she can witness to the people she comes in contact with through this time in her life.

Please continue to pray for the premature newborn baby daughter of Mandy Wray, Athletics Director and Women’s Basketball Coach at Ohio Christian University. Jaden is still in the hospital but is showing signs of improvement. Continue to lift baby Jaden and the Wray family in your prayers.

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Sharon O'Connor, wife of Tom O'Connor, Athletics Director at Davis College, continues with her cancer treatments. Sharon says she is trusting God throughout this process and appreciates all the prayers offered on her behalf. The prognosis is very positive, for which the family is very grateful.

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Pete Ginnegar, of preferred vendor Bob McCloskey Insurance, just received a "cancer free" report from his doctor following a battle with cancer four years ago. While Pete is not a believer, your emails to him and prayers on his behalf have inspired and encourage Pete tremendously. Pete commented, "Please keep those prayers coming! I think of them often." He has shared with the National Office staff how your encouragement has caused him to consider the Christian walk and the impact prayer has had on his life.

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Please pray for Jan McDonald, Athletics Director at North Greenville University. Jan's mother passed away unexpectedly this week. Her mother was the caretaker for Jan's ailing father, so please lift Jan and the family in prayer as they process their grief and make important decisions on behalf of her father.

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Update on Harrison Ingmire, newborn son of Eric Ingmire, Women's Soccer Coach at Manhattan Christian College: Eric writes, "We were able to bring Harrison home after Christmas. He is 6 weeks old now and doing great. The doctors are amazed how well he has progressed and can not believe how quickly he got better. It was an absolute miracle that he is alive today. Joanna and I got to see the power of prayer first hand. It was by God’s grace that he was healed. The doctors in the NICU told us the day he was going home that Harrison had the lowest blood count of any surviving baby that they have had in their NICU. They call him the miracle baby. It was a huge blessing having everyone praying for our family. Thank you for your prayers and concerns. It means a lot to us. Thanks!"

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Please pray for the Geneva College family and specifically one of their students, Devon Minor (freshman engineering major from Clifton Heights, PA), and his family. Devon has not been seen since last Wednesday evening/early Thursday morning. Devon’s roommates became concerned and reported this to the college whose personnel has been working with Devon’s family and local authorities in an attempt to track him down. So far, they have had no success in this task. Please remember this family, the Geneva College community, and especially for Devon’s safe return to his family.

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Please pray for the wife of Deron Brown (umpire coordinator for the NCCAA World Series). Ellen has stage four lung cancer and the family seeks the prayers of the NCCAA family. Help us lift Deron, Ellen and their 21- and 15-year-old children to the Lord.

Mandy Wray, Athletics Director and Women’s Basketball Coach at Ohio Christian University, had her baby this week. Jaden was 6 weeks early and is having some complications. She had a blood transfusion yesterday and is severely jaundiced and anemic. Please pray for Jaden, Mandy and her family for a complete recovery.

Three student-athletes from NCCAA member Crowley's Ridge College in Paragould, Arkansas were in a head on collision just outside of Paragould this past Tuesday evening. Ginnie Nelms (volleyball and softball) and Julie Johnson (softball) are currently in the hospital in Memphis, TN. They suffered several broken bones and internal injuries. Tewayne Smith (basketball) was also injured and released from the hospital. The ladies will be having surgery over the next few days so please keep them and their families in your prayers.

Coach Eric Ingmire, women's soccer coach at Manhattan Christian College, & his wife, Joanna had a baby boy (Harrison) yesterday and there have been some serious health complications with him. He was transported from Manhattan to Topeka (about an hour away) - he is currently in NICU. Please pray for the whole Ingmire family.

We’ve received the following update from Indiana Wesleyan. Please continue to be in prayer for Leah and her family.

Thanks again for putting Leah Whittaker and our women’s basketball team on the NCCAA prayer chain. I wanted to give you an update on Leah’s situation. She has been transferred to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. We heard earlier today that the tumor in her colon is too large to be removed at this point so they are going to move forward with treatments to shrink its size. Obviously this was not great news, so we are praying that the treatments will work quickly and effectively to allow the surgeons to remove the tumor as soon as possible. I will keep you updates as we hear news. Thank you again, the prayer support has been incredible and so inspiring to Leah, her family and our entire IWU Athletic Community.

Mark DeMichael

Director of Athletics

Indiana Wesleyan University

Last week, at NCCAA Volleyball Nationals, Aimee Davison our Associate Athletic Director/SID went to Kissimmee with our volleyball team to help do stats for the tournament. On Friday, she was rushed to the hospital with complications to her pregnancy (almost 27 weeks along) and they performed an emergency C-section. The doctors tried to revive their daughter for over 40 minutes but were not able to save her. This has been devastating, as you can imagine, to Aimee, Matt, Asa (3 year old son), and the CCU athletic department. Please pray for healing both physically and emotionally as they deal with this tragic event in their lives.

Darren Richie

Director of Athletics

Colorado Christian University

We received word yesterday that one of our freshman women’s basketball players has been diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer in her liver and colon. She was admitted to the hospital on Sunday night with stomach pains. They saw fluid in her appendix, so did an appendectomy, and through the process found 4 masses on her liver and in her colon. They biopsied the masses during the appendectomy and got the results back today. They are still trying to determine where the cancer started and what type of cancer it is. They are also still trying to decide where she will be going for her cancer treatment. Her name is Leah Whittaker and she is from Princeville, IL. Please pray for Leah and her family in this time as well as Coach Steve Brooks, our women’s team, and our entire community as we strive to give the Whittaker family support and prayers through the hard days ahead. Thank you!

The Nyack College family is saddened to have suffered the loss of cross country student-athlete Anne Jackson. Anne collapsed while running yesterday evening and passed before her family could arrive to the hospital during the night. Anne was a senior music education major who is described as an exceptional student with a 3.97 GPA and gifted with the voice of an angel. Please pray for her family, Gordon and Cynthia Jackson, two sisters, and the Nyack family as they process this sudden loss.

Keith Davie of Nyack College has requested urgent prayer for one of their cross country student-athletes, Anne Jackson. She collapsed this evening as she was running and is in the hospital in critical condition. At this time, all they know is there is a problem affecting her brain. Please lift Anne, her family, and the Nyack family in your prayers.

Please continue to pray for Sharon O'Connor, wife of Davis College athletics director, Tom O'Connor, and the family. During her surgery yesterday, much cancer was found. The doctors said that they will have a long road ahead of them. The family is quite devastated by the news and covets the prayers of the NCCAA family.

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Thank you for your prayers for NCCAA student-athlete Nathan Zimmerman's father Todd. Coach Bando took Nathan to visit his father over the weekend and they were very surprised to see him pushing himself in a wheelchair with his feet. The doctors are amazed. Your prayers have made a difference - please continue to lift this family before the Lord.

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Please pray for Sharon O'Connor, wife of Davis College Athletic Director, Tom O'Connor. Cancer was found during Sharon's routine exam. This came as quite a shock to the family as she was having no physical difficulties going into the exam. She is scheduled to have surgery on Monday, Nov. 15 at 8:45 a.m. Pray for Tom, Sharon and their young children in the days ahead and for God's healing hand on Sharon. They praise the Lord that the cancer was found now rather than later on.

This prayer request has come in for one of our NCCAA student-athletes:

Please pray for Nathan Zimmerman's father Todd. Todd went into the hospital with dehydration and now has a condition called CPM, which immobilizes all his bodily functions. He currently is in a rehab facility and Nathan does not know the critical condition his father is in. His coach is taking Nathan to see his Dad this weekend. Please pray for Nathan's heart, his mom's care giving and his father's progress. This Saturday (Nov. 13) could either make or break Nathan's desire to stay in school and grow or struggle through life.

Please be in prayer for Josue Trejo, a freshman, center midfielder for Atlanta Christian College, who lost his older sister this past Saturday in car accident in South Georgia. The family is very traumatized and Josue is understandably upset over the loss of his sister who took care of a lot of the decisions in the household.

Randy Douglas

Atlanta Christian College Men's and Women's Soccer Coach

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Please pray for my friend with breast cancer who is having a single mastectomy soon. Also, the father of another friend has developed a mysterious lung problem that the doctors have not been able to diagnose. However, in an effort to battle the problem, they are removing half of a lung tomorrow. Her father is in frail condition making the surgery very risky. Thank you in advance for all the prayers.

Dianna Bloom

Wife of NCCAA Board Member, Kyle Bloom

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Please pray for the family of Doug and Cheri Harper, friends of the NCCAA. Cheri lost her sister very suddenly yesterday. Her sister recently retired and moved to the area just a few weeks ago to be near family. She started not feeling well shortly after her arrival and was diagnosed with cancer, passing away yesterday. This has all come as quite a shock to the family.

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Please pray for Paul Berry, Athletics Director of The Master's College and NCCAA Board member. Paul continues to experience difficulties with his heart and is having a pacemaker put in today. While he expects to return to work on Friday, he is most concerned that he will not be able to play golf for a couple of months! Please pray that this will take care of the problems Paul has been experiencing for a long time with his heart.

Sheryl Stecker, former student-athlete at Geneva College, recently learned she has a large brain tumor. A biopsy will be performed today. Please pray that the tumor is benign. The plan is for surgery next week with chemotherapy and radiation to follow based on what they learn from the biopsy. She is married with two very young boys. Sheryl is a former teammate of Geneva College women's tennis coach Mandee Craft. Please lift Sheryl and her family in prayer as they walk the path ahead.

Prayer:

Please pray for Mandy Wray, Athletics Director & Women's Basketball Coach at Ohio Christian University and NCCAA Mid-East Region Chair. She was hospitalized last week in ICU with pneumonia and a severe asthma attack. This is complicated by the fact that she is pregnant which causes concern for the baby. Remember Mandy and her family during these days of recovery for quick healing and protection for the baby.

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Praise Reports:

The men's basketball team of Central Christian College of Kansas had a retreat two weekends ago. Coach Tony Romero reports: "On Saturday, we had a team devotion that started at 3:30 pm and went until 7:00 PM. God’s presence was very evident and powerful during this time. At the conclusion we (coaches) offered an invitation to join God’s team, at that moment, 14 guys stood up and made a first time commitment to Christ!" Praise the Lord for His faithfulness! Please pray for these young men as they begin their walk with the Lord and for Coach Romero and his staff as they begin the discipling process.

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The NCCAA Mission Possible fundraiser held in North Carolina last week was a tremendous success. We thank the committee and all the volunteers, including student-athletes from the men's and women's golf teams of North Greenville University, for all their work on our behalf. The staff was able to share the message of the NCCAA to many new local donors.

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Please pray for Grace College (IN) and the family of Mallori Kastner. Mallori, freshman volleyball player, was killed in a freak accident on Friday night when a tree fell on her and a friend, Jeremy Mohr, while sitting in a hammock at Winona Lake. While Mohr survived, he is in critical condition in the hospital. More on the incident can be found at http://www.wsbt.com/news/local/Neighbors-say-Grace-students-were-sitting-in-hammock-when-tree-fell.html.

The Arington Foundation, hosts of the NCCAA National Baseball Championships, is requesting prayer for the family of Ivan & Judy Pusecker in the sudden loss of their adult daughter. This family is close friends with Mr. Thomas Arington. While the details were not available, the family is suffering from this unexpected loss and covets the prayers of the NCCAA Family.

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Please pray for Glen Shamblen, Fellowship of Christian Athletes Multi-Area Director in Greater Tampa Bay. Glen has recently been diagnosed with Leukemia and has become anemic. He is receiving blood transfusions then is to begin chemotherapy. They are hopeful that he will not require a bone marrow transplant so help him pray for this as well as complete healing. Glen's wife, Debbie, also battles health issues so this family needs an extra amount of God's strength and help through the days and months ahead.

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Thank you for all of the prayers for Erin Starry, senior volleyball player at Southern Wesleyan University who was diagnosed with heart problems during her pre-season examination. Erin sought second and third opinions, and after careful examination and consultation between all the doctors, she has been fully released and will not have to have the surgery at this time. They came to the conclusion that she will be ok to compete her senior season. Again, thank you for all of the prayers and encouragement that were sent her way! They meant a lot to her!!

Jennifer Ellis

Head Volleyball Coach

Southern Wesleyan University

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Vern Howard, former NCCAA Director of Membership Relations, is now home following back surgery and is getting along fairly well. He plans to return to work in another 10 days or so and is "taking it easy" until then. Continue to lift Vern & Bevan in your prayers for a complete and quick recovery. They have been overwhelmed by all the emails and well wishes they have received from the NCCAA family.

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The NCCAA just held its first Mission Possible Golf Classic fundraiser in Middletown, OH and it was a great success. Special thanks go to the committee of Dr. Scott True, Dr. David Miller, John & Jody Wheeler and Rev. Barry Shafer for their time and energy on behalf of the NCCAA for this event. Congratulations to the Geneva College team of Jeff Santarsiero, Alan Sumner, Dr. Brian Yowler, and Joe Jurinko for winning the one day tournament and taking the time to drive from Pennsylvania to be part of this event. Other NCCAA membership institutions participating in the event were Cedarville University, Indiana Wesleyan University and Ohio Christian University. Cedarville also provided student-athletes who served as volunteers. This event allowed us to share the NCCAA mission to new friends of the NCCAA and to raise funds for our Christian Service Projects and Sports Ministry funding.

The next Mission Possible Golf Classic will be held October 1, 2010 at Bright's Creek Golf Club in Mill Spring, NC. Please pray for the National Office staff as we use this event to raise funds and develop new friends for the association. If you are interested in participating, please visit http://www.thenccaa.org/missionpossiblegolfclassic.html to register securely online. On a related note, the National Office will be closed September 29-October 1 for Board of Directors' meetings associated with this event.

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Vern Howard's surgery went much better than doctors had hoped and Vern & Bevan attribute it to all the prayer going out for him. The surgeons were able to find and repair the damage and did not have to insert rods as projected. Vern is now walking again! They have been overwhelmed by all the emails and phone calls from the NCCAA family. They are also very appreciative for the local NCCAA coaches who have taken time to visit with them in the hospital. Thank you for your continued prayers as they navigate the rehabilitation process out of state.

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Vern Howard, former NCCAA Director of Member Relations, has been transported to Tampa General Hospital and is undergoing a battery of tests today. As of now, his back surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning, August 25, at 7:30 a.m. The surgery is going to be quite extensive and delicate followed by many weeks of recovery, rehabilitation and therapy. Vern & Bevan have expressed that they are so thankful for your emails and phone calls. Knowing that the NCCAA family is praying for them has been "encouraging and heart-warming", especially as they find themselves far away from home.

Please pray for Erin Starry, senior volleyball player at Southern Wesleyan University. During her pre-season physical, doctors discovered a serious problem with her heart called WPW that is going to require surgery within the next few weeks. This has upset Erin tremendously and she covets the prayers of the NCCAA family as she and her family walk this road. Please pray for healing, comfort, peace, and wisdom for Erin.

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Prayer Update: Vern Howard, former NCCAA Director of Member Relations, is waiting to be released from one hospital and transported to Tampa General Hospital where surgery will be performed on his back in the next few days - hopefully sooner rather than later. Continue to pray for God's hand on Vern for healing and on Bevan as they are far from home.

Please pray for Vern Howard, former NCCAA Director of Member Relations. While visiting family in Florida, Vern’s ongoing back problems returned with a vengeance. Following a trip to the emergency room and several days of trying other options, he is scheduled to have another serious back surgery on Monday, as things stand now, at Tampa General Hospital. They plan to realign two bulging discs, do some delicate work around nerves and insert two rods for better stability in his back. Pray for his wife, Bevan, as she continues to support Vern through this process and the recovery. Also pray as the determine how they will handle the recovery out of town then the process of getting Vern back home to South Carolina with maximum comfort. Most of all, pray for God’s healing hand on Vern.