College notebook: Former JWCC standout Gronewold joins staff at Dodge City

QUINCY — Brad Hoyt often has said the John Wood Community College men’s basketball program sticks together like family.

How true that is these days.

Brody Gronewold, a former standout at Illini West and JWCC, recently was named an assistant coach at Dodge City Community College, an NJCAA Division I program located in Dodge City, Kan. Gronewold joins the staff of new Conquistadors coach Brad Witherspoon, who is a former JWCC assistant.

Witherspoon spent three seasons working alongside Hoyt, the JWCC head coach, and serving as his top assistant during the 2014-15 season when the Trail Blazers finished as the runner-up at the NJCAA Division II national tournament.

Gronewold was a sophomore shootout guard who started on that team.

After leaving JWCC, Witherspoon spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Barton Community College before taking over as the head coach at Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa College last year. He led the Mavericks to a 21-8 record and an Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference championship.

Gronewold served as Witherspoon’s assistant at Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa and followed him to Dodge City. Prior to that, Gronewold was an assistant at JWCC for two seasons.

Johnson to compete at NCAAs

Jordan Johnson, the two-time state discus champion at Quincy High School, will represent the University of Iowa at the NCAA outdoor track and field championships this week in Eugene, Ore. He is scheduled to throw Friday.

Johnson, a sophomore, is seeded 12th after a throw of 187 feet, 3 inches at the NCAA West Regional. His season and career-best throw of 189-6 ranks seventh all-time at Iowa.

Overby not returning at QU

Randy Overby will not be returning as Quincy University’s cross country and track and field coach, the school announced last weekend. QU athletic director Josh Rabe said Overby’s contract had not been renewed.

Overby had coached both programs since July 2019. 

Bergstraser gets first head coaching gig

Former Quincy University men’s basketball assistant coach Tim Bergstraser is getting the opportunity to run his own program.

Bergstraser was named the head coach at Minnesota State-Moorhead after spending the previous four seasons as the top assistant coach with the NCAA Division II program. He also served as a graduate assistant at Moorhead from 2015-17.

Bergstraser served as the Hawks’ top assistant during the 2017-18 season. He was an all-conference forward at St. Cloud State during his playing career, helping the Huskies reach the D-II Final Four in 2010.