Marion, AL.  — Marion Military Institute is pleased to announce the addition of women's and men's track & field programs. MMI Track & Field will compete in both indoor and outdoor seasons and will officially launch in the 2022-23 academic year.

"Adding these programs to our intercollegiate athletic department will enhance the overall student experience here at MMI and provide new opportunities for student-athletes to develop academically and athletically while competing at the collegiate level," MMI Director of Athletics, Michelle Ivey, said. "We (MMI) can definitely serve as a stepping stone for some quality student-athletes that are looking to transfer to the four-year level."

Chad Balentine, who took over the men's and women's cross country programs in the summer of 2019, will add Head Track and Field Coach to his job title at MMI.  Balentine came to Marion after serving as head men's and women's cross country, men's and women's indoor track and field, and men's and women's outdoor track field programs at Barton College in Wilson, North Carolina.   "I am super excited to begin building a Men's & Women's Track & Field program here at Marion Military Institute", stated Balentine. "We will be looking to provide opportunities for student-athletes in Alabama's Black Belt region as well as across the state and throughout the southeast."

Coach Balentine earned his undergraduate degree in Human Environmental Sciences from the University of Alabama, and soon afterwards began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Troy University. He completed his Master's Degree in Human Performance from Jacksonville State University in December 2020. Coach Balentine accepted his first head coaching role in 2009 at Bevill State Community College, where he guided the Bears to nine junior college All-American honors and seven Academic All-American awards in his two seasons at the helm.  In 2011 he joined the staff at Birmingham Southern College as an assistant track and field coach and then onto the University of Montevallo in 2015 for a three-year stint as assistant track and field and cross country coach.  " It has always been a dream to start a program from scratch and this is the right time and place.  When I was the head coach at Bevill State and they discontinued their program, I did not think this day would ever come.  Now, 11 years later I have the opportunity to lead the rebirth of Track & Field at the two-year college level in the State of Alabama at an incredible institution, Marion Military Institute. I am blessed, grateful, and excited for the future, as we grow Track & Field and strengthen our Cross Country program. I want to thank my Athletic Director, Michelle Ivey, our President, Col. David J. Mollahan, and our college administration for supporting the vision of growth that the addition of Track & Field provides for future student-athletes."

MMI's Track & Field teams will compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and be the only school in the Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC). 

Recruiting begins immediately for Fall 2022!  Any student-athletes interested in learning more about Marion Military Institute and its athletic programs can visit www.mmitigers.com; Coach Balentine can be reached at cbalentine@marionmilitary.edu.