Millsaps College Athletics

A veteran coach and familiar name will lead four Millsaps programs into the future. Natalie Bach-Prather was named the men’s and women’s cross country and track and field head coach on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021.

Bach-Prather spent the previous 18 seasons as a student-athlete and coach at East Texas Baptist University.
 
She earned All-American Southwest Conference (ASC) Second Team honors in the early 2000s as an athlete. From there she volunteered in 2008 to help the cross country programs before becoming assistant coach in 2009 and finally head coach in 2012. In 2014, she started the ETBU men’s and women’s track and field programs.
 
“I am thrilled to begin a new chapter in my career working with the Millsaps men’s and women’s cross country and track and field teams,” said Bach-Prather. “There are a lot of talented athletes that I’m looking forward to working with and I can’t wait to get started with this track season.”

Bach-Prather led her cross country teams to 10 total ASC Team Sportsmanship Awards and nine Individual Sportsmanship Awards. Additionally, she has coached a men’s ASC individual champion, 19 All-ASC runners, 40 competitors at the NCAA Regional meet, two All-ASC First Team selections, an ASC Men’s Newcomer of the Year and Women’s Freshman of the Year.

On the track and field side, she presided over 23 combined ASC track and field champions, two ASC relay winning teams, three national qualifiers and both the 2019 ASC Outstanding Track Athlete and High Point Athlete.

Bach-Prather creates family connections in the Millsaps Athletics Department as husband Michael Prather is the men’s basketball head coach. She and Michael have one son, Benjamin. Bach-Prather graduated from East Texas Baptist University in 2008 and completed her master’s degree in December 2012 from Stephen F. Austin State University.

ETBU Men's and Women's Cross Country Honors Under Bach-Prather

• 59 Female ASC Academic All-Conference
• 35 Male ASC Academic All-Conference
• 23 Individual Men Regional Qualifiers
• 17 Individual Women Regional Qualifiers
• 13 ASC Runners of the Week
• 12 ASC All-Conference Male Runners
• 7 ASC All-Conference Female Runners
• 6 ASC Women's Team Sportsmanship Award
• 4 ASC Men's Team Sportsmanship Award
• 4 ASC Men's Individual Sportsmanship Award
• 3 Men's Team Regional Qualifiers
• 3 ASC Women's Individual Sportsmanship Award
• 1 ASC Men's Individual Champion
• 1 ASC Women's Freshman of the Year
• 1 Women's Team Regional Qualifier
• 1 Male ASC Medal of Honor Recipient 
• 1 Female ASC Medal of Honor Recipient
• 1 Male ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award Winner
• 1 ASC Men's Individual Sportsmanship Award

ETBU Men's and Women's Track & Field Honors Under Bach-Prather

• 43 Female Track and Field ASC Academic All-Conference
• 36 Male Track and Field ASC Academic All-Conference
• 13 Men ASC Track and Field Champions
• 13 Men ASC Track and Field Runner-up
• 10 Women ASC Track and Field Runner-up
• 10 Male ASC Field Athlete of the Week
• 7 Women ASC Track and Field Champions
• 6 Female ASC Track Athlete of the Week
• 5 Male ASC Track Athlete of the Week
• 2 Male ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Medal of Honor Award
• 2 Men's 4x100 ASC Champion
• 2 Male NCAA Outdoor National Qualifiers
• 1 Men's ASC Team Sportsmanship Award
• 1 Women's Team Sportsmanship Award
• 1 Women's 4x400 ASC Track and Field Runner-Up
• 1 Women's 4x100 ASC Track and Field Runner-Up

CROSS COUNTRY HIGHLIGHTS

2021 Spring Season

• Men's Team finished 6th in the ASC
• Women's Team didn't record a finish
• 1 Male received All-ASC first team
• 1 Male received ASC Newcomer of the Year
• 1 Female received All-ASC second team

2019 Season

• Men's Team finished 7th in the ASC
• Women's Team finished 7th in the ASC
• 2 Men/1 Woman qualified for Regionals
• 1 Male received All-ASC first team
• 1 Male ASC Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year
• 2x Male Runner of the Week awards

2018 Season

• Men's Team finished 3rd in the ASC
• Women's Team finsihed 5th in the ASC
• 7 Men/3 Women qualified for Regionals
• 2 Women received All-ASC second  team
• 1 Female ASC Freshman of the Year
• 2 Males received All-ASC first team
• 1 ASC Individual Champion
• 1 Male received the ASC Sportsmanship Award
• 2 ASC Team Sportsmanship Awards (men, women)
• 4x Male Runner of the Week awards

2017 Season

• Both Men and Women’s Teams finished 6^th in the ASC
• 2 Men/1 Women qualified for Regionals
• 1 Male named All-ASC first team
• 1 Men/7 Women received ASC Academic All-Conference
• Men’s Team received the ASC Team Sportsmanship Award
• 1 Male received the ASC Sportsmanship Award
• 1 Male/1 Female received the ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award

 2016 Season

• Both Men and Women’s team finished 5^th in the ASC
• 2 Women qualified for Regionals
• 1 Female named All-ASC first team
• 3 Men / 9 Women received ASC Academic All-Conference
• Women’s Team received the ASC Team Sportsmanship Award
• 1 Female received the Individual ASC Sportsmanship Award
• Two overall meet wins by one female runner
• 2x Runner of the Week
• 1 Male received the ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award

 2015 Season

• Men’s Team finished 5^th
• Women’s Team finished 3^rd, and was the first team in program history to qualify for Regionals.
• 5 Men Qualified for Regionals
• 1 Male named All-ASC first team
• 1 Male named All-ASC second team
• 1 Female named All-ASC second team
• 5 Men /7 Women received ASC Academic All-Conference
• 2x Runner of the Week
• Both the Men and Women’s Team received the ASC Team Sportsmanship Award
• 1 Male / 1 Female received the Individual ASC Sportsmanship Award
• 1 Male / 1 Female received the ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award

 2014 Season

• Men finished 5^th / Women finished 4^th
• 3 Men / 3 Women qualified for Regionals
• 1 Male named All-ASC first team
• 1 Male named All-ASC second team
• 1 Female named All-ASC first team
• 5 Men / 4 Women received ASC Academic All-Conference
• Both the Men and Women’s Team received the ASC Team Sportsmanship Award
• 1 Female received the Individual ASC Sportsmanship Award
• 1 overall meet win by one male runner.
• 3x Runner of the Week
• 1 Male / 1 Female received the ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award

2013 Season

• Men finished 4^th / Women finished 5^th
• 2 Men / 2 Women qualified for Regionals
• 1 Male named All-ASC first team
• 3 Men / 3 Women received Academic All-Conference
• The Women’s team received the ASC Team Sportsmanship Award
• 1 Male / 1 Female received the ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award

 2012 Season

• Men finished 6^th / Women finished 8^th
• 2 Men / 3 Women received Academic All-Conference
• 1 Male / 1 Female received ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award

 2011 Season

• Men finished 5^th / Women finished 8^th
• 2 Men/2 Women qualified for Regionals
• 1 Male named All-ASC second team
• 2 Men / 3 Women received Academic All-Conference
• 1 Male received the ASC Medal of Honor
• 1x Runner of the Week
• 1 Male / 1 Female received the ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award

 2010 Season

• Men finished 10^th / Women finished 8^th
• 4 Men / 5 Women received Academic All-Conference
• 1 Female received the ASC Medal of Honor
• 2x Runner of the Week
• 1 Male / 1 Female received the ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award

 2009 Season

• Men finished 8^th/ Women finished 6^th
• 5 Women received Academic All-Conference
• 1 Female received the ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award

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AWARDS UNDER NATALIE BACH-PRATHER

ASC TEAM FINISHES

WXC	MXC
2021 S: NA	2021 S: 6th
2019: 7th	2019: 7th
2018: 5th	2018: 3rd
2017: 6th	2017: 6th
2016: 5th	2016: 5th
2015: 3rd	2015: 4th
2014: 4th	2014: 5th
2013: 5th	2013: 4th
2012: 8th
2011: 8th
2010: 8th

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ALL-ASC RUNNERS

WOMEN

Year	Team	Runner
2021 S	2nd	Madelyn Smith (12th - 25.41.2)
2018	2nd	Melissa Kidder (8th - 25:27), Almalisseth Rodriguez (9th - 25:39)
2016	1st	Shelby Taylor-Spencer (7th overall - 23:55.6)
2015	1st	Shelby Taylor (5th overall - 25:16.98)
2014	2nd	Shelby Taylor (8th overall - 25:11.33)

MEN

Year	Team	Runner
2021 S	1st	Mack Broussard (3rd - 26:29.2)
2019	1st	Mack Broussard (4th - 26:29.2)
2018	1st	Mack Broussard (1st - 25:56.3), Beau Billings (7th - 28:20.49)
2017	1st	Mack Broussard (4th overall - 27:02.2)
2015	1st	Landon Price (7th overall - 28:32.29)
2015	2nd	Ian Spencer (16th overall - 29:34.40)
2014	1st	Landon Price (4th overall - 27:24.87)
2014	2nd	Ian Spencer (12th overall - 28:51.08)
2013	1st	Landon Price (4th overall - 27:22.78)

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NCAA REGIONAL QUALIFIERS

WOMEN

Year	Runners
2018	Melissa Kidder, Almalisseth Rodriguez
2017	Melissa Kidder
2016	Shelby Sparks, Shelby Taylor-Spencer
2015	Megan Merrill, Shelby Sparks, Shelby Taylor, Chloe Hudson, Amy Daly, Hannah Crisp, Alyssa Cummings
2014	Megan Merrill, Shelby Sparks, Shelby Taylor

MEN

Year	Runners
2019	Mack Broussard
2018	Mack Broussard, Beau Billings, Stephen Brown, Timothy Beall, Preston Kimmel, Anthony Alvarez, Tyson Tapp
2017	Mack Broussard, Beau Billings
2015	Landon Price, Ian Spencer, Mario Mendez, Seth Powers, Beau Billings
2014	Landon Price, Ian Spencer, Mario Mendez
2013	Landon Price

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ASC RUNNERS OF THE WEEK

Year	Runners
2019	Mack Broussard (Sept. 9, Oct. 14)
2018	Mack Broussard (Sept. 4, Sept. 17, Sept. 24, Oct. 8)
2016	Shelby Taylor-Spencer (Sept. 5, 13)
2015	Landon Price (Oct. 5, 12)
2014	Landon Price (Oct. 7, 13, 20)

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INDIVIDUAL SPORTSMANSHIP OF THE YEAR

Year	Runners
2019	Mack Broussard (M)
2018	Beau Billings (M)
2017	Beau Billings (M)
2016	Shelby Taylor-Spencer (W)
2015	Megan Merrill (W), Landon Price (M)
2014	Megan Merrill (W)
2013	Madison Kauffman (W)

 

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ASC NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Year	Runners
2021 S	Rangel Miller (M)

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ASC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

Year	Runners
2018	Almalisseth Rodriguez (W)

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ASC TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD

Year	Team
2018	ETBU Women's Cross Country, ETBU Men's Cross Country
2016	ETBU Women's Cross Country
2015	ETBU Women's Cross Country, ETBU Men's Cross Country
2014	ETBU Women's Cross Country, ETBU Men's Cross Country
2013	ETBU Women's Cross Country