2023-24 begins Lina Baker’s inaugural season with the Chaps as an assistant track & field throws coach.
Baker comes to Lubbock Christian University from Concordia University St. Paul, Where she coached five conference champions, five All-Americans, seven national qualifiers, one national champion, and 16 new school records as the assistant track and field coach and recruiting coordinator.
Most notably, Baker coached Marcus Gustaveson to the 4th all-time discus throw in division II at 61.53m. That throw earned Gustaveson a spot at the 2021 US Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Oregon. Baker continues to coach Gustaveson his current personal best is 64.48m.
Baker also coached Hannah Gustafson to a four-meter improvement in the weight throw which qualified her for the 2019-20 Indoor D2 National Championship Meet, earning All-American status.
Before CSP, Baker spent the 2017-18 season as the Associate Cross Country/Track and Field coach at the State University of New York at Oneonta. Baker took on a variety of roles for the Red Dragons, but most notably as the throws coach. During her time, the Red Dragon throwers broke two school records and took first and second place in the Men’s Javelin throw at the conference meet.
Baker’s coaching career started at Concordia University Chicago, as the Graduate Assistant Track & Field Throws Coach and Recruiting Coordinator. During her time with the Cougars, Baker helped establish three new school records and one conference champion in the throws. Baker completed her Master of Science in Applied Exercise Science Sports Performance at CUC in 2017 and a NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist endorsement.
As an athlete Baker was a standout in the hammer throw at North Central College, becoming a two-time All-American in the event in 2013 and 2015, a conference record holder, and a school record holder. She graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Spanish.
