In his first season at the helm of Hanover College’s track and field program, Richard Annorat has already made a remarkable impact. His leadership has sparked rapid growth and excellence within the program, leading to a standout 2024 indoor season filled with historic performances and championship success.
Coach Annorat guided the Panthers to 66 individual personal bests, 28 new entries in the school’s all-time top-10 list, and 22 All-Conference honors across both men’s and women’s teams. Under his direction, the men’s 4x200-meter relay team shattered both the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) meet record and the Hanover school record with a time of 1:30.18.
First-year standout Brandon Bensouda broke the school record in the 60-meter dash (6.93), earning First Team All-Conference recognition, while sophomore Grady Shay set a new program best in the 60-meter hurdles (8.58), also earning All-Conference honors.
On the women’s side, senior Jessie Stenger emerged as one of the nation’s top throwers, placing 14th at the NCAA DIII National Championships and breaking the Hanover shot put record multiple times. The women’s distance medley relay team also earned top honors at the conference championship.
Prior to joining Hanover, Annorat served as the Head Track & Field Coach at Earlham College from 2022 to 2024. During his time there, he helped produce numerous All-Conference performers and guided Madison Hemskamp to the 2023 HCAC Jumper of the Year and a conference title.
As a student-athlete at Albion College, Annorat was one of the most decorated competitors in program history. His accolades include:
- 2016 MIAA Football Conference Champion
- 2018 MIAA Indoor Track & Field MVP
- 2018 Albion College Student-Athlete of the Year
- NCAA Championship Qualifier
Beyond his athletic success, he served in multiple leadership roles on campus, including as a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representative, a Smooth Transitions mentor, and the Social Chair for the Black Student Alliance.
Coach Annorat continues to build a culture of excellence, empowerment, and performance at Hanover, and the future of Panther Track & Field is brighter than ever under his leadership.
