Coaching Staff
Men's Sports
Head Coach - Josh Foreman
Email - jforeman@sandburg.edu
ASSISTANT COACHES
Chad Scott
Robb Wicks
Randy Wittenberg
Head Coach - Ryan Twaddle
Email - rtwaddle@sandburg.edu
Phone - 309.341.5245
Ryan Twaddle has been the Carl Sandburg College men's basketball coach since the 2007-08 season. During the 2013-14 season, he guided the Chargers to their first Region IV tournament championship and their first appearance in the NJCAA Division II national tournament, helping him earn NJCAA Region IV and NJCAA District 3 Coach of the Year honors for 2014. He also took over head coaching duties for the Sandburg men's golf team in 2013 and has guided the Chargers to three straight NJCAA Division II national tournaments. The Chargers' 12th-place finish at the 2013 national tournament was the best finish in program history. Prior to becoming the men's basketball coach, Twaddle was an assistant for four seasons under former head coach Mike Bailey. Twaddle graduated from Macomb High School and continued his playing career at Sandburg, earning two letters in both basketball and baseball. Twaddle lives in Galesburg and has a bachelor's degree from Western Illinois University.
Head Coach - Rodney Blue
Email - rblue@sandburg.edu
Phone - 309.341.5250
Rodney Blue was hired as the Carl Sandburg College cross country coach in February 2015.
Blue has 25 years of coaching experience, with time spent at the elementary, junior high, high school, and college levels. He spent the 2011-2012 seasons with the Chargers as an assistant, and he was an assistant for Knox College’s track teams during the spring 2012 season.
Blue spent 2008-2010 as the head coach of the Galesburg junior high cross country program, and his 2010 girls team recorded the only undefeated season in its history. As sprint coach for the Galesburg High School boys track team and field team during the 2008-2009 seasons, Blue helped the Silver Streaks finish fourth in Class 2A at the 2009 state meet. Their 4x400-meter relay also set a school record and was the state runner-up that year.
Prior to his time in the Galesburg area, Blue was an assistant at East Moline United Township High School from 1999-2002, aiding the Panthers’ boys track teams, as well as the boys and girls, cross country programs. He also spent time as a coach at the elementary level in the Rock Island/Milan School District.
An accomplished runner in his own right, Blue held the 400-meter record at GHS for 20 years and finished 10th in the event at the 1976 state meet. He also helped set school records in the 4x100, 4x200, and 4x400 during his high school career and was inducted into the GHS Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.
Blue inherits a program that has had 10 men and six women advance as individuals to the NJCAA Division I national meet in the last decade. Sandburg’s women’s team also has qualified for nationals four times during that stretch, and the Chargers have had at least one runner at the national championship each of the past four seasons.
Head Coach - Ryan Twaddle
Email - rtwaddle@sandburg.edu
Phone - 309.341.5245
Ryan Twaddle became the men's golf coach at Carl Sandburg College in 2013 and has guided the Chargers to three straight NJCAA Division II national tournaments in his tenure. The Chargers' 12th-place finish at the 2013 national tournament was the best finish in program history. Twaddle also serves as Sandburg's men's basketball coach. During the 2013-14 basketball season, he guided the Chargers to their first Region IV tournament championship and their first appearance in the NJCAA Division II national tournament, helping him earn NJCAA Region IV and NJCAA District 3 Coach of the Year honors for 2014. Prior to becoming the men's basketball coach, he was an assistant at Sandburg for four seasons under former head coach Mike Bailey. Twaddle graduated from Macomb High School and continued his athletic career at Carl Sandburg, earning two letters in both basketball and baseball. He lives in Galesburg and holds a Bachelor of Arts from Western Illinois University.
Head Coach - Kevwe Akpore
Akpore has been a staple of the Galesburg soccer community for nearly three decades. He served as the women’s soccer coach at Knox from 2001-02 after a three-year stint as an assistant, and he was the Prairie Fire’s men’s soccer coach from 2010-11. He also spent several years as a midfielder with FC Galesburg and has volunteered as a coach with the Knox County YMCA and Galesburg High School.
Akpore and his wife, Tracy, reside in Galesburg and have adult twin daughters, Kiara and Sade, who played collegiately at Southern Illinois Edwardsville.
Women's Sports
Interim Coach - McKenna Weaver
Email - meweaver@sandburg.edu
Head Coach - Rodney Blue
Email - rblue@sandburg.edu
Phone - 309.341.5250
Rodney Blue was hired as the Carl Sandburg College cross country coach in February 2015.
Blue has 25 years of coaching experience, with time spent at the elementary, junior high, high school, and college levels. He spent the 2011-2012 seasons with the Chargers as an assistant, and he was an assistant for Knox College’s track teams during the spring 2012 season.
Blue spent 2008-2010 as the head coach of the Galesburg junior high cross country program, and his 2010 girls team recorded the only undefeated season in its history. As sprint coach for the Galesburg High School boys track and field team during the 2008-2009 seasons, Blue helped the Silver Streaks finish fourth in Class 2A at the 2009 state meet. Their 4x400-meter relay also set a school record and was the state runner-up that year.
Prior to his time in the Galesburg area, Blue was an assistant at East Moline United Township High School from 1999-2002, aiding the Panthers’ boys track teams, as well as the boys and girls, cross country programs. He also spent time as a coach at the elementary level in the Rock Island/Milan School District.
An accomplished runner in his own right, Blue held the 400-meter record at GHS for 20 years and finished 10th in the event at the 1976 state meet. He also helped set school records in the 4x100, 4x200, and 4x400 during his high school career and was inducted into the GHS Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.
Blue inherits a program that has had 10 men and six women advance as individuals to the NJCAA Division I national meet in the last decade. Sandburg’s women’s team also has qualified for nationals four times during that stretch, and the Chargers have had at least one runner at the national championship each of the past four seasons.
Head Coach - Todd Winkler
Email - twinkler@sandburg.edu
Phone - 309.341.5345
Todd Winkler is entering his eighth year coaching the Carl Sandburg Softball team. He has 38 years of experience in coaching and playing fast-pitch softball. Winkler grew up outside of Alexis and went to Alexis High School and Western Illinois University. He is also Sandburg's head volleyball coach. Coach Winkler lives with his daughters, Kayla and Kelsey, on the family farm just outside of Alexis.
Head Coach - Todd Winkler
Email - twinkler@sandburg.edu
Phone - 309.341.5345
Todd Winkler has been the Carl Sandburg College volleyball coach since 2003. Winkler grew up outside of Alexis and went to Alexis High School and Western Illinois University. He also is Sandburg's head softball coach. Winkler lives on his family farm just outside of Alexis. He has two daughters, Kayla and Kelsey.