Greenville, SC – The NCCAA is honored to announce Tyler Twining of Malone University as the 2025 Elvin and Joyce King Award Recipient for Division I Men’s Cross Country.
 
Senior Tyler Twining is the type of person who sees a need and fills it. He does this in cross country each day by tackling any challenge coaches give him and encouraging others to do the same. Twining also does this for the Malone campus, spending a significant amount of time serving other athletes on campus through volunteer work with the athletic department. One area specifically that Twining has been instrumental on campus is using his gift and degree in communications to launch an initiative called the “Malone Sports Minute.” This is a weekly show, where he uses his communication skills to interview athletes and recap game results, specifically for sports that may not get as much media attention. This commitment to others, driven by his core values and relationship with Christ, shows just how much he desires to see others get the recognition they deserve.
 
In cross country, Twining has had his best season as a senior, recording his career best 8,000-meter time of 25:34 at the All-Ohio Intercollegiate Challenge in late September. Last year he finished 13^th at the NCCAA Division I Men’s Cross Country National Championship to fall just outside the All-American honors with a time of 26:38. With a personal best of nearly a minute faster in 2025, Twining is looking to earn All-American status at the NCCAA championship for the first time in his career on November 14. Twining has also seen much success in track and field holding the Malone school record for the indoor 800-meter and has earned five NCCAA All-American honors and two national titles between indoor and outdoor track & field. 
 
Twining is finishing his degree at Malone in communications where he holds a 3.58 GPA. He has earned NCCAA Scholar-Athlete honors for cross country and track & field. He also has been named Academic All-Conference in the NCAA Division II Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC). 
 
“Tyler is the most coachable athlete on the team,” said Malone Head Coach Zach Fresenko. “The coaches at Malone can always trust that Tyler will go the extra mile outside of practice time to find success. He consistently is a leader to his teammates as he works hard every single day and will never be seen slacking during practice time. He leads both on and off the course.”
 
Other Finalists
Aaron Douglass, Bethel University
Dan Kersey, Asbury University

Award Description
Elvin and Joyce King were instrumental in the development and growth of both cross country and track & field within the NCCAA. Elvin served as meet director and National Sport Chair in each sport for many years, while Joyce was the point person administratively for the championship meets. Elvin's teams won nine NCCAA Cross Country National Championships and he was named NCCAA Coach of the Year eight times. Elvin and Joyce served alongside each other for over 40 years at Cedarville and worked tirelessly to make an impact for Christ. The NCCAA is proud to present this award in recognition of Elvin and Joyce King's legacy of service.