For Karl Soderstrom BS ’93, MA ’95, North Park University’s (NPU) recently retired women’s tennis coach, the beauty of NCAA Division III athletics lies in its lived purpose.

“Our programs have preserved the purpose of college athletics: to be part of the holistic formation of young adults who compete, study, and grow together,” said Soderstrom, who is also a professor of philosophy.

And in these formative experiences, teams might earn some hardware along the way. Under Soderstrom’s leadership, the women’s tennis team shared the 2024 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) title, a first in program history.

It’s just one of several recent firsts at North Park. Last April, the dance team won its inaugural NCAA Division III Team Performance category title at the College Classic National Championship. Head Coach Kim Maljak credited the team’s incredible work ethic for the win.

Our programs have preserved the purpose of college athletics: to be part of the holistic formation of young adults who compete, study, and grow together.

—Karl Soderstrom

Their championship followed closely on the heels of another winning team—women’s volleyball won back-to-back CCIW Tournament Championships in 2022 and 2023, with the 2022 title being the program’s first. Head Coach Michael Sopocy said that his student-athletes share the same values and mindset.

“If you are on the court, you are competing to keep your spot,” Sopocy said. “If you’re off it, you compete to get out there and make your teammates better.”

He also said the entire NPU community contributes to his team’s success. “North Park is a family. When we’re on the court, it feels like the whole campus is out there to help us compete. We are all there for each other.”

North Park has a rich history of winning together. In 2017, the men’s soccer team went on a historic run, reaching the Division III championship, where they lost to powerhouse Messiah University in a 1–2 nailbiter. The Vikings were fresh off a dramatic shoot-out victory in their semifinal matchup against the University of Chicago.

Despite the loss, then-coach John Born, current assistant vice president for athletics and sport management, credited their success to the diversity of the team and their desire to come together for something greater than themselves. At a particular pre-game banquet, Born said that his student-athletes, dressed in matching blue-and-yellow ties, stood out from the other schools.

“When I looked at our group, smiling and matching, I saw a team.”

One cannot discuss NPU’s athletic prowess without including its men’s basketball dynasty of the late 1970s and mid-1980s. During this epic period, the team secured Division III titles from 1978–80, then again in 1985 and 1987. This earned Dan McCarrell NPC ’61, North Park’s beloved coach during the 1978–80 run, a place in the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame in October.

“Whenever we talk about the history and tradition of this program, Coach McCarrell and his teams are our gold standard,” said current Head Men’s Basketball Coach Edwind McGhee.

McCarrell’s legacy has lived on, with today’s coaches stating their commitment to creating well-rounded student-athletes who lead successful post-graduate lives.

“Our program’s number one goal is for our athletes to earn a North Park degree,” said Head Football Coach Kyle Rooker. “We stress the importance of going to class, developing relationships with professors, and doing the daily work. At the end of the day, academics will take these young men farther than football. Not coincidentally, most of our best players are some of our best students.”

As for women’s tennis, Soderstrom is leaving the team in the capable hands of his former assistant coach Alice Copland MOL ’21, who plans to continue his—and North Park’s—legacy of excellence, both on the court and in the classroom.