SISSOM RETIRES ; CAPE ELEVATED TO HEAD TRACK & FIELD COACH

ST. LOUIS – A change in guard has arrived for Missouri Baptist University Track & Field. Following his ninth season as a head coach at MoBap, Mark Sissom announced his retirement from the position effective July 1. In addition, MBU Associate VP & Director of Athletics Dr. Thomas Smith announced that Sissom is passing the baton on to Brennan Cape, who has been elevated to head coach of the men’s & women’s track & field teams in addition to his current role as Head Cross Country Coach.

Mark Sissom

Track & Field has been a staple in Mark Sissom’s life for more than 50 years, dating back to the fourth grade. At MBU, Sissom has coached more than 20 NAIA All-Americans, 12 NAIA individual national champions, and numerous Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes. His coaching resume before MoBap included stints as Head Boys Track & Field Coach at Lafayette High School (1993-2003), Head Boys Track & Field Coach at Crestview Junior High (1983-93), Head Throws Coach at Jefferson City High School (1980-81), and Graduate Assistant – Throws at Northeast Missouri State University.

As an athlete, Sissom was a shot put, discus, and javelin thrower at Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State University). Simultaneously, Sissom held both the discus and javelin school records and was an NCAA Division II All-American in the discus (1977). His javelin record still stands, which he has held the top spot for 40+ years now.

This past year was notable for Sissom, who served as the tournament director for the 2021 American Midwest Conference (AMC) Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Held at MBU’s new, state-of-the-art facility, it marked the first time in program and AMC history that a member institution hosted the conference meet on its campus. The latest expansion at Spartan Field included an eight-lane, IAAF-certified track and areas for two long jump/triple jump pits, two pole vault pits, a high jump pad, and steeplechase hurdles and water pit.

Brennan Cape

Named the Spartans’ head coach for men’s and women’s cross country in August 2019, Brennan Cape has made an immediate impact. In two seasons under Cape’s guidance, three MBU student-athletes have qualified individually for the NAIA Cross Country National Championships, including Emily Bayer and Alyssa Jakcsy on the women’s side and Trey Peugeot on the men’s side. Headlining the group is Bayer, with three consecutive trips to Nationals and an individual title at the 2020 AMC Cross Country Championships. In addition, the rising senior became the first MBU runner to win gold in 11 years and earned AMC Runner of the Year and First Team All-AMC honors. 

Cape has also played an integral role within the track & field program as an assistant coach over the distance group.

Prior to Missouri Baptist, Cape volunteered at Jefferson City (Mo.) High School, where he helped lead the Jays to a Class 4 District title and a seventh-place finish at the 2018 MSHSAA State Cross Country Championships. As a student-athlete, Cape competed for AMC rival Columbia College on the cross country and track & field teams from 2014-17. The Steelville, Mo. native was an NAIA national qualifier in cross country, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field before graduating summa cum laude in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in History. While in Mid-Missouri, Cape attended Karis Church and served as both an intern and college ministry leader.