Bethany Athletics
Sara Kilgore, Sports Information Director
LINDSBORG – The Bethany College Athletics Department announces Lorenzo Araujo ’10 as the new head of the Swedes cheer and dance programs.
“At Bethany, we hope to produce successful alumni who love God and love people. Coach Araujo will help us to do just that,” Bethany College President, William Jones said. “With his prior collegiate coaching experience, I am confident in Coach Araujo’s ability to lead our cheer and dance programs to the top of the conference.”
Araujo comes to Bethany with 11 years of experience in the cheer and dance arena. Most recently, Araujo has been the Owner and Director of Programs at the Fierce Athletics and Training Facility in Salina since 2014. Fierce Athletics and Training is the first of its kind in Salina as well as being the longest running All-Star Gym in the city. There, Araujo creates, promotes, and carries out different programs for customers to enjoy and be a part of. In the first year, the gym had 45 athletes currently; the program has had 80 athletes in the last 12 months.
In addition to this, Araujo has experience at the collegiate level as the Head Cheer and Dance Coach from 2014-2016 at Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina. At KWU, Araujo was tasked with recruiting, retaining student athletes for the cheer and dance programs as well as helping them to graduate. During this time, Araujo led his team to two conference championships, along with being one of two teams from the KCAC invited to the NAIA Cheer and Dance National Invitational Championship.
From 2013-2014, Araujo was the assistant coach at Central Christian College in McPherson where he developed a training regimen that allowed for 12 student-athletes to get stronger and achieve collegiate level skills of varying degrees.
“We are very excited to welcome Lorenzo Araujo back to Bethany, this time as our Head Cheer and Dance Coach. As an alum, Lorenzo has a tremendous understanding of Bethany and the Lindsborg community,” Bethany Interim Director of Athletics, Laura Moreno said. “Lorenzo brings quality coaching experience and has built many connections throughout his years in the cheer and dance industry that will be an immediate benefit for Bethany College Cheer and Dance.”
Araujo earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business management from Bethany College in 2010.
“Once a Swede always a Swede. I am so thankful to be back home helping athletes fall in love with the sport that changed my life!” Araujo said.