Former Mustang Star Brings Years of Sports Administration, Discipleship Experience

The Master's University has named Chris Beck as the school's next athletic director. 

Beck is a member of TMU's Athletics Hall of Honor and an experienced sports administrator who has demonstrated faithfulness to Christ and Scripture in the decades since starring as a Mustang pitcher. 

A seventh-round draft pick of the Seattle Mariners in 1994, Beck played four minor league seasons, rising as high as Double-A. He served for the next 23 years with Athletes in Action — a ministry that, among other things, fields competitive athletic teams aimed at sharing the gospel and helping team members grow in their walks with Christ. Most recently, Beck served as the executive director of sports teams, overseeing AIA's 14 sports. 

For the past six years, Beck has served as an elder at Faith Bible Church in Cincinnati, Ohio.  

At TMU, Beck takes the reins of an athletic department that features 17 intercollegiate teams, regularly producing All-Americans, competing for Golden State Athletic Conference titles and making NAIA national tournament appearances. 

More importantly, the department aims to model "The Master's Way," calling its coaches and athletes to prepare and perform as an act of WORSHIP.

That appealed to Beck, who has served in various leadership roles with Athletes in Action since 1999, including as baseball director and as general manager of AIA's team in the Alaska Baseball League. This has given Beck experience in coaching, recruiting, fundraising and, notably, discipleship. At TMU, he plans to come alongside coaches to help in the work of equipping each student-athlete for a life of faithfulness to Christ. 

Said Beck, "Hopefully every athlete that walks out of Master's has grown in their love for Christ, is better able to share their faith and better understands how it practically works out in their life."

This is important, Beck said, because one's approach to athletics translates to other areas of life. 

"If they can figure it out as athletes, they will figure it out as laypeople, serving Christ no matter where they are," he said. "Your athletic career is going to end. But if you can figure out how to serve Christ, then when you become a lawyer, doctor, teacher, whatever, you can worship and glorify God through that because you already know how to do it."

One major focus for Beck will be serving TMU's coaches. 

"That's my whole goal: How can I serve them and help them do what they do," he said. 

Todd Kostjuk, TMU's vice president of administration and chief financial officer, was impressed with Beck's background on several levels. 

"He comes with a wealth of experience in coaching, has broad experience with leadership at a high level, is passionate about discipling athletes and sharing the gospel, and serves as an elder in his church," Kostjuk said. "We're thankful that the Lord sent Chris to lead our athletic programs into the future."

Beck has been married to his wife, Danielle (Vosmeier, TMC '93), for 28 years. They have three sons: Ryan, Jackson and Ty. 

Jackson recently graduated from TMU, where he was a member of the baseball team. Ty will be joining the baseball team in fall 2022. 

Chris came to what was then The Master's College in 1990 from Brethren High School in Long Beach, California. Over the next four years, he compiled one of the most impressive pitching resumes in program history. He ranks second at TMU in innings pitched (349.1) and strikeouts (340); he's third in wins (28) and complete games (20).

In 2007, TMU inducted Beck into the Athletics Hall of Honor for his work on the mound and for his demonstrated commitment to Christ and Scripture. 

Beck will assume his role as athletic director when he arrives on campus in August. 

To learn more about The Master's Way, watch TMU's athletics promo video at gomustangs.com/themastersway.