Walt Drenth Position: Director of Cross Country/Track & Field Experience: Second Season

Walt Drenth was appointed director of the men's and women's cross country and track & field programs at Michigan State on June 2, 2006. He had joined the Michigan State program as head men's cross country coach and assistant men's track & field coach in 2004.

In more than 20 years of collegiate coaching, Drenth has amassed a wealth of coaching honors. Since 1985, he has led 19 teams to NCAA Championship appearances and has coached 39 All-Americans and seven Academic All-Americans in both track and cross country. Additionally, Drenth has been recognized by his conference and regional peers as Coach of the Year on 17 occasions.

Drenth made an immediate impact at Michigan State, leading the men's cross country team to its first NCAA Championship bid in three years during the 2004 season. MSU finished seventh at the Great Lakes Regional in 2004 and 2005, and took fourth place at the 2006 meet en route to an at-large bid to the NCAA Championship Meet. The Spartan women's cross country team also advanced to the NCAA Championship Meet after winning the Great Lakes Regional race. The 2007 track & field team had a great year under Drenth, as he coached four NCAA qualifiers and helped sophomore Nicole Bush to a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Championships, posting a 9:56.68, setting a new school-record in the steeplechase, breaking her previous record by nearly two seconds.

Before arriving at Michigan State, Drenth was responsible for a drastic turnaround of the cross country programs during his tenure at Arizona State (1996-2004). Prior to his arrival, ASU's women had never made a team appearance at nationals, never earned a national ranking, and never had produced an All-American. The Sun Devil women had not finished higher than sixth at the West Regional since 1986 and had only three finishes better than seventh at the Pac-10 meet.

The Sun Devil men also had never made a team appearance at nationals or earned a national ranking. ASU had previously finished higher than seventh at the Pac-10 Championships only three times and higher than seventh at the West Regional only once prior to 1996. After taking the reins, the ASU women made trips to the NCAA Championships six years in a row (1998-2003) including a school-best sixth-place finish in 2000. ASU was ranked as high as No. 3 in the nation during the 2001 season and had a streak of four straight years (1998-2001) in which a Sun Devil earned All-America honors. For his efforts, Drenth was named Pac-10 Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year in 1999 and 2000, and was also selected as the West Region Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2000.

Under Drenth's tutelage, the ASU men had five top-four finishes at the Pac-10 Championships and placed in the top five regionally four times. The Sun Devils made two trips to the NCAA Championships (1999, 2001), finishing as high as 14th in 1999. Drenth also coached Fasil Bizuneh to All-America honors twice (1999, 2001), and ASU was ranked as high as ninth nationally during the 1999 season.

Prior to his arrival, ASU had two All-Americans total between the men's (2) and women's (0) programs. In just eight seasons under Drenth, ASU runners earned All-America honors eight times. Drenth also coached the first female Sun Devil cross country runner to be named Pac-10 Athlete of the Year and NCAA West Region Athlete of the Year, and helped both one male and one female runner earn the program's first Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year awards. Before 1996, six Sun Devils earned all-conference honors; during Drenth's eight seasons, 15 student-athletes earned 20 selections to the first or second team and 32 times a Sun Devil earned All-Region honors.

Drenth also made an impact on the track at ASU. In his tenure, the Sun Devils had eight NCAA top-20 finishes and his athletes received All-America honors 16 times. The ASU men's teams finished fourth or higher at the Pac-10 Championships each of his past five years, while the women placed fifth or better each of the last five seasons.

In the classroom, three Sun Devils were named Academic All-American in cross country and three more in track and field, while his cross country teams were named Team Academic All-American with Distinction (team grade-point average of 3.25 or above) four times.

Before going to Arizona State, Drenth led the William & Mary men to five Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) cross country titles and two track and field crowns in six years (1990-95). He was named CAA Cross Country Coach of the Year on five occasions, including each of his last four seasons in Williamsburg. He also was tabbed as District II Coach of the Year in 1990 and 1995. William & Mary was the District II champion in cross country in 1990.

Drenth's runners competed at three NCAA Championship meets: 1990 (15th), 1994 (18th) and 1995 (17th). On the track, Drenth led William & Mary to two CAA titles (1992, 1993). He tutored two All-American cross country runners and eight All-America distance runners in his six seasons in Williamsburg.

Prior to his stint at William & Mary, Drenth was the head cross country coach and assistant track coach at his alma mater, Central Michigan University, from 1985-90. He was named District IV Coach of the Year in 1989 after leading CMU to the District IV title. He led the Chippewas to two Mid-American Conference titles (1988, 1989), and was named MAC Cross Country Coach of the Year both years.

Drenth also led CMU to three successive Central Collegiate Conference titles from 1987-89, and was selected Central Collegiate Cross Country Coach of the Year all three years. He coached two cross country All-Americans and three All-Americans on the track.

Drenth earned his bachelor's degree in psychology and political science from CMU in 1981 and his master's in physical education from CMU in 1990. Drenth and his wife, Cara, have two children, Emma and Gerrit.