Four Straight: McGuire Wins Big Ten Coach of the Year
11/2/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan women's cross country head coach Mike McGuire was named Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year, earning his fourth straight conference award and his seventh overall, while sophomore Alyson Kohlmeier (Sarnia, Ontario/St. Patrick's) is U-M's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient, as announced by the league office Wednesday (Nov. 2).
McGuire was voted coach of the year by the conference's head coaches after leading Michigan to its fourth straight Big Ten championship and the seventh title in program history. He earned Big Ten Coach of the Year accolades three straight seasons from 1992-94 and four straight seasons from 2002-05, while also receiving NCAA Regional Cross Country Coach of the Year honors four years (1992-94 and 2004). McGuire has coached 57 cross country and track and field All-Americans and five Big Ten cross country individual champions.
Kohlmeier earned the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for her ethical behavior and good sportsmanship during competition. She placed second overall at the Big Ten Championships, helping Michigan capture its fourth straight conference title. Kohlmeier earned All-Big Ten first team honors for the second straight season after taking seventh place the Big Ten Championships in 2004. She is now eligible for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award, which is awarded to one male and one female student-athlete from each institution at the end of the school year.
At the 2005 Big Ten Championships the Maize and Blue placed all five scorers in the top 14. Michigan has finished in the top two at the Big Ten Championships in 13 of McGuire's 14 seasons at the helm, while 11 of his squads have earned top-15 national finishes and seven have finished in the top 10. The 1994 Wolverines finished the season second in the nation, while McGuire led the 2003 team to a fourth-place finish.
Michigan competes in the NCAA Great Lakes Regional on Saturday, Nov. 12, at IU Cross Country Course in Bloomington, Ind. The women's 6,000-meter race is slated for a 12:15 p.m. start.
Contact: Joseph Conrad (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
