Warhurst Named Honorary Referee at Penn Relays
4/23/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- University of Michigan men's track and field associate head coach Ron Warhurst has been named Honorary Men's College Referee at the 115th Penn Relays, which are being held Thursday through Saturday (April 23-25) at Franklin Field on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pa. Warhurst is being honored for his long and successful career in collegiate track and field.
"It is quite an honor," said Warhurst. "I have seen a lot of my older peers earn this honor over the years. In my mind, I forget how old I am and that I have been doing this for 35 years. When people put the honorary referee name on you it is as thanks; it is definitely another honor that has been bestowed on guys in the business a long time and I guess they consider 35 years a long time."
Warhurst has served as assistant and head men's track and cross country coach for the Maize and Blue. In 1974, his first year as head cross country coach, his team won Michigan's first Big Ten championship in the sport in 20 years. They went on to win six more. When the men's track and field team won the Outdoor Big Ten title in 2008, it was Michigan's first such title in 25 years. He has tutored countless great runners, including Olympic bronze medalists Nick Willis (2003-05) and Brian Diemer (1980-83).
Warhurst, a native of Nutley, N.J., was a star runner in his own right in high school in New Jersey and at Western Michigan University before serving in the Marine Corps in the late 1960s. He was president of the NCAA Coaches Association from 1989 to 1991.
The Wolverines will be on hand when Warhurst in honored as they will be amongst the teams competing in the Penn Relays this weekend (April 23-25).
Contact: Joe Arancio (734) 763-4423
