Coaching Staff
Beth
AlfordSullivan 13th Year
Minnesota,’89
DIRECTOR AND HEAD COACH After 12 years and 103 NCAA All-Americans on the women’s side, as well as five years and 22 All-America honorees with the men’s squad, Beth Alford-Sullivan enters her 13th year at the helm of the Nittany Lion women’s program and her sixth campaign as the Director and Head Coach of Track and Field/Cross Country, overseeing both the men’s and women’s programs. Sullivan’s decorated resume is undoubtedly one of the most impressive in the country, as it includes two NCAA “Trophy” Team finishes, six Big Ten team titles, one Big Ten “Triple Crown,” as well as three individual NCAA Champions, and one NCAA Champion relay. Since taking the reigns of both the men’s and women’s programs in 2006, Sullivan has remained steadfast to the vision of having two programs in the top tier of the conference and the NCAA, with both the men’s and women’s squads making outstanding statements during the 2010-11 campaign, highlighted by the Nittany Lions’ haul of 16 NCAA All-America finishes on the year. Sullivan continued to coach the Nittany Lions to countless milestones in 2010-11, beginning with dual bids from the men’s and women’s cross country teams to the 2010 NCAA Championships. The occasion marked the first time since 1994 that both Nittany Lion squads had qualified for the event in the same year. The 2010 campaign was also indicative of the national prowess of the program, as the women’s team made it second-consecutive NCAA appearance, while the men’s squad qualified for the national meet for the second time in three years. On the track, Sullivan led the Nittany Lion men to an 11th-place standing – the highest placing by a Penn State team in over two decades - at the NCAA Indoor Championships, via All-America efforts from freshman Brady Gehret in the 400-meters, and Ryan Foster in the mile run, as well as the men’s 4x400-meter relay. Program Success Under Sullivan … Under Sullivan, the Nittany Lion women’s team has become a national mainstay, scoring at the national meet in last 11 NCAA Outdoor Championships, and 10 of the last 11 NCAA Indoor Championships. The women’s squad has also recorded top four “trophy team” finishes in two of the last four years, placing fourth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2008 and 2010. Since taking over the women’s program in the fall of 1999, Sullivan has guided the Nittany Lions to a grand total of 13 top 25 finishes at the NCAA level, including top 10 efforts from the women’s team in 2003, 2008, 2009, and 2010. The Nittany Lions success under Sullivan does not end on the track, however, as the Nittany Lion women’s track and field and cross country teams have earned United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches’ Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic honors in each of her 12 seasons at the helm of the program. Most recently, both the Nittany Lion men’s and women’s squads earned the academic standing, via grade point averages of 3.0 or better for the 2011 spring semester. In fact, the 2009-10 version of the women’s squad was named USTFCCCA “Scholar Team of the Year” for the outdoor season, which is awarded to the team with the highest NCAA finish with a 3.0 GPA. The Nittany Lions also been consistently recognized as one of the most successful programs in the NCAA, with the men’s team earning 11th place in the most recent “John McDonnell Program of the Year” standings. The award honors the institution that has achieved the most success in each academic year (spanning the cross country, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field seasons) based on the institution's finish at the NCAA Division I Championships. Sullivan’s women’s squad has also been
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PENN STATE 2010-11
heavily recognized nationally, placing 17th in the “Terry Crawford Program of the Year” rankings for the 2010-11 seasons. In 2010, the Nittany Lion women placed third in the Program of the Year standings, following only perennial stalwarts Oregon and Florida. The men have also been consistently mentioned in the rankings, as Sullivan’s men’s squad was recognized for the honor in 2009, finishing 14th. 2011 Highlights … On the conference level, Sullivan continued to coach the Nittany Lions to outstanding results, headlined by second-place finish by the women’s squad at both the Big Ten Indoor and Outdoor Championships. Under Sullivan, the Nittany Lion women have been at the top of the heap at the conference level for nearly a decade, having finishing no worse than fourth at any Big Ten track and field championship since 2003. Individually speaking in 2011, the Nittany Lions turned in a total of eight conference titles on the year, including Shavon Greaves (200-meters), Joe Kovacs (shot put), and Ryan Foster (800-meters) during the indoor season. The Nittany Lions were equally as outstanding in the relays, with the women’s team capturing its six-straight Big Ten indoor 4x400-meter title. Outside, the Nittany Lions wrapped up another five conference golds, with Casimir Loxsom (800), Blake Eaton (shot put), Kara Millhouse (10,000-meters), Megan Duncan (400-meter hurdles), and Karlee McQuillen (javelin), each taking top honors in their respective events. The Lions were also on fire at the USATF Championships, sending both Loxsom, and Samuel Borchers, who ran a lifetime-best 1:46.85 on the year - to the 800 final - the only collegiate program with two athletes among the eight finalists. On the NCAA level, Sullivan coached both 4x400-meter relay teams to All-America efforts during the indoor season – marking the first top eight finish by the men’s relay since 1975. The men’s squad also enjoyed historic efforts from Gehret and Foster, as Gehret – the top freshman in the 400 field – captured the first 400 All-America citation since 1976 with his third-place effort. Foster, on the other hand, became just to second Penn State athlete to break the 4:00-mile barrier at 3:58.49, and would go on to a third-place standing in the mile run – the first since 1988. Following up on an All-America finish indoors, the women’s 4x400 captured its fourth-straight All-America finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. In fact, Penn State is the only program to have recorded four-straight top four outdoor finishes in the women’s relay, since the squad won the NCAA title in 2008. The Nittany Lions continued to rip through the record books in 2011, resetting a total of nine school records throughout the indoor and outdoor seasons. Among the
TRACK AND FIELD/CROSS COUNTRy