Troy University Athletics
Troy Tabs Brian Cunningham as Cross Country Head Coach
8/27/2021 3:57:00 PM | Cross Country
TROY, Ala. – Veteran coach Brian Cunningham has been named Troy's new cross country head coach, Director of Track & Field Marc Davis announced Friday. Cunningham joins the Troy staff following two seasons in a similar role at Bridgewater College.
"Brian will be a great addition to our coaching staff," Davis said. "He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table and is very enthusiastic about the direction of the program. Brian is the right fit to continue to guide us on the successful path in which we are heading."
Following his first year at Bridgewater, he was named the USTFCCCA South/Southeast Region Assistant Coach of the Year. His runners, Calista Ariel and English Jackson took the top two places in the 3000 and 5000 at the ODAC Championships and set school records in the process. Both athletes also qualified for the NCAA Division III Cross Country and Indoor Track & Field National Championship.
Before joining the Bridgewater staff, Cunningham spent three years as the head coach of the cross country and track & field programs at Marymount University. Under his watch, the Saints had a program-best four All-Conference qualifiers in cross country. The women also earned USTFCCCA D-III All-Academic team status three times.
As an assistant coach at Wellesley College in 2014-15, he worked with cross country, middle and long distance and throws. Wellesley qualified for the NCAA XC championships for the first time in 26 years and had three of the top-25 5,000m runners in Division III that spring on the track.
Cunningham was the head cross country coach at Simmons College the previous year, coaching his team to a third place finish at the Great Northeast Athletic Conference championships.
Cunningham ran four years of cross country and track & field at William and Mary, graduating with a degree in kinesiology, after which he ran professionally for Adidas and Fila. As a runner for the Tribe, he was named all-conference in the 800 meters while earning IC4A qualifying status in the 4x800 relay during his four-year career.
Cunningham returned to his alma mater as an assistant coach from 2003-05, where he specifically worked with middle-distance runners. From 2003-05, the Tribe qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships twice during his time at William & Mary. Cunningham also assisted with five male and female competitors who were chosen to compete for various Team USA squads.
Following his stint at William & Mary, Cunningham was a member of the Texas-Pan American staff, where the men's and women's cross country teams improved across the board. His squads included an individual fifth place finish at the NCAA D-I XC Championships (and fastest American collegian at 10,000m in the spring).
Cunningham is a USATF Level 1 Certified coach.
"Brian will be a great addition to our coaching staff," Davis said. "He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table and is very enthusiastic about the direction of the program. Brian is the right fit to continue to guide us on the successful path in which we are heading."
Following his first year at Bridgewater, he was named the USTFCCCA South/Southeast Region Assistant Coach of the Year. His runners, Calista Ariel and English Jackson took the top two places in the 3000 and 5000 at the ODAC Championships and set school records in the process. Both athletes also qualified for the NCAA Division III Cross Country and Indoor Track & Field National Championship.
Before joining the Bridgewater staff, Cunningham spent three years as the head coach of the cross country and track & field programs at Marymount University. Under his watch, the Saints had a program-best four All-Conference qualifiers in cross country. The women also earned USTFCCCA D-III All-Academic team status three times.
As an assistant coach at Wellesley College in 2014-15, he worked with cross country, middle and long distance and throws. Wellesley qualified for the NCAA XC championships for the first time in 26 years and had three of the top-25 5,000m runners in Division III that spring on the track.
Cunningham was the head cross country coach at Simmons College the previous year, coaching his team to a third place finish at the Great Northeast Athletic Conference championships.
Cunningham ran four years of cross country and track & field at William and Mary, graduating with a degree in kinesiology, after which he ran professionally for Adidas and Fila. As a runner for the Tribe, he was named all-conference in the 800 meters while earning IC4A qualifying status in the 4x800 relay during his four-year career.
Cunningham returned to his alma mater as an assistant coach from 2003-05, where he specifically worked with middle-distance runners. From 2003-05, the Tribe qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships twice during his time at William & Mary. Cunningham also assisted with five male and female competitors who were chosen to compete for various Team USA squads.
Following his stint at William & Mary, Cunningham was a member of the Texas-Pan American staff, where the men's and women's cross country teams improved across the board. His squads included an individual fifth place finish at the NCAA D-I XC Championships (and fastest American collegian at 10,000m in the spring).
Cunningham is a USATF Level 1 Certified coach.
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