Sports Information Department – 112 Dods Hall
Phone (716) 673-3100 / Fax (716) 673-3136

CONTACT: Jerry Reilly,
Sports Information Director

DATE: Tues., Aug. 2, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Women's Track & Field

Swanson takes over as head coach

FREDONIA, N.Y. -- Fredonia State Director of Athletics Greg Prechtl has announced the promotion of Nolan Swanson to head women’s track and field coach, effective immediately.

A two-time All American at Wake Forest, Swanson joined the Fredonia State coaching staff in August 2004 as head coach of men’s and women’s cross country, and assistant coach for men’s and women’s track.

His 2005 women’s cross country team finished second in the SUNYAC Championship meet, and fifth in the NCAA Atlantic Regional meet. Those are the best showings in the history of the Fredonia State women’s program.

“We are delighted,” Prechtl said, “to have someone of Nolan’s caliber directing our women’s track program. Not only has he competed at the highest level internationally, he has also proven, through his work with our cross country team, he can instruct, motivate, and improve the performance of college athletes.

“We are pleased to count such an exceptional individual among our full-time coaches and expect to see the program move forward under his leadership.”

Swanson ran cross country and track at Wake Forest, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in business. He won seven Atlantic Coast Conference individual titles and was named 1999 ACC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year after winning the 10,000-meter title with a conference-record time of 28:31.

At the NCAA Championship meet that spring, Swanson finished fourth in the 10,000-meter run to earn his second All-American honor. His first came in cross country in 1998. Earlier that year, Swanson received the Arnold Palmer Award as Wake Forest’s top male athlete in 1997-98.

Swanson has competed as a professional runner. In February 2004, he finished sixth at the United States cross country championship meet and earned the right to represent the U.S. at the world cross country championship meet held in Belgium.

A native of Chautauqua County, he won the New York State Class C-D high school cross country title as a senior at Sherman Central School. He also won the 5,000 meters and the steeplechase at the 1994 Empire State Games and the 1994 national high school steeplechase while running for the Chautauqua Striders.

Swanson succeeds Penny Hite, who resigned to become a full-time instructor in the Fredonia State Department of Health, Wellness and Recreation.

Paul Csont will remain as head coach of the Fredonia State men’s track and field program.

Athletics Home | Fredonia Home