July 13, 2001

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland announced the hiring of former professional distance runner and Florida State track and field assistant Trent Sanderson as its cross country coach. Sanderson brings a wealth of enthusiasm and knowledge to longtime head track and field coach Bill Goodman's staff. The position became available when 12-year distance mentor Dan Rincon announced his retirement at the end of the 2001 spring season.

"We did a thorough job in searching for this position, keeping the University of Maryland's distance needs in mind," commented Goodman. "Trent is energetic, smart and well connected, and he has been in the ACC and knows what it takes to run at this very high level."

Sanderson brings more than a decade of distance running and six years of coaching experience to the Terrapins' cross country program. During his time at the high school level he has developed one national record-holder, two national champions, four national titles, five regional records, nine prep All-Americans and numerous student-athletes that have gone on to the junior national cross country team.

In his most recent stint at Florida State during the 2000-01 academic year, Sanderson worked to take the Seminole middle distance program to new heights, including one student-athlete who finished third at the the 2001 national indoor meet and went on to set a national record for the 400 meters in Zimbabwe.

As a student-athlete, Sanderson participated on the cross country and track teams at the University of New Orleans while earning a bachelor's degree in exercise physiology in 1995. In 1994 he posted the second-fastest 10,000-meter time in the state of Louisiana and merited All-Sun Belt honors. He stayed on for a season as the Privateers' graduate assistant coach before a move to Colorado to run professionally and begin his high school coaching career.

From 1997 to 2000, Sanderson served as the head cross country coach at Colorado Rocky Mountain High School and middle and long distance coach at Glenwood Springs High, which became the state regional champion. Sanderson also trained future and current Olympians during stays at the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. During that time he conceived Team Elite USA, a national non-profit program dedicated to the mentoring and development of amateur athletes.

"I think that with our U.S. News and World Report rating as one of the top 25 public universities in the nation and our Sports Illustrated for Women's top 10 rating for female athletes in each of the last three years, and given the success I have achieved, Maryland cross country can be a competitor in no time," stated Sanderson. "I look forward to working with all areas of the track team and will continue the effort to put Maryland's program on the national map."

Transaction:
MARYLAND - Named Trent Sanderson cross country coach.