Tennessee Volunteers men's cross country

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Tennessee Volunteers cross country
Tennessee Volunteers logo.svg
Founded1924
University University of Tennessee
Athletic director Danny White
Head coachSean Carlson (1st season)
Conference SEC
Location Knoxville, TN
CourseCherokee Farm Cross Country Course
Nickname Volunteers
ColorsOrange and white [1]
   
National championships
1972
NCAA Championship appearances
1951, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2022, 2023
NCAA regional appearances
1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023
Conference champions
1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1956, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1990

The Tennessee Volunteers cross country program represents the University of Tennessee located in Knoxville, Tennessee. The men's program competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The men's cross country team officially started in 1924. [2]

Contents

Coaching staff

Entering the 2011-2012 school year, George Watts had been head coach of University of Tennessee cross country team for 26 years. Under his mentor he has developed 25 All-SEC citations, 13 All-SEC or All-South Region, three SEC All-Freshman honorees and three All-America performers. [3] [4] In July 2011 it was announced that Watts had been released and that J.J. Clark would take over the men's cross country team effectively merging all of Tennessee's track & field and cross country programs. [5] J.J. Clark was highly unsuccessful as he never guided the team above a 5th place SEC finish or a trip to the NCAA Championships.

In May 2014, it was announced by Athletic Director Dave Hart that Director of Track and Field/Cross Country JJ Clark would not be retained. Later, in June 2014, it was announced that Beth Alford-Sullivan would be the next Director of Track and Field/Cross Country at the University of Tennessee. This hire made her the first female SEC coach of any men's team. Tennessee's NCAA Championship drought and struggles in SEC play continued under Alford-Sullivan's tenure until she was fired in May 2022.

Former Notre Dame coach Sean Carlson was hired to lead the men's and women's cross country teams and the distance runners. [6] In Carlson's first year as head coach, he led them to their best finish (2nd) at the SEC Championships since 1999, their first NCAA South Regional title since 2002 (where they outperformed SEC Champion Alabama by 34 points), and returned the Vols to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2005, where they finished 20th. [7] Following a second South Regional title and return to the NCAA Championships in 2023, Carlson was named the USTFCCCA South Region men's coach of the year. [8]

Team history

The Tennessee Volunteers program began competing in 1924. It was not until 1962 that the team gained its first coach, Chuck Rohe. Under his guidance the Vols reached new heights winning multiple SEC regular season and tournament championships. Under his guidance the Vols reached their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1963 where they finished 5th, he would then lead the team to four more NCAA appearances until he left the team in 1968. The team found more success with the hire of Stan Huntsman who led UT to many trips to the NCAA Tournament and won the Volunteers their first and only national title. From 1962-2009 the team has amassed a 201-38-1 record in team dual meets earning them a .840 winning percentage. [9]

Home courses

The Lambert Acres Golf Club was previously the site of home cross country meets for the Volunteers from 1998-2013. The course still serves as a 27-hole golf course, and is nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains and boasts 9,525 yards. Throughout its run, the course hosted the Tennessee Invitational 10 times, the NCAA South Regional in 2002, 2006 and 2008, and Southeastern Conference Championship in 1998. [10] In 2014, the Vols moved much closer to home with the opening of the new Cherokee Farm Cross Country Course on Alcoa highway across the Tennessee River from the main UT campus. The course served as the practice venue for the team in 2014 and 2015, before finally serving in competition for the 2016 season. The course has two loops, one that is 2k and the other is 1k. The course was designed specifically for viewers to use the small loop, where it is ensured that runners have to pass the same point at least three times in a race. [11]

Year-by-Year results

*Through November 11, 2022.
*Note: records from 1924-1961 are inaccurate
Sources [12] [13] [14]
Year-by-Year Results
YearHead CoachConference
Meet		NCAA
Regional		NCAA
Meet
Southern Conference
1924-1928 Records Incomplete
1929–T–4th––
1930–T–5th––
1931–3rd (100)––
1932–4th (125)––
Southeastern Conference
1933-1945 Records Incomplete
1946–2nd (44)––
1947–2nd (73)––
1948–4th (79)––
1949–1st (48)––
1950–1st (30)––
1951–1st (18)– 6th (195)
1952–1st (30)––
1953–5th (125)––
1954–2nd (46)––
1955–4th (79)––
1956–1st (26)––
1957 Records Incomplete
1958–3rd (94)––
1959–4th (94)––
1960-1961 Records Incomplete
1962Chuck Rohe5th (114)––
1963Chuck Rohe1st (15)––
1964Chuck Rohe–– 11th (290)
1965Chuck Rohe1st (15)1st (22) 3rd (137)
1966Chuck Rohe1st (39)2nd (50) 24th (519)
1967Chuck Rohe1st (28)2nd (50) 12th (286)
1968Chuck Rohe1st (30)1st (37) 17th (360)
1969Connie Smith1st (34)3rd (102) 18th (445)
1970Connie Smith3rd (47)2nd (68)–
1971 Stan Huntsman 1st (48)4th (93) 21st (478)
1972 Stan Huntsman 1st (35)4th (123) 1st (134)
1973 Stan Huntsman 2nd (47)3rd (98) 13th (286)
1974 Stan Huntsman 1st (44)8th (145)–
1975 Stan Huntsman 1st (38)1st (53) 16th (381)
1976 Stan Huntsman 1st (32)1st (62) 6th (280)
1977 Stan Huntsman 1st (23)2nd (75) 8th (260)
1978 Stan Huntsman 1st (24)1st (35) 6th (247)
1979 Stan Huntsman 4th (89)9th (248)–
1980 Stan Huntsman 2nd (64)5th (153) 18th (457)
1981 Stan Huntsman 1st (38)2nd (91) 19th (417)
1982 Stan Huntsman 1st (47)4th (141) 13th (302)
1983 Stan Huntsman 1st (31)4th (130) 10th (291)
1984 Stan Huntsman 1st (38)2nd (98) 3rd (144)
1985Doug Brown1st (44)2nd (109) 13th (345)
1986Doug Brown2nd (46)2nd (123) 14th (329)
1987Doug Brown2nd (63)4th (157)–
1988Doug Brown2nd (39)1st (85) 3rd (177)
1989Doug Brown1st (57)2nd (130) 17th (353)
1990Doug Brown1st (52)2nd (111) 7th (235)
1991Doug Brown2nd (88)4th (167) 21st (420)
1992Doug Brown2nd (96)10th (299)–
1993Doug Brown2nd (75)3rd (144) 18th (409)
1994Doug Brown2nd (42)T–1st (133) 12th (294)
1995George Watts2nd (58)1st (61) 12th (272)
1996George Watts3rd (92)5th (178)–
1997George Watts5th (124)4th (164)–
1998George Watts2nd (63)2nd (92) T–21st (501)
1999George Watts2nd (59)3rd (113)–
2000George Watts7th (163)5th (139)–
2001George Watts3rd (92)2nd (84) 30th (722)
2002George Watts4th (105)1st (51) 31st (647)
2003George Watts6th (141)4th (125)–
2004George Watts5th (124)6th (160)–
2005George Watts4th (93)4th (100) 28th (604)
2006George Watts4th (121)4th (108)–
2007George Watts4th (102)8th (178)–
2008George Watts5th (130)5th (156)–
2009George Watts6th (142)6th (178)–
2010George Watts4th (132)4th (150)–
2011J.J. ClarkT–5th (169)12th (341)–
2012J.J. Clark7th (217)8th (250)–
2013J.J. Clark7th (187)5th (181)–
2014Beth Alford-Sullivan7th (205)10th (262)–
2015Beth Alford-Sullivan11th (301)T–9th (296)–
2016Beth Alford-Sullivan9th (278)10th (300)–
2017Beth Alford-Sullivan5th (125)5th (165)–
2018Beth Alford-Sullivan4th (132)3rd (108)–
2019Beth Alford-Sullivan9th (221)12th (320)–
2020Beth Alford-Sullivan4th (123)N/A–
2021Beth Alford-Sullivan5th (169)7th (228)–
2022Sean CarlsonT–2nd (64)1st (39) 20th (517)
2023Sean Carlson3rd (59)1st (68) 26th (556)
Total2511 1

Note: In 2020, due to COVID-19, the cross country season was shortened, and NCAA regionals were not held, as teams advanced straight to the championships.

All-Americans

Tennessee has a total of 17 men's cross country All-Americans

  • Ron Addison, 1976
  • Jamie Barnes, 1991
  • Doug Brown, 1972, 1973
  • Tony Cosey, 1994, 1995
  • Rick Cummins, 1988
  • Pat Davey, 1978
  • Doug Ellington, 1998
  • Stewart Ellington, 1994
  • Alf Holmberg, 1951
  • David Krafsur, 1985
  • Glenn Morgan, 1989, 1990
  • Peter Okwera, 2012
  • Rickey Pittman, 1981
  • Bob Redington, 1965
  • Zach Sabatino, 2005
  • Doug Tolson, 1983, 1984
  • George Watts, 1977
  • Todd Williams, 1988, 1989, 1990

See also

References

  1. ↑ "General Information". UTSports.com. June 14, 2017. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  2. ↑ "UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Men's Cross Country". Utsports.com.
  3. ↑ "George Watts Profile - UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics". Utsports.com.
  4. ↑ "GoVolsXtra". Govolsxtra.com.
  5. ↑ "GoVolsXtra". Govolsxtra.com.
  6. ↑ "White Appoints Sean Carlson as Head Coach and Director of Cross Country/Distance". Utsports.com.
  7. ↑ "Vols Win NCAA South Region, Qualify for NCAA Championships".
  8. ↑ "Carlson Named USTFCCCA South Region Men's Coach of the Year". University of Tennessee Athletics. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
  9. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-11-12. Retrieved 2011-07-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. ↑ "University of Tennessee Athletics Women's Cross Country". Archived from the original on 2012-05-27. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  11. ↑ "Facilities". Utsports.com.
  12. ↑ "2014 Tennessee Volunteers Cross Country Record Book - Year-by-year records". Issuu.com. Retrieved 2022-07-28.
  13. ↑ "SEC Men's Cross Country Record Book" (PDF). A.espncdn.com. Retrieved 2022-07-28.
  14. ↑ "Southern Conference Cross Country Record Book" (PDF). Southernconf_ftp.sidearemsports.com. Retrieved 2022-07-28.
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