Publication Date: Friday, August 19, 2005
Successful programs gain successful coaches
Successful programs gain successful coaches
(August 19, 2005) Floreal elevated to director; Tegen hired and Barnhart volunteers
by Rick Eymer
Edrick Floreal's first act as the Director of Track and Field and Cross Country at Stanford made news nationally.
Floreal's promotion from women's track and field coach was announced on Tuesday. The hiring of Peter Tegen to coach both the men's and women's cross country teams came a day later.
Making a splash at the national level is nothing new for Floreal, the Pac-10 Coach of the Year after the Cardinal track and field team earned their first conference title, won the NCAA West Regional, and finished fifth at the NCAA meet.
Luring Tegen to Stanford is among his biggest accomplishments.
"Peter Tegen is one of the most sought after middle distance and distance coaches in the country," Floreal said. "His ability to develop great runners is known throughout the world."
Tegen spent the past 30 years coaching at Wisconsin, where he produced more Big 10 champions, national champions and All-Americans than any other coach in the conference. He's helped 43 national champions in track and cross country, and his athletes have earned more than 250 All-American honors.
"Peter will be a huge plus to the Cardinal program," Floreal said. "He relates to his athletes and his athletes love him. He's a great coach and person."
Stanford has produced six national titles in cross country since 1996, four with the men and two with the women.
Floreal, who begins his eighth year with the Stanford track and field program including two years as the women's head coach, has never coached long distances, but he's developed winners at every level of track and field.
Winning a Pac-10 title and finishing fifth nationally was a good start but it doesn't satisfy Floreal, who hopes to be able to compete for a national title consistently.
"There's a lot of work to be done," he said. "The No. 1 priority is to put a staff together that will be able to work together as a unit and develop the athletes."
In recent years, Floreal has helped Grace Upshaw (long jump), Jackie Edwards (long jump) and Toby Stevenson (pole vault) win spots on the U.S. Olympic team.
Last season he coached Erica McLain to school records in the triple jump. McLain finished third at the NCAA national meet. She was the youngest member of the U.S. national women's team at the World Championships in Helinski, Finland earlier this month.
"I want to bring back the philosophies of the great track and field coaches at Stanford where the student-athletes are the center of the team and feel very comfortable," Floreal said. "I believe in the Payton Jordan philosophy of the coach-athlete relationship, and having a family atmosphere among the team."
Tegen came to Wisconsin in 1973 after coaching gymnastics and track in Germany, Africa and Latin America. He served as head coach of the Peruvian National Team in 1971 and 1972.
Tegen coach the United States women's cross country to a sixth-place finish at the 1997 World Championships, the best finish since 1985.
Women's soccer
Stanford grad Nicole Barnhart, and All-American goalie last year and member of the U.S. national team, will serve as a volunteer assistant coach for the Cardinal this year.
"I am excited for the opportunity to still be involved with the women's program," she said. "My career was definitely memorable and now I am looking forward to experiencing the coaching side and working with the team."
Barnhart is Stanford's all-time leader in goals-against average with a 0.451 record over 71 games. She recorded 39 shutouts and totaled 210 saves.
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