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 CHARLOTTE, N.C. (September 19, 2007) —Queens University of Charlotte has hired Scott Simmons as head coach of its Royals men’s and women’s cross-country & track teams, two of 16 NCAA Division II teams on the University’s campus that compete in the Conference Carolinas league.
Simmons’ arrival is already having a positive impact on Royals athletics. Previously unranked, the men’s cross country team this week moved into the top five (#4) among NCAA Division II teams in the southeast region and Senior Daniel Kanyaruhuru, was named cross country runner of the week for week three by Conference Carolinas.
“Our track and cross-country programs are already successful and adding a national-caliber coach like Scott creates even more enthusiasm about where these programs can go,” said Jeannie King, director of athletics for Queens.
Simmons hails from Bristol, Va., where he previously served as head coach of the men’s cross-country team at Virginia Intermont College. There, he led the team to three consecutive National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national cross-country championships (2004-2006), continuing his success as head coach after achieving the same results in 2002 and 2003 with the Minot State University men’s cross country team in Minot, N.D.
Simmons received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Alabama and a master’s of sport coaching from the United States Sports Academy. He has earned the U.S.A. Track & Field Coaching Education Certification (Levels I, II and III), attended the 2006 U.S.A. Track & Field Marathon Summit and the 2005 United States Olympic Committee Junior Elite Coach Clinic.
His list of achievements during his 17-year coaching career is impressive; Simmons is a two-time National Team Leader, has been honored with six NAIA National Coach of the Year Awards and coached a collegiate athlete to break the American 25k record.
In addition to serving as a coach, he is an experienced speaker, serving as a guest lecturer on the sport of cross-country at seminars throughout the United States, including Georgia, New Mexico, Iowa and Nevada. Simmons has penned a handful of books on the sport as well, including “Take the Lead: A Revolutionary Approach to Coaching Cross Country” and USA Track & Field’s “Post Collegiate Distance Runners’ Survival Guide.”
“Jeff is a great addition to our staff and will be instrumental in moving our cross country and track programs toward the national level,” said Simmons. “He is intelligent and professional and has experienced success himself as an NCAA All-American and on the U.S. national level."
Gaudette, a native of Biddeford, Maine, joins the Queens family from Brown University where he graduated in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in ancient studies. While pursuing his degree at Brown, Gaudette ran both cross country and track and field for the Bears. In 2003 Gaudette captured the 10,000m Ivy League title and also led Brown to the first heptagonal championship in more than 63 years. In addition, Gaudette was five-time all-Ivy League in track and cross country, a two-time All-American in cross country and still holds the 5,000m school record.
Gaudette has garnered much success as a professional runner since leaving Brown. In 2005 he finished 12th in the U.S. 10k Road Championships. During 2006 Gaudette ran internationally at the Lotto Cup in Hanuit, Belgium for a 32nd place finish. Back in the United States Gaudette was the third American to finish in the Utica Boilermaker 15k, for 16th place. More recently, he was the second finished American runner in the Crim 10-miler and a two-time USA Track and Field National Champion 10,000m qualifier.
Besides running professionally, Gaudette owns and operates Peak Performance Massage Therapy, Inc. At Peak, Gaudette works with elite athletes from many different sports on all levels, high school to professional, in areas of rehabilitation and injury treatment plans.
"I am excited about the opportunity to help take our cross country and track teams, as well as the Queens athletic program, to a whole new level,” said Gaudette. “I believe this program has the ability to become a national powerhouse and I am thrilled to be a part of the building process. I look forward to working with amazing students and seeing incredible results."
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Queens University of Charlotte’s Cross Country and Track and Field Head Coach Scott Simmons is pleased to announce the addition of Jeffrey Gaudette to his staff as an assistant coach.