Off and running

While many Fredonians were at home this summer de-stressing after a grueling school year, there was no rest for Athletics Director Greg Prechtl. Instead, he spent the first weeks of summer looking for the new coach of the Fredonia State Cross Country and Track and Field programs. Out of the vast pool of applicants, Prechtl and the selection committee agreed to appoint former Geneseo High School head coach Mike Garger to the post.

Garger will be coaching both the men's and women's track and field and cross country squads, replacing former track and field head coach Elizabeth Aldrich and cross country coach Jeff Beck. Aldrich and Beck served as interim coaches for the past two years.

"I was pleased that our search produced such a talented pool of qualified applicants and that Mike Garger emerged as the top choice of the selection committee," Prechtl said in an interview with the Fredonia State Athletics page on May 31. "We are pleased to have Mike join our staff… I would like to thank Liz Aldrich and Jeff Beck for their work as interim coaches… their work in moving their programs forward on an interim basis is extremely appreciated."

Garger comes to Fredonia as a highly decorated high school coach. Since assuming the job as the cross country head coach at Geneseo High School in 1996, followed by his appointment to head coach of the track & field teams in 1998, Garger has seen nothing but success. He built a dynasty that garnered plenty of regional and statewide recognition.

His girl's track and field squad had won 13 consecutive Section V titles, with their most recent title being the Class C championships this past May. The boy's track and field team claimed the Class C crown last season as well, adding to their sectional crowns from 1999, 2001 and 2005. To top off this success, both of Garger's track & field teams were undefeated this decade in league play.

The Geneseo High School cross country teams have seen similar success. Last season they compiled a record of 42-0 and both claimed Section V titles. Over the past 13 seasons, Garger's teams have established a tremendous record of 381-95. But it was 2007 that may have been the greatest moment of triumph for Garger and his girl's cross country team. That season they brought home the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class D championship, the first state team title in Geneseo High School history.

While Garger loved coaching at Geneseo High School, he had always wanted to coach on the collegiate level. When he saw the Fredonia State job opening posted on the NCAA website, he jumped at the opportunity to take it.

"I told the search committee that coaching at the college level has always been a dream of mine," Garger said. "So I left a job that I loved to pursue a dream."

Before Garger became the successful coach that he is today, he was also a renowned distance runner for SUNY Geneseo. During his time running for the Blue Knights, he broke the SUNY Geneseo indoor track 5,000-meter record and is a member of the SUNYAC Cross Country Hall of Fame.

Joining Garger as assistant coaches this season will be Deshaya Williams and Justin McQuality. Williams and McQuality both enjoyed successful college careers as well. Williams was a three-time All-American and an All-Academic National Scholar while attending Penn State. She won the 2003 NCAA national championship in the discus throw and placed eighth at the 2004 US Olympic Trials.

McQuality is a graduate of North Central College in Illinois and was a 2008 All-American triple jumper for the Cardinals. Last season, he coached two All-Americans while at Illinois College.

With the Fredonia State Cross Country and Track and Field programs on the upswing, Garger and his staff seem to be the right people to get the Blue Devils where they want to be. On August 24, the men's cross country team debuted at number six in the NCAA's Atlantic region poll; they finished the 2009 season in seventh. While there is no telling what the future holds, Garger hopes that he can one day bring about a Blue Devil dynasty. "That's one of our long-term plans," Garger said.

The return of two-time national champion Nick Guarino this season can only benefit the Blue Devils in their pursuit of bringing home national honors.

"It's the type of thing you have to wait and see," Guarino said. "We'll see how cross country goes. Training wise, things are going to be very similar. I drill [Coach Garger] all the time just to make sure. I talked to him over the summer and it should be good. It should be fine. Just as good."