UT hires track, cross country coach
7/11/2013The University of Toledo has hired North Carolina-Greensboro’s Linh Nguyen as its track and cross country coach.
Nguyen (pronounced Win) spent the past 12 seasons at Greensboro, including seven as head coach of the men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams.
UT has men’s and women’s cross country and women’s track. Nguyen replaces Kevin Hadsell, who resigned in Janurary after violating university policy by having a romantic relationship with an athlete.
Under Nguyen, the Spartans became a perennial contender in the Southern Conference, culminating in one of the best years in program history in 2011-12. Nguyen was named league cross country coach of the year in 2011 after leading both the men’s and women’s teams to conference titles. Junior Paul Chelimo earned All-America honors under Nguyen’s guidance, the first runner in school history to earn that distinction.
In the 2012 outdoor track season, Nguyen coached Chelimo and Paul Katam to NCAA runner-up finishes in the 5,000 and 10,000 meter runs, respectively.
Nguyen began his coaching career in 2000 as a volunteer assistant coach at his alma mater, Lynchburg College, before accepting an assistant coaching position at UNCG in 2002.