SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Looking to continue the momentum built by the programs over the last seven years, assistant coach Chris Collier will be taking over for the retiring Laura Nardelli as the head coach of the Union College men's and women's cross country and track & field teams, Director of Athletics Jim McLaughlin '93 announced on Thursday.
 
"Our cross country and track & field programs have made incredible strides in the last few years under the guidance of Laura and Chris, and this transition will ensure that progress will not be interrupted," said McLaughlin. "We are appreciative of Laura's leadership of the cross country and track & field programs over the last seven years and wish her well as she takes her well-deserved retirement. Chris has made a major impact on the programs from a recruiting and competitive aspect over the last three years and has learned what is needed to be a head coach. We are excited for him to take this next step as the leader of our cross country and track teams."
  
"I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve as the head coach of Union's track & field and cross country programs," said Collier. "I want to extend my sincere thanks to Jim McLaughlin, Beth Tiffany and the entire leadership team for entrusting me with this role and for their unwavering support of our teams. A special thank you goes to Coach Nardelli for her outstanding leadership, mentorship, and the lasting impact she has made on both myself and our student-athletes throughout her time as head coach."
 
Nardelli has guided the Union cross country and track teams to tremendous success over the last seven years, helping to raise the profile of the programs on the regional and national levels. Union student-athletes have broken 17 indoor track records, 19 outdoor track records and three cross country program standards, while also boasting four qualifiers to both the NCAA Cross Country Championships and NCAA Track & Field Championships over her time at Union. In total, Union student-athletes have earned 21 All-Region honors, seven conference individual titles and 113 All-Liberty League performances over the last seven seasons.
 
"My time at Union has been extremely fulfilling; watching the cross country and track & field programs grow, as well as seeing student-athletes achieve their academic and athletic dreams, has been a true source of joy," said Nardelli. "Everyone at Union that I've been privileged to work with over the last seven years have been amazing. I always felt that the people here, and in particular the Union Athletics staff, were a team where everyone was pulling in the same direction. After a career spanning 40 years, I am looking forward to spending more time with my husband, our three kids, and their families."
 
As the leader of Union's distance runners, Collier has spearheaded arguably the most successful three-year stretch in Union cross country history from 2022-24. The men's team has been regionally ranked by the USTFCCCA for much of the last two years and has posted back-to-back top-10 finishes at the NCAA Mideast Regionals, while sending two runners to the NCAA Championships in the same season for the first time in 50 years. The women's team has finished in the top-12 at NCAA Regionals in both of the last two years as well and has seen multiple program firsts in recent seasons, including the program's first All-Region and All-Liberty League first-team selections as well as a pair of individual NCAA Championship qualifiers.
 
That success has extended to both the indoor and outdoor track seasons, with Union distance runners combining to break 15 different program records over the last three years. Both teams were consistently ranked among the top-15 squads in the challenging Mideast Region in 2024-25 and posted top-20 finishes at the All-Atlantic Regional Championships, while student-athletes reset a total of nine program standards this season alone.
 
"As I begin this new chapter, I wanted to give a special thank you to our incredible student-athletes," Collier continued. "Your dedication, energy, and passion make this community an inspiring and rewarding place to be every single day. I am excited to build on the athletic and academic success our group has achieved, while continuing to motivate each individual to reach new heights. Go U!"