SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Head coach
Chris Collier has stepped down from his position leading the Union College men's and women's cross country and track & field teams in order to pursue opportunities outside of collegiate coaching, Director of Athletics
Jim McLaughlin '93 announced on Thursday.
"These past four years at Union have been some of the most meaningful and rewarding of my life," said Collier. "I would like to express my gratitude to Jim McLaughlin for his constant support of our track & field and cross country programs, and to Erin Zannella for her guidance and administrative support during my first year as head coach. Thank you to Laura Nardelli for bringing me onto her staff in 2022 and for giving me the opportunity and freedom to grow as both an educator and a coach. And to the current staff of Malick, Madison, Stephen and Heather, I could not have made it through this year without your support, your commitment to our student-athletes and your willingness to invest so much of yourselves into this program.
"Stepping away from this position is a decision I am making for my family as Cara and I embrace the joys and responsibilities of being new parents. I cannot thank the Union community enough for the collaborative and supportive environment that welcomed me when I arrived four years ago. From Cara and I, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the memories, relationships and experiences that we will carry with us for a lifetime."
"We thank Chris for his time and dedication to the Union College cross country and track & field programs over the last four years as both an assistant and head coach," said McLaughlin. "Chris has made a major impact on the programs from a recruiting and competitive aspect, and the teams are in a better place because of his time in Schenectady. We wish him and his family well as they embark on a new chapter closer to home."
In his first year at the helm of the programs, the men's cross country team placed 12th at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships, finishing in the top-half of the field for the fourth straight season after previously doing so just twice in program history. The women's track & field team had a very successful indoor season with five program records falling between the sprints, distance and field events, capped off by junior
Ashley Sheldon taking third in the high jump at the NCAA Division III Championships to earn USTFCCCA All-America first-team honors after previously earning Liberty League and AARTFC titles in the event. Four more program records fell during the outdoor season between sprint, mid-distance and field events as well, and the women's team posted its highest-ever finish at the AARTFC Outdoor Championships.
In three years as an assistant coach, Collier spearheaded arguably the most successful stretch in Union cross country history from 2022-24. The men's team posted back-to-back top-10 finishes at the NCAA Mideast Regionals and sent two runners to the NCAA Championships in the same season for the first time in 50 years, while the women's team finished in the top-12 at NCAA Regionals on two occasions and boasted 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 extended to the track as well, with Union distance runners combining to break 15 different program records over a three-year span.
"To the student-athletes I have had the privilege to work with, thank you for the trust you placed in me throughout my time at Union," Collier added. "You embraced a vision centered on helping each person become the best version of themselves, both as an athlete and as a person. The culture, energy, and continuity you have created is truly special and is the engine that drives our program's success. This momentum will continue as the program moves forward with the support of administration, future staff and the entire Union community."
A national search for the next head coach of Union's cross country and track & field programs is currently underway.
