Binkley will lead the Griffin cross country program into the sixth season of competition this August.
SALT LAKE CITY - Westminster Director of Athletics
Shay Wyatt announced the hiring of Craig Binkley as the new head coach for the
men's and women's cross country teams at the college. Binkley will lead the Griffin cross country program
into the sixth season of competition this August.
Binkley comes to Westminster from Augustana College
in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he served as the assistant coach for cross
country and track since 2008. His main
responsibilities included the recruitment of distance runners, sprinters, and
jumpers. Binkley also worked with middle
distance and distance athletes during training sessions.
"I am excited about the opportunity I have been
given here at Westminster College," Binkley commented. "I am ready to move the program forward and make
us more competitive within the Frontier Conference and the NAIA. There is great potential here, and I look
forward to building upon the foundation."
Binkley also served as an assistant coach at
Nicholls State in Thibodaux, Louisiana.
He was at Nicholls State from September, 2006 to November, 2008, and
during his time there he served as head coach of the men's and women's cross
country teams. Binkley helped revitalize
the cross country program, adding 17 members to a team that had six the
previous season.
Prior to Nicholls State, Binkley was the head
women's cross country coach at Colorado State University-Pueblo from 2005-06 where
he established a startup program.
Binkely also had a prior stint at Augustana College and spent time with Emporia
State University program.
"We are very pleased to have Craig join the
Westminster Athletics program," said Wyatt. "I believe his experience will
enable us to build upon our current men's and women's cross country
program. Coach Binkley shares the vision
we have for our athletics program and has the drive and commitment to reach the
goals we have set forth."
The Westminster cross country team is coming off a
year in which they saw Amanda Theobald become the first Griffin to qualify for
the NAIA National Championships.
Theobald, Helen Ho, Kathy Ho, and Sarah Martin will return in 2009 to
anchor the women's team. David Bonami,
Jordan Henderson, and Ben Young will return in 2009 to lead the men's
team.
