University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics David Blackburn announced that Andy Meyer has accepted the position as the head coach of the Cross Country/Track & Field Programs today.
Meyer was most recently the co-head coach of the nationally-ranked cross country & track teams at Dalton (Ga.) State. There he helped establish the Roadrunners program in 2013, leading both cross country squads to the NAIA Championships in just two years.
"Similar to the other positions we have filled during my tenure at UTC, this one received attention from some very qualified individuals from across the country," stated Blackburn.
"We are very fortunate to have a coach as accomplished as Andy right here in the area.
"He did a tremendous job at Dalton State in a very short amount of time. He is an alum with a passion for competition, coaching and this University, and is an outstanding addition to our program."
Meyer started and developed the South's top NAIA cross country programs from ground zero at Dalton State. The Roadrunners have competed in cross country for the last three seasons and in track for two years.
During that time, the men's cross country team ranked No. 30, No. 24 and No. 11 in the nation and begins the 2016 campaign ranked No. 15. The women's program finished 2015 ranked No. 24 and is No. 25 in this year's preseason polls. Collectively, the Roadrunners have won three Southern States Athletic Conference titles, three individual titles, had two earn All-American honors and four received Academic All-American recognition.
"I am very grateful to David Blackburn and the UTC family for giving me this dream opportunity," stated Meyer. "UTC is a first-class academic institution and I am humbled and honored to be a coach here.
"I am excited to embrace the challenges ahead with the support of the University, the athletics department, the Chattanooga community and of course, my family. There is an immense amount of work ahead, but the current team has a huge amount of talent and will set the tone and foundation for our continued success in competition and in the classroom.
"Again, my family and I are very excited and grateful to have this wonderful opportunity and are ready to hit the ground running, no pun intended."
Meyer was named the 2015 SSAC Coach of the Year for both men's and women's cross country after each team captured the 2015 conference titles and went on to compete in the NAIA National Championships.
Dalton State also won the women's 2014 SSAC Championship during its first year of postseason eligibility, while the men's team finished a close second. He was named the SSAC Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year, and the women's team and several men's runners represented Dalton State in the NAIA National Meet in Lawrence, Kan.
Meyer was a standout runner at UTC, competing for the Mocs in 1985 and 1986. He finished his undergraduate degree in Physical Therapy at the Medical College of Georgia in 1988.
After his college running days were over, he continued his running career. He finished eighth in the Atlanta Marathon in 2007 and won numerous local and regional road races while running for the Athletic Attic. He also qualified and competed in the famed Ironman Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii.
Meyer replaces Bill Gautier, who recently retired after 24 seasons at UTC. He won 12 different Southern Conference team titles in men's and women's cross country and indoor track during his tenure. He also established a tradition of success in the classroom as the 2015 season was the third time in the last five years the men's cross country team posted the highest team GPA in the nation. The women were eighth a year ago and have been in the top-25 for six consecutive seasons.
"Coach Gautier spent 24 years developing a very successful cross country and track program," added Meyer. "The tradition of academic and athletic excellence he developed, I will not only continue, but look to build and expand upon to grow the men's and women's cross country and women's track programs."