DeGrado hired as assistant track/cross country coach

Looking to continue the success of its track and field and cross country programs, Cowley College head coach Mark Phillips added former Allen County Community College head coach Vince DeGrado to his coaching staff.

DeGrado helped lead Allen County to a pair of third place finishes during the 2006 cross country season and 2007 outdoor track season. He takes over for Ryan Turner, who recently left to become the head cross country coach/assistant track and field coach at the University of Houston.

Phillips is excited to hire an assistant coach with head coaching experience. DeGrado is also a USATF Level I and Level II certified coach.

“When you have a Level II certification it’s like getting a doctorate in track and field,” Phillips said. “He did a great job with the kids he recruited at Allen County and did a good job with their program. We are very similar in our training and coaching philosophies.”

In college, DeGrado was a member of the track and cross country teams at Coffeyville Community College prior to running at Southwestern College in Winfield. At Coffeyville, he qualified for nationals in both sports, and was an Academic All-American.

He continued his success at Southwestern as he was a two-time track All-American and four-time all-conference selection.

After graduating from Southwestern in 2004, he returned to Coffeyville Community College to serve as assistant track and cross country coach for a year and a half. He left Coffeyville to become the head track and cross country coach at Allen County and spent the past two years at the school.

Moving back into an assistant coaching role was attractive to DeGrado, who had to handle several different aspects of the Allen County cross country and track programs.

“I can focus all my attention and energy to coaching and recruiting,”  DeGrado said. “Cowley has always been successful, so to get an opportunity to be a part of that was really enticing. Mark and Ryan have set the bar high, I just want to do whatever I can to help further that success.”

The Tiger men and women’s cross country teams will open their seasons Sept. 1 at the Tulsa Hurricane Festival in Tulsa, Okla.