SALEM, Va. – Roanoke College Director of Athletics Scott Allison announced Monday that Kirk Nauman has resigned as the Maroons Head Coach for Men's and Women's Cross-Country and Track & Field to accept the same position at Southwest Minnesota State University.
Allison also announced that current assistant coach Tim Smith '13 has been named the interim head coach for both cross-country programs, while fellow assistant Gene Galloway will lead the track & field programs on an interim basis.
Smith is a 2013 graduate of the College and has been on Nauman's staff for the past two years. A two-time NCAA qualifier for the Maroons, Smith was named the ODAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the ODAC Runner of the Year and First Team All-ODAC in 2011.
Galloway is entering his sixth season as an assistant coach for the Maroons. During his time in Salem he has worked mainly with the Roanoke sprinters and horizontal jumpers, while being involved in all aspects of the cross-country and track & field programs, including spearheading day-to-day recruiting efforts for RC.
"While we're disappointed to see Kirk go, we're grateful for his dedication to our student-athletes these past three years," said Allison. "Tim and Gene have been an integral part of our recent success in cross country and track & field. Both are more than willing to assume the responsibilities associated with leading these outstanding programs through such a transition."
Nauman departs Roanoke after a three-year stint that saw 23 individual ODAC Champions to go along with six NCAA qualifying performances, four All-Americans and 94 All-ODAC selections. Under the guidance of Nauman, Quinn Harlan was the National Runner-Up in the 60-meters at the 2018 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. Also in 2018, Mara Briggs was named the USTFCCCA Indoor South/Southeast Field Athlete of the Year. In the classroom, Nauman's squads earned USTFCCCA All-Academic Team Honors and a total of 81 ODAC All-Academic team selections.
"There are many people to thank at Roanoke, but I would especially like to thank Scott Allison for allowing me to grow and evolve the Roanoke College Cross Country and Track & Field Programs over the past three years, said Nauman." "I am proud of what we have done and I believe the table is set for bigger successes in the years to come."
The Maroons start their cross-country season on Sept. 6 when they travel to Beckley, West Virginia to take part in the WVU Tech Golden Bear Classic.