Video - Paul Spangler Interview

Women's Cross Country VMIKeydets.com

Spangler Accepts Position With Florida Gators

LEXINGTON, Va. – VMI has announced that Paul Spangler, the long-time head cross country coach of the Institute, has accepted the position of Assistant Track and Cross Country Coach for the Florida Gators, where he will head up their distance program. A national search for Spangler's successor at VMI will begin immediately.

“I am very happy for Paul and his family,” said VMI head coach Darrin Webb. “This is an opportunity for him to move back to his home state, and be closer to his parents and relatives. Paul has done an outstanding job in his role here over the past 10 years. During his tenure, we have watched the men's and women's cross country program move up the conference standings, finishing as high as second place, and we have seen IC4A/ECAC champions, NCAA qualifiers and even an NCAA All-American during track seasons. Paul was, and is, a tireless recruiter and coach.  His passion and drive for running, to go along with his ability to aid in the development of athletes, is just incredible. The credit for the development of our distance group over the last decade goes to our athletes, and their hard work, but Coach Spangler worked day in and day out to put them in the position to achieve their goals and successes they never thought possible.” 

“I would like to thank former Coach Mike Bozeman, Athletic Director Donny White and Coach Webb for the opportunity to coach at VMI over the last nine years,” said Spangler. “It has been an incredible experience that has undoubtedly made me a better coach and person. I also have to thank the alumni that have shown outstanding support to the program over my time at the Institute."

Spangler, who will leave Lexington early in his 10th season with the program, brought a litany of success to the Institute's distance programs. The 2009 Big South Women's XC Coach of the Year, he helped build a successful women's cross country program at the Institute, success that included the squad's first runner-up finish (2009). The women's program also has won three straight Big South Freshman of the Year honors, a run continued by Emily Dinning this past October, and has been honored with USTFCCCA All-Academic honors each of the past two years.

The men's team saw its first two regional rankings under his tutelage, and also produced two of VMI's biggest standouts on the track circuit in many years, Donnie Cowart '08 and Felix Kitur. In his capacity as assistant track and field coach, Spangler tutored Kitur, a three-time national qualifier in the 800-meters, and Cowart, who qualified for the USATF Championships during his final year at VMI. Cowart is now a nationally-recognized steeplechaser, and is attempting to qualify for the 2012 Olympics in London.

In addition to Cowart, Spangler's other nationally notable effort also involved Kitur, and it occurred at last season's IC4A Indoor Championships. There, Kitur, Jacob Lysher, Andrey Dmitriev and Dean Gonsalves, all pupils of Spangler's, combined for a 7:24.70 4X800-meter relay performance, the top time in the world that season. The new Gator assistant has coached 70 All-Big South performers, as well as 64 IC4A/ECAC qualifiers and 20 All-IC4A performers. 15 Big South champions have been tutored by Spangler, and he has been a part of five runner-up efforts at the Big South's conference meets, with four coming indoor and one (2009) occurring outdoors.

“We will miss Coach Spangler,” said VMI Athletic Director Donny White. “He is the one most responsible for our success in cross country, and in the track distance events. Paul is devoted to distance running and our track athletes have profited greatly from his coaching and leadership.”

Spangler's first meet with the preseason No. 1-ranked Gators could come as soon as this weekend, as Florida travels to a meet in College Station, Texas. VMI will return to action Feb. 3, taking part in the Youngstown State Invitational.
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Players Mentioned

Emily Dinning

Emily Dinning

Freshman
Andrey Dmitriev

Andrey Dmitriev

Mid-Distance
Redshirt Sophomore
Dean Gonsalves

Dean Gonsalves

Mid-Distance
Redshirt Senior
Felix Kitur

Felix Kitur

Mid-Distance
Redshirt Senior
Jacob Lysher

Jacob Lysher

Mid-Distance
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Emily Dinning

Emily Dinning

Freshman
Andrey Dmitriev

Andrey Dmitriev

Redshirt Sophomore
Mid-Distance
Dean Gonsalves

Dean Gonsalves

Redshirt Senior
Mid-Distance
Felix Kitur

Felix Kitur

Redshirt Senior
Mid-Distance
Jacob Lysher

Jacob Lysher

Sophomore
Mid-Distance