Kim McGreevy Added to Track & Field/Cross Country Staff
8/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
Aug. 21, 2008
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Walt Drenth has announced the hiring of Kim McGreevy as the Spartans' new assistant track & field/cross country coach. A Penn State graduate, McGreevy returns to the Big Ten Conference after spending the last four years as a member of the University of Connecticut women's track & field/cross country staff.
"We are excited to add someone with Kim's experience and success to our program," said Drenth. "She has had both coaching and competitive success at the highest levels of competition and in various manners. Kim brings enthusiasm to everything that she does and is extremely well-respected throughout the cross country and track & field communities. We are ecstatic to have her as part of our staff."
"I am absolutely thrilled to be back in the Big Ten Conference and part of the Spartan program," said McGreevy. "I have always thought that the Big Ten is an outstanding conference and I am looking forward to being able to work with an elite group of athletes here. I am excited to help further the tradition of excellence that Michigan State has accomplished in cross country and continue to grow a balance across our events. Most importantly, I'm thrilled for the opportunity to work with Coach Drenth, who I believe is one of, if not the best, distance coaches in the country."
While at Connecticut, McGreevy's primary responsibilities resided with women's cross country and the middle distance/distance events. She has been instrumental in the rebuilding of the Huskies' women's program, which won its first BIG EAST Indoor Championship in 2008 and had its first All-American runner two years ago. In addition, the Huskies won two ECAC Indoor titles and three New England Championships, while numerous individual posted high finishes during her tenure.
McGreevy helped mold Jillian Sullivan from a walk-on into the program's first All-American runner. Sullivan earned All-America accolades after she placed 24th at the 2006 NCAA Cross Country Championship. In addition, Sullivan excelled in the steeplechase, winning the 2007 BIG EAST title and qualifying for the NCAA Championship, becoming the first Connecticut distance runner in 10 years to qualify for nationals.
Not only have McGreevy's student-athletes seen success in their areas of competition, but the Husky women have earned All-Academic Team honors in cross country the last five years and in track & field the last three.
Prior to her stint at Connecticut, McGreevy spent nine years at Penn State University as both a coach and a student-athlete. After a year as an undergraduate coach, she was named a volunteer assistant coach, helping to rebuild the Nittany Lion program into a Big Ten power. While on the staff, McGreevy began her professional running career, while also pursuing her master's degree. As a professional, she was sponsored by The New York Athletic Club, most notably competing at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 1500m and representing the United States at the 2001 Ekiden Relay in Japan.
As an undergraduate, McGreevy spent two years at the U.S. Naval Academy before transferring to Penn State for her final two years of eligibility. She is a five-time All-American, accomplishing the feat as a sophomore in the indoor 3000m for Navy, then adding to her total at Penn State as a junior in the distance medley relay, and as a senior in cross country, the indoor mile and the outdoor 1500m. As a senior she piled up the accolades, being named the Penn State Female Athlete of the Year, the Big Ten Cross Country Athlete of the Year, after winning the conference title, and an Academic All-American.
McGreevy earned her bachelor of science in accounting in 1998 and her master of education in counselor education in 2003 from Penn State.