Has a HS XC coach ever made the jump straight to NCAA D1 head coach?

Matt Henry University of New Mexico around 2001

Harter 1) was at D2 first 2)is overrated and his a Bill Clinton type BS artist

Ok,

I couldn’t resist giving some honor to my dad, Tracy Walters. He made the jump from coaching Gerry Lindgren at Rogers HS in Spokane to being the head xc coach for San Jose State in 1966. They finished 3rd in the NCAA his first year! He then resigned and returned back to Spokane and never coached college again.

Alan Connie at Coastal Carolina

I did it back in the early 90s. Main drawback was the huge pay cut. By the time good high school coaches make a name for themselves the pay difference kills the deal. Plus they have kids and homes etc. Many friends are retiring from high school careers in their mid to late 50s with nice pensions and now going to work at all sorts of collegiate gigs. Most part time or juco or volunteer. Don’t need any benefits etc.

Brad Herbster of Pitt did it around 2002. He coached a strong group at North Mecklinberg in Charlotte. He jumped from HS to UNC Charlotte. Later coaching stops included Clemson and Texas.

RPMCMURPHY wrote:

I did it back in the early 90s. Main drawback was the huge pay cut. By the time good high school coaches make a name for themselves the pay difference kills the deal. Plus they have kids and homes etc. Many friends are retiring from high school careers in their mid to late 50s with nice pensions and now going to work at all sorts of collegiate gigs. Most part time or juco or volunteer. Don’t need any benefits etc.

This is correct. I have a pretty competitive high school program (within our school classifications). I thought about coaching at some local D-III schools, but I would have to take a pay cut, give up my pension, etc. I'll just stay where I am. I have 10 years until I can retire from teaching. Then, maybe, I'll look into college coaching...

Pat Tyson went from being a hs coach to interim head coach at Oregon in 2005 between Martin Smith and Vin Lanana

Presumably the coaches of the perennially top hs programs could move to D1 if they wanted to

H.S. Coach #6747812 wrote:

RPMCMURPHY wrote:

I did it back in the early 90s. Main drawback was the huge pay cut. By the time good high school coaches make a name for themselves the pay difference kills the deal. Plus they have kids and homes etc. Many friends are retiring from high school careers in their mid to late 50s with nice pensions and now going to work at all sorts of collegiate gigs. Most part time or juco or volunteer. Don’t need any benefits etc.

This is correct. I have a pretty competitive high school program (within our school classifications). I thought about coaching at some local D-III schools, but I would have to take a pay cut, give up my pension, etc. I'll just stay where I am. I have 10 years until I can retire from teaching. Then, maybe, I'll look into college coaching...

similar plan to me, except i have 17 years to go.

but honestly, if im able to continue coaching at the high school level after retiring from the classroom, that might be a pretty sweet gig also. Basically putting in a 2-6 workday, everyday. And doing something you love.

Coached at a high school while in college

Straight to

Head XC coach at local mid-major D1 university

Seem to recall Gary Wieneke doing it way back when at Illinois. John Coghlan followed suit at Illinois State as did John McNichols at Indiana State. Much rarer these days. John Wooden did it as well but that might have been another sport.

I believe Pat Henner went from Blacksburg HS to JMU

Salazar did it.

midwestern roll wrote:

Coached at a high school while in college

Straight to

Head XC coach at local mid-major D1 university

Added note - I don't think I would have got the position without "knowing people".

Did Salazaar coach HS or even College?

Salazar coached Rupp while he was in high school, same as in college. He just was not the 'head coach' of any high school or college team.

Coach Connie had an incredible run at North Myrtle Beach HS before head women’s at Coastal Carolina. Was Big South Coach of the Year some 20+ times. One of the best people in coaching.

Patrick Shane - BYU

Paul Kaiser from Chambersburg High to Shippensburg in the late '70s.

Corbin Talley went from Davis High School to Weber State just a couple years ago.