Eastern Michigan Athletics
EMU Track & Field and Cross Country Programs Merge Together
10/2/2020 10:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
Sue Parks will oversee both men's and women's squads
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University Athletic Department announced today, Oct. 2, that it will combine its men's and women's track & field and cross country programs under a single coaching and support staff. The change will bring EMU's organizational structure in line with a majority of the Mid-American Conference, as eight other league members have a director/head coach overseeing both programs.
"Both the men's and women's track & field teams at Eastern have tremendous legacies," said EMU Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee. "A streak that is rivaled by very few around the nation, our track programs have produced a representative for every Summer Olympic Games since 1960. We are extremely proud of our history and look forward to the collaboration and cooperation we will have as a combined program."
This combined operational structure creates opportunities to use resources more effectively. The teams will compete together and chase championships together under the leadership of a single coaching staff. This new structure will ultimately help the athletics department invest more resources into the experience of its track & field and cross country student-athletes, a benefit most other NCAA programs already enjoy through their combined programs.
For Sue Parks, her 15th year at EMU will look a little different, as she has earned a new role as director and head coach of these storied programs. Hired in 2006, Parks has pushed the women's track & field and cross country teams to new heights. Overall, EMU has established 21 school records (10 indoors, 11 outdoors), while the 2016 cross country team finished a historic ninth-place at the NCAA Championship.
In the past nine seasons, Parks has accumulated six MAC track & field titles and five cross country championships, dominating the latter with five-straight MAC titles. In 2015-16, Eastern completed the MAC's second-ever women's triple crown by winning the league title in cross country, indoor and outdoor track. Furthermore, Parks has picked up nine MAC Coach of the Year awards and was selected the Great Lakes Regional Coach of the Year in outdoor track in 2016 and indoor track in 2018.
Prior to returning to EMU as the head coach of the women's track program, Parks enjoyed tremendous success in a 12-year tenure at Ball State from 1994-2006, winning eight MAC titles and finishing runner-up 10 times in track and cross country.
"I'm extremely grateful to Scott Wetherbee and the rest of the administration for having confidence in me to lead the Eastern Michigan cross country/track & field programs," added Parks. "Eastern is a special place and I'm ecstatic about this new opportunity. It is a dream come true for me to be in charge of a combined program at my alma mater. I will be committed to continuing the rich tradition of our programs along with providing a positive experience for the student-athletes. I'm excited to lead our incredible staff and help our amazing group of student-athletes reach their goals. I cannot wait to get started with the transition."
All told, the Eagles have had 18 representatives (15 men and three women) in the Summer Olympic Games since 1960. Eastern student-athletes have brought home two gold medals, two silver and two bronze during that span.
Additionally, EMU track has produced 40 individual national champions (37 men, three women) since 1932.
Lloyd W. Olds began the tradition of men's track success, serving as the head coach from 1921-41. George Marshall followed from 1942-66, Bob Parks from 1967-2000, Brad Fairchild from 2001-10, and John Goodridge from 2010-20.
Goodridge, who announced his retirement on Aug. 20, led the Eagles to seven MAC track & field championships (three indoor, four outdoor). Moreover, while at the helm of the cross country program, the Eagles claimed MAC titles 14 times in 19 seasons. Goodridge also mentored two athletes to three NCAA titles.
Parks assumes control of the men's program's that her father, Bob, led for 34 years. Under his guidance, Parks' Eagles teams won a total of 31 MAC titles and he was named MAC Coach of the Year 22 times. His teams won six NAIA and NCAA team titles, and he was named NCAA National Coach of the Year once and regional Coach of the Year nine times.
Bob Parks is honored in the EMU Athletics and Drake Relays Halls of Fame, and Eastern Michigan's indoor and outdoor tracks are named in his honor. He was also named to the USTFCCA Hall of Fame in 2000 and the MAC Hall of Fame in 2015.
As the program moves forward with the transition, assistant coaches Sterling Roberts (sprints/hurdles/horizontal jumps), Chris Best (sprints/hurdles), Evan Brusich (vertical jumps/multi events), and Brian Korn (throws) will oversee their own areas of specialized responsibility and will be better able to provide guidance to student-athletes of both genders. A search for a new cross country/distance assistant is currently underway.
"Both the men's and women's track & field teams at Eastern have tremendous legacies," said EMU Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee. "A streak that is rivaled by very few around the nation, our track programs have produced a representative for every Summer Olympic Games since 1960. We are extremely proud of our history and look forward to the collaboration and cooperation we will have as a combined program."
This combined operational structure creates opportunities to use resources more effectively. The teams will compete together and chase championships together under the leadership of a single coaching staff. This new structure will ultimately help the athletics department invest more resources into the experience of its track & field and cross country student-athletes, a benefit most other NCAA programs already enjoy through their combined programs.
For Sue Parks, her 15th year at EMU will look a little different, as she has earned a new role as director and head coach of these storied programs. Hired in 2006, Parks has pushed the women's track & field and cross country teams to new heights. Overall, EMU has established 21 school records (10 indoors, 11 outdoors), while the 2016 cross country team finished a historic ninth-place at the NCAA Championship.
In the past nine seasons, Parks has accumulated six MAC track & field titles and five cross country championships, dominating the latter with five-straight MAC titles. In 2015-16, Eastern completed the MAC's second-ever women's triple crown by winning the league title in cross country, indoor and outdoor track. Furthermore, Parks has picked up nine MAC Coach of the Year awards and was selected the Great Lakes Regional Coach of the Year in outdoor track in 2016 and indoor track in 2018.
Prior to returning to EMU as the head coach of the women's track program, Parks enjoyed tremendous success in a 12-year tenure at Ball State from 1994-2006, winning eight MAC titles and finishing runner-up 10 times in track and cross country.
"I'm extremely grateful to Scott Wetherbee and the rest of the administration for having confidence in me to lead the Eastern Michigan cross country/track & field programs," added Parks. "Eastern is a special place and I'm ecstatic about this new opportunity. It is a dream come true for me to be in charge of a combined program at my alma mater. I will be committed to continuing the rich tradition of our programs along with providing a positive experience for the student-athletes. I'm excited to lead our incredible staff and help our amazing group of student-athletes reach their goals. I cannot wait to get started with the transition."
All told, the Eagles have had 18 representatives (15 men and three women) in the Summer Olympic Games since 1960. Eastern student-athletes have brought home two gold medals, two silver and two bronze during that span.
Additionally, EMU track has produced 40 individual national champions (37 men, three women) since 1932.
Lloyd W. Olds began the tradition of men's track success, serving as the head coach from 1921-41. George Marshall followed from 1942-66, Bob Parks from 1967-2000, Brad Fairchild from 2001-10, and John Goodridge from 2010-20.
Goodridge, who announced his retirement on Aug. 20, led the Eagles to seven MAC track & field championships (three indoor, four outdoor). Moreover, while at the helm of the cross country program, the Eagles claimed MAC titles 14 times in 19 seasons. Goodridge also mentored two athletes to three NCAA titles.
Parks assumes control of the men's program's that her father, Bob, led for 34 years. Under his guidance, Parks' Eagles teams won a total of 31 MAC titles and he was named MAC Coach of the Year 22 times. His teams won six NAIA and NCAA team titles, and he was named NCAA National Coach of the Year once and regional Coach of the Year nine times.
Bob Parks is honored in the EMU Athletics and Drake Relays Halls of Fame, and Eastern Michigan's indoor and outdoor tracks are named in his honor. He was also named to the USTFCCA Hall of Fame in 2000 and the MAC Hall of Fame in 2015.
As the program moves forward with the transition, assistant coaches Sterling Roberts (sprints/hurdles/horizontal jumps), Chris Best (sprints/hurdles), Evan Brusich (vertical jumps/multi events), and Brian Korn (throws) will oversee their own areas of specialized responsibility and will be better able to provide guidance to student-athletes of both genders. A search for a new cross country/distance assistant is currently underway.
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