Eastern Michigan Athletics
Cross Country/Track & Field Announces Hiring of Mark Rinker as Assistant Coach
1/5/2021 12:15:00 PM | Men's XC, Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
Rinker will serve as Assistant Track Coach/Head Men's Cross Country Coach
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- Eastern Michigan University Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Sue Parks announced the hiring of Mark Rinker as Assistant Track Coach/Head Men's Cross Country Coach, Tuesday, Jan. 5.
"I'm excited to welcome Mark Rinker to our staff," said Parks. "Mark comes to EMU with a great record of success in recruiting and developing student-athletes. Mark is from a coaching family and I believe that his knowledge and commitment to the student-athletes will greatly benefit our program. Our men's distance group is very talented and I was committed to finding the best person to take the group to the next level. In my coaching search, Mark's name kept coming up and I'm thrilled that it worked out for him to join us at EMU. The future is bright for this group and I can't wait for Mark to get started with us!"
Prior to his arrival in Ypsilanti, Rinker was a volunteer assistant coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a focus on cross country and distance events. While at UNC, he was also tasked with recruiting alongside Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Chris Miltenberg.
"I am so excited for Mark and Eastern Michigan to have found this great mutual fit," relayed Miltenberg. "Mark is one of the best young coaches in the country and his experience at every level of the sport is unparalleled. He was a key driver in our team building the momentum we have over our first 18 months in Chapel Hill. Mark is a tireless worker who is so committed to every one of his student-athletes. I am excited to see Mark and Coach Parks continue the rich history in men's distance running at EMU!"
Coach Rinker successfully created a comprehensive recruiting database for the entire track and field program at UNC, as well as created innovative recruiting content for the Tar Heels'. Under his leadership, the 2020 women's cross country recruiting class was ranked as one of MileSplit's top distance classes of the year. In 2019, North Carolina saw its highest combined team finishes at the Atlantic Coast Conference Cross Country Championships in the last decade. The women's team finished fifth at the conference meet, the best program finish since 2015. The program also had five NCAA indoor qualifiers in 2019.
Before his stint in Chapel Hill, Rinker spent two years at Louisiana State University as an assistant coach for cross country and track and field. In Baton Rouge, he oversaw the men's and women's cross country and middle distance and distance programs. During his time at LSU, he helped recruit the highest-ranked distance recruiting class in school history.
Under his tutelage of the middle distance and distance groups, Rinker helped generate 10 All-Southeastern Conference performers and helped guide 10 student-athletes to top-10 marks in the school's record book. The men's track and field team also won the SEC outdoor championship in 2019, the first men's outdoor conference title since 1990. On the national stage, the middle distance group produced four NCAA championship participants and three NCAA All-Americans. In 2019, LSU was the only program to feature two qualifiers in the 800m at the 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships. Both track teams saw incredible success throughout 2019 as the men placed third at the NCAA Indoor Championships, while the women placed third at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Prior to his time in Louisiana, Coach Rinker was a member of the Northeastern University cross country and track and field coaching staff. As a recruiting coordinator/assistant coach, he was pivotal to the Huskies' success from 2014-2017. After three years in Boston, Rinker helped push student-athletes to achieve 25 top-10 performances in school history.
In 2016, the men's cross country team was victorious at the New England Championships and the IC4A Championships, the former being the Huskies' first New England title in 44 years. Both track and field teams dominated the competition during Rinker's tenure at Northeastern. The men's team won three-straight Colonial Athletic Conference Championships (CAA) from 2015-17 and won the Indoor New England Championships in 2015 and 2017. On the women's side, Northeastern won three-consecutive Indoor New England Championships (2015-2017) and captured two Outdoor New England Championships (2015 and 2017).
One of Rinker's pupils, Paul Duffey, received second team All-American honors in 2015 for his prowess in the indoor 800m. Duffey aslo achieved an indoor sub-four minute mile in 2017 with an incredible 3:59.3 time.
Before entering the world of collegiate athletics, Mark Rinker served as the vice president of North America for ORRECO Limited. As VP, Rinker oversaw the expansion of ORRECO into North American professional sports markets. From 2008-2013, Mark Rinker worked directly with the head coach of Oregon Track Club Elite (OTCE) to coach 25 professional Nike sponsored athletes in national and international competitions. Additionally, he directly oversaw the strength and conditioning programs of the distance runners in the team.
While serving as the Director of Operations for OTCE, Rinker also managed all aspects of the team's budget and coordinated all travel and competition schedules across the world for the team. Furthermore, Rinker managed events such as two Altitude camps and a European camp each year. Operationally, he also directed high performance meets in the TrackTown Last Chance series in 2009, 2010, and 2012, as well as the TrackTown Elite Coach Clinics in 2010 and 2011. During his time at OTCE, the team had 11 Olympians, including one gold medalist and one silver medalist. The club also featured 18 competitors at the World Championships including one gold medalist and two silver medalists.
Rinker received his bachelor's degree in Kinesiology and minored in Business and Coaching at James Madison University in 2008 where he was a three-time letter winner for the Dukes as a distance runner on the cross country and track and field teams. Rinker received his Strength and Conditioning Certification from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) in 2017.
"I'm excited to welcome Mark Rinker to our staff," said Parks. "Mark comes to EMU with a great record of success in recruiting and developing student-athletes. Mark is from a coaching family and I believe that his knowledge and commitment to the student-athletes will greatly benefit our program. Our men's distance group is very talented and I was committed to finding the best person to take the group to the next level. In my coaching search, Mark's name kept coming up and I'm thrilled that it worked out for him to join us at EMU. The future is bright for this group and I can't wait for Mark to get started with us!"
Prior to his arrival in Ypsilanti, Rinker was a volunteer assistant coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a focus on cross country and distance events. While at UNC, he was also tasked with recruiting alongside Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Chris Miltenberg.
"I am so excited for Mark and Eastern Michigan to have found this great mutual fit," relayed Miltenberg. "Mark is one of the best young coaches in the country and his experience at every level of the sport is unparalleled. He was a key driver in our team building the momentum we have over our first 18 months in Chapel Hill. Mark is a tireless worker who is so committed to every one of his student-athletes. I am excited to see Mark and Coach Parks continue the rich history in men's distance running at EMU!"
Coach Rinker successfully created a comprehensive recruiting database for the entire track and field program at UNC, as well as created innovative recruiting content for the Tar Heels'. Under his leadership, the 2020 women's cross country recruiting class was ranked as one of MileSplit's top distance classes of the year. In 2019, North Carolina saw its highest combined team finishes at the Atlantic Coast Conference Cross Country Championships in the last decade. The women's team finished fifth at the conference meet, the best program finish since 2015. The program also had five NCAA indoor qualifiers in 2019.
Before his stint in Chapel Hill, Rinker spent two years at Louisiana State University as an assistant coach for cross country and track and field. In Baton Rouge, he oversaw the men's and women's cross country and middle distance and distance programs. During his time at LSU, he helped recruit the highest-ranked distance recruiting class in school history.
Under his tutelage of the middle distance and distance groups, Rinker helped generate 10 All-Southeastern Conference performers and helped guide 10 student-athletes to top-10 marks in the school's record book. The men's track and field team also won the SEC outdoor championship in 2019, the first men's outdoor conference title since 1990. On the national stage, the middle distance group produced four NCAA championship participants and three NCAA All-Americans. In 2019, LSU was the only program to feature two qualifiers in the 800m at the 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships. Both track teams saw incredible success throughout 2019 as the men placed third at the NCAA Indoor Championships, while the women placed third at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Prior to his time in Louisiana, Coach Rinker was a member of the Northeastern University cross country and track and field coaching staff. As a recruiting coordinator/assistant coach, he was pivotal to the Huskies' success from 2014-2017. After three years in Boston, Rinker helped push student-athletes to achieve 25 top-10 performances in school history.
In 2016, the men's cross country team was victorious at the New England Championships and the IC4A Championships, the former being the Huskies' first New England title in 44 years. Both track and field teams dominated the competition during Rinker's tenure at Northeastern. The men's team won three-straight Colonial Athletic Conference Championships (CAA) from 2015-17 and won the Indoor New England Championships in 2015 and 2017. On the women's side, Northeastern won three-consecutive Indoor New England Championships (2015-2017) and captured two Outdoor New England Championships (2015 and 2017).
One of Rinker's pupils, Paul Duffey, received second team All-American honors in 2015 for his prowess in the indoor 800m. Duffey aslo achieved an indoor sub-four minute mile in 2017 with an incredible 3:59.3 time.
Before entering the world of collegiate athletics, Mark Rinker served as the vice president of North America for ORRECO Limited. As VP, Rinker oversaw the expansion of ORRECO into North American professional sports markets. From 2008-2013, Mark Rinker worked directly with the head coach of Oregon Track Club Elite (OTCE) to coach 25 professional Nike sponsored athletes in national and international competitions. Additionally, he directly oversaw the strength and conditioning programs of the distance runners in the team.
While serving as the Director of Operations for OTCE, Rinker also managed all aspects of the team's budget and coordinated all travel and competition schedules across the world for the team. Furthermore, Rinker managed events such as two Altitude camps and a European camp each year. Operationally, he also directed high performance meets in the TrackTown Last Chance series in 2009, 2010, and 2012, as well as the TrackTown Elite Coach Clinics in 2010 and 2011. During his time at OTCE, the team had 11 Olympians, including one gold medalist and one silver medalist. The club also featured 18 competitors at the World Championships including one gold medalist and two silver medalists.
Rinker received his bachelor's degree in Kinesiology and minored in Business and Coaching at James Madison University in 2008 where he was a three-time letter winner for the Dukes as a distance runner on the cross country and track and field teams. Rinker received his Strength and Conditioning Certification from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) in 2017.
The Mark Rinker File
Name: Mark Rinker
Hometown: Brevard, N.C.
College: James Madison - Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology, with a minor in Business and Coaching - 2008
Hometown: Brevard, N.C.
College: James Madison - Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology, with a minor in Business and Coaching - 2008
Professional Experience
Year School/Company Position
2020- Present Eastern Michigan University Assistant Coach
2019 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Volunteer Coach
2017-19 Louisiana State University Cross Country/Assistant Track Coach
2014-17 Northeastern University Assist. Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
2014-15 ORRECO Limited Vice President
2013-14 ORRECO Limited Account Manager
2008-13 Nike Oregon Track Club Elite Assist. Coach/Director of Operations
2020- Present Eastern Michigan University Assistant Coach
2019 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Volunteer Coach
2017-19 Louisiana State University Cross Country/Assistant Track Coach
2014-17 Northeastern University Assist. Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
2014-15 ORRECO Limited Vice President
2013-14 ORRECO Limited Account Manager
2008-13 Nike Oregon Track Club Elite Assist. Coach/Director of Operations
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