Nov. 18, 2014
Vanderbilt cross country head coach Steve Keith was named the NCAA South Region Coach of the Year on Tuesday by the USTFCCA.
Keith recently guided the No. 12-ranked Vanderbilt women to the South Region championship in Tallahassee, Fla., where the Commodores upset four-time defending champion Florida State.
“It’s great to get the recognition from our peers for our program and what we are trying to accomplish year in, year out,” said Keith. “Just as it was on the course last Friday, this honor is the result of a real team effort.”
This is the second time that Keith has won the Region coach of the year honor in the past four years. He also won the award in 2011. For full list of this year’s awards, click HERE.
Keith, who has been at the helm of the Commodores for nine years, has directed the Vanderbilt women to three straight appearances in the NCAA Championships — and last week’s South Region title clinched a fourth straight trip for the Commodores.
This season, Keith’s team has been ranked among the Top-30 throughout much of the year and has produced a series of impressive performances, including a second-place finish at the SEC Championships.
The list of highlights also includes victories at the Belmont Opener and the Commodore Classic, and a tie for ninth at the Wisconsin adidas Invitational, where the Commodores finished in front of 10 teams that were ranked higher than Vanderbilt entering the race.
The Vanderbilt women will compete in the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind., on Saturday.
