Bell Named Cross Country/Track and Field Head Coach
9/17/2018 2:59:00 PM | Cross Country, Track and Field
For the past 13 seasons, Brien Bell has been one of the architects of building the Syracuse cross country and track and field programs into national powers. Now Bell will lead one of the nation's premier programs as Syracuse's cross country/track and field head coach.
Bell has served as the interim head coach for the last month after previously serving as associate head coach to Chris Fox. Over that time, he helped lead the Orange to an NCAA Men's Cross Country Championship, three NCAA podium finishes in cross country and nine conference team titles between cross country and track.
"Brien has played such an instrumental part of our programs' success," said Director of Athletics John Wildhack. "Working side-by-side with Chris Fox has prepared him to lead our programs. Brien has a tremendous vision for our cross country and track and field programs."
Bell has mentored Orange student-athletes in cross country and track and field to claim three individual NCAA Championships, 15 cross country All-Americans, 24 USTFCCCA First Team All-Americans in track and garner 191 all-conference honors between the programs.
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"I would like to thank Mr. Wildhack, Kim Keenan-Kirkpatrick, Herman Frazier and the search committee for the opportunity to continue my career as head coach of the Syracuse University cross country and track and field programs," Bell said. "Working alongside Coach Fox for the past 13 years has been a pleasure of a lifetime and I wish him, his wife, Kristy, and son, Patterson the best in the next chapter of their lives.
"I'm excited and honored to continue the legacy of success of Syracuse University cross country and track and field and understand the responsibility to continue making the Syracuse University community proud of the programs that we have built here. Now we can continue to TCB – Take Care of Business"
Bell replaces Fox, who announced his retirement from collegiate coaching in July to pursue opportunities in the professional ranks.
Since arriving at Syracuse 13 years ago, Bell has played an integral part in rebuilding the Syracuse cross country and track and field programs back into a national powerhouse and the east coast's most dominant distance institution.
In addition to the cross country dominance, the Orange have sustained their success in track, as well. Last season, Syracuse was one-of-five schools to have both its men's and women's teams score at all-three NCAA Championship events in cross country and track and field. The 'Cuse men have finished in the top-seven of the United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association Program of the Year Standings – which are designed to measure the overall strength of a program – in each of the last three seasons.
In addition to the success nationally, 'Cuse has dominated the east coast and ACC since joining the conference in 2013. The Syracuse men have won eight conference titles in the last-nine cross country seasons and have never lost to an ACC opponent – regular season or postseason – in cross country since becoming a member institution. The Orange also boast three of the last four ACC individual champions in men's cross country between Justyn Knight and Martin Hehir, while Paige Stoner became Syracuse's first women's ACC champion in 2017.
Bell has pushed the Orange academically, as well. The men's cross country team was named USTFCCCA Scholar Team of the Year in 2015, the same year they claimed the NCAA Championship. Bell has also mentored 10 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and most recently Paige Stoner, who became the first two-time ACC Scholar Athlete of the Year in the same school year in Syracuse history.
Dave Hegland, who has led Syracuse's sprinters, jumpers and hurdlers for the last 14 years and mentored 12 different NCAA qualifiers, will continue to lead that aspect of the programs. Hegland, who has a respected track record, especially with hurdlers, enters the 2018-19 season having earned USTFCCCA Northeast Region Assistant Coach of the Year in three-straight seasons.
The Syracuse cross country teams will continue their 2018 slate on Friday at the Coast-to-Coast Battle in Beantown, an event the Orange men have won the last two times they entered.
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Bell has served as the interim head coach for the last month after previously serving as associate head coach to Chris Fox. Over that time, he helped lead the Orange to an NCAA Men's Cross Country Championship, three NCAA podium finishes in cross country and nine conference team titles between cross country and track.
"Brien has played such an instrumental part of our programs' success," said Director of Athletics John Wildhack. "Working side-by-side with Chris Fox has prepared him to lead our programs. Brien has a tremendous vision for our cross country and track and field programs."
Bell has mentored Orange student-athletes in cross country and track and field to claim three individual NCAA Championships, 15 cross country All-Americans, 24 USTFCCCA First Team All-Americans in track and garner 191 all-conference honors between the programs.
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"I would like to thank Mr. Wildhack, Kim Keenan-Kirkpatrick, Herman Frazier and the search committee for the opportunity to continue my career as head coach of the Syracuse University cross country and track and field programs," Bell said. "Working alongside Coach Fox for the past 13 years has been a pleasure of a lifetime and I wish him, his wife, Kristy, and son, Patterson the best in the next chapter of their lives.
"I'm excited and honored to continue the legacy of success of Syracuse University cross country and track and field and understand the responsibility to continue making the Syracuse University community proud of the programs that we have built here. Now we can continue to TCB – Take Care of Business"
Bell replaces Fox, who announced his retirement from collegiate coaching in July to pursue opportunities in the professional ranks.
Since arriving at Syracuse 13 years ago, Bell has played an integral part in rebuilding the Syracuse cross country and track and field programs back into a national powerhouse and the east coast's most dominant distance institution.
In addition to the cross country dominance, the Orange have sustained their success in track, as well. Last season, Syracuse was one-of-five schools to have both its men's and women's teams score at all-three NCAA Championship events in cross country and track and field. The 'Cuse men have finished in the top-seven of the United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association Program of the Year Standings – which are designed to measure the overall strength of a program – in each of the last three seasons.
In addition to the success nationally, 'Cuse has dominated the east coast and ACC since joining the conference in 2013. The Syracuse men have won eight conference titles in the last-nine cross country seasons and have never lost to an ACC opponent – regular season or postseason – in cross country since becoming a member institution. The Orange also boast three of the last four ACC individual champions in men's cross country between Justyn Knight and Martin Hehir, while Paige Stoner became Syracuse's first women's ACC champion in 2017.
Bell has pushed the Orange academically, as well. The men's cross country team was named USTFCCCA Scholar Team of the Year in 2015, the same year they claimed the NCAA Championship. Bell has also mentored 10 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and most recently Paige Stoner, who became the first two-time ACC Scholar Athlete of the Year in the same school year in Syracuse history.
Dave Hegland, who has led Syracuse's sprinters, jumpers and hurdlers for the last 14 years and mentored 12 different NCAA qualifiers, will continue to lead that aspect of the programs. Hegland, who has a respected track record, especially with hurdlers, enters the 2018-19 season having earned USTFCCCA Northeast Region Assistant Coach of the Year in three-straight seasons.
The Syracuse cross country teams will continue their 2018 slate on Friday at the Coast-to-Coast Battle in Beantown, an event the Orange men have won the last two times they entered.
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Players Mentioned
Highlights | Women's ACC XC Championships
Friday, October 29
Highlights | ACC Men's XC Championship
Friday, October 29
'Cuse Connections - Olympics | Justyn Knight
Thursday, July 29
Highlights | ACC XC Championships
Friday, October 30
