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Track and Field
Fox, Chris
Chris Fox
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- chfox@syr.edu
- Phone:
- 315-952-4759
Chris Fox assumed the cross country and track & field head coaching positions at Syracuse on August 30, 2005 with a vision – transformed the Orange into national contenders. In three seasons, Fox has celebrated two All–American performers in track & field and led the Orange men and women cross country teams to national prominence.
Track & Field Success
The Orange men and women’s track & field squads emerged onto the national scene in 2007 following the All-American performances by Jillian Drouin and Michael LeBlanc. Drouin became Syracuse’s first multi-event All-American after a third-place finish in the heptathlon. LeBlanc placed fourth in the 100m dash, ending a 20-year All-American drought in the event for the Orange.
With Fox at the helm, the Syracuse men and women’s track & field teams have displayed steady improvement. The Orange men finished 11th at the BIG EAST Outdoor Championship in 2006 before a fourth-place performance one year later. Additionally, the SU men fashioned a sixth-place finish at the IC4A Indoor Championship in 2007, an improvement of nine places from 2006.
The Syracuse women boasted fifth and third-place finishes at the BIG EAST Indoor and Outdoor Championships, respectively, under Fox in 2006. The Orange continued rolling, finishing sixth of 48 teams and fourth of 46 teams at the ECAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships, respectively, that same season.
A Foundation for Cross Country Prominence
The Syracuse men and women’s cross country teams enjoyed their most successful seasons under Fox in 2007. The Orange men cracked the national rankings on September 26 for the first time in program history, landing at No. 26 in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Poll. Additionally, the SU women earned votes in the USTFCCCA rankings.
Fox mentored six Orange student-athletes to Northeast All-Region honors in 2007, including junior Jeff Scull’s program-best ninth-place performance. As a result, Scull earned an individual automatic qualifying invitation to the Division I NCAA Championship. The Syracuse men and women harriers continued a climb to the top of the region’s elite, finishing third and fourth, respectively.
The Orange boasted three All-BIG EAST performers in 2007, including junior Nana Sang-Bender’s second honor in as many years. Sang-Bender powered the Syracuse women to a program-best fourth-place finish at the conference championship.
While 2007 will be remembered as a soaring year for the Orange, it was 2006 when the SU cross country programs took flight. Behind Scull’s 12th-place finish, the SU men, who received national votes for the first time in program history, improved five spots from a year prior with a fifth-place finish at the BIG EAST Championship. Sang-Bender’s all-conference effort propelled the women to a seventh-place performance.
Liz Cufari claimed All-BIG EAST accolades in 2005, the Orange’s first season with Fox. Cufari became the first Syracuse female student-athlete since Alicia Hauber in 1983 to garner all-conference distinction.
An Auburn Tiger
Before arriving at Syracuse, Fox spent four seasons as the head cross country coach and assistant track & field coach at his alma mater, Auburn.
In 2003, both the indoor and outdoor track and field teams finished second at the NCAA Championship. One year following, both a male and female cross country runner competed in the NCAA Championship, a first for the Auburn program. The men’s team also received a national ranking for the first time in over 20 years. Fox led the men’s track & field squad to a No. 11 national ranking in 2005.
At Auburn, Fox coached several student-athletes to national recognition. During his tenure, the Tigers produced two Academic All-Americans, two cross country All-Americans, 14 NCAA track and field All-Americans, two Southeast Conference (SEC) cross country individual champions, and three SEC track & field individual champions.
In 2004-05, Fox coached a 2004 Olympian and a 2005 World Championship qualifier in the men’s 800. He also served as the NCAA Regional Championship Meet Director in 2004.
Fox excelled as a student-athlete at Auburn. He holds the school record in the indoor (13:44.73) and outdoor (13:34.14) 5,000m run and is also among the top-five performers in the indoor 3,000m run and outdoor 10,000m run.
Early Coaching Success
After graduating from Auburn in 1983 with a degree in psychology, Fox served as the head cross country and distance coach at North Carolina for three seasons. He led the Tar Heels men’s cross country team to the 1985 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) title and a fifth-place performance at the NCAA Championship. For his efforts, Fox was named the ACC Coach of the Year.
From 1987 to 1994, Fox pursued a professional running career as a member of the Nike-Athletics West team. He also competed at the national and world level with Brooks Sports from 1995 to 1998. In those stints, Fox ran the mile in 3:59.10, the 5,000m in 13:21, the 10,000m in 27:53, and the marathon in 2:13.40.
Fox also spent one season at George Washington as the head coach of the cross country team in 1994-95 before competing for Brooks Sports.
Fox and his wife, Kristy, have one daughter, McKenzie.
Track & Field Success
The Orange men and women’s track & field squads emerged onto the national scene in 2007 following the All-American performances by Jillian Drouin and Michael LeBlanc. Drouin became Syracuse’s first multi-event All-American after a third-place finish in the heptathlon. LeBlanc placed fourth in the 100m dash, ending a 20-year All-American drought in the event for the Orange.
With Fox at the helm, the Syracuse men and women’s track & field teams have displayed steady improvement. The Orange men finished 11th at the BIG EAST Outdoor Championship in 2006 before a fourth-place performance one year later. Additionally, the SU men fashioned a sixth-place finish at the IC4A Indoor Championship in 2007, an improvement of nine places from 2006.
The Syracuse women boasted fifth and third-place finishes at the BIG EAST Indoor and Outdoor Championships, respectively, under Fox in 2006. The Orange continued rolling, finishing sixth of 48 teams and fourth of 46 teams at the ECAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships, respectively, that same season.
A Foundation for Cross Country Prominence
The Syracuse men and women’s cross country teams enjoyed their most successful seasons under Fox in 2007. The Orange men cracked the national rankings on September 26 for the first time in program history, landing at No. 26 in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Poll. Additionally, the SU women earned votes in the USTFCCCA rankings.
Fox mentored six Orange student-athletes to Northeast All-Region honors in 2007, including junior Jeff Scull’s program-best ninth-place performance. As a result, Scull earned an individual automatic qualifying invitation to the Division I NCAA Championship. The Syracuse men and women harriers continued a climb to the top of the region’s elite, finishing third and fourth, respectively.
The Orange boasted three All-BIG EAST performers in 2007, including junior Nana Sang-Bender’s second honor in as many years. Sang-Bender powered the Syracuse women to a program-best fourth-place finish at the conference championship.
While 2007 will be remembered as a soaring year for the Orange, it was 2006 when the SU cross country programs took flight. Behind Scull’s 12th-place finish, the SU men, who received national votes for the first time in program history, improved five spots from a year prior with a fifth-place finish at the BIG EAST Championship. Sang-Bender’s all-conference effort propelled the women to a seventh-place performance.
Liz Cufari claimed All-BIG EAST accolades in 2005, the Orange’s first season with Fox. Cufari became the first Syracuse female student-athlete since Alicia Hauber in 1983 to garner all-conference distinction.
An Auburn Tiger
Before arriving at Syracuse, Fox spent four seasons as the head cross country coach and assistant track & field coach at his alma mater, Auburn.
In 2003, both the indoor and outdoor track and field teams finished second at the NCAA Championship. One year following, both a male and female cross country runner competed in the NCAA Championship, a first for the Auburn program. The men’s team also received a national ranking for the first time in over 20 years. Fox led the men’s track & field squad to a No. 11 national ranking in 2005.
At Auburn, Fox coached several student-athletes to national recognition. During his tenure, the Tigers produced two Academic All-Americans, two cross country All-Americans, 14 NCAA track and field All-Americans, two Southeast Conference (SEC) cross country individual champions, and three SEC track & field individual champions.
In 2004-05, Fox coached a 2004 Olympian and a 2005 World Championship qualifier in the men’s 800. He also served as the NCAA Regional Championship Meet Director in 2004.
Fox excelled as a student-athlete at Auburn. He holds the school record in the indoor (13:44.73) and outdoor (13:34.14) 5,000m run and is also among the top-five performers in the indoor 3,000m run and outdoor 10,000m run.
Early Coaching Success
After graduating from Auburn in 1983 with a degree in psychology, Fox served as the head cross country and distance coach at North Carolina for three seasons. He led the Tar Heels men’s cross country team to the 1985 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) title and a fifth-place performance at the NCAA Championship. For his efforts, Fox was named the ACC Coach of the Year.
From 1987 to 1994, Fox pursued a professional running career as a member of the Nike-Athletics West team. He also competed at the national and world level with Brooks Sports from 1995 to 1998. In those stints, Fox ran the mile in 3:59.10, the 5,000m in 13:21, the 10,000m in 27:53, and the marathon in 2:13.40.
Fox also spent one season at George Washington as the head coach of the cross country team in 1994-95 before competing for Brooks Sports.
Fox and his wife, Kristy, have one daughter, McKenzie.
Benne Anderson | NCAA mile final
Saturday, March 15
Benne Anderson NCAA Mile Semifinals
Saturday, March 15
Sam Lawler | ACC 5k Highlight
Sunday, March 02
Forever Orange | Freddie Crittenden
Thursday, February 13
