2004 Big Ten Indoor Coach of the Year

1996 NCAA Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year

Beth Alford-Sullivan took the reins of the Nittany Lions women's track and field/cross country programs in 1999 with a clear vision of success and a plan to develop a nationally competitive program, and she undoubtedly brought the same blueprint for achievement when she when she was named Director of Men's and Women's Track and Field in 2006. In 2007, Sullivan led both the men's and women's teams to top four finishes at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships, including a third-place effort from the women, who finished just seven and a half points shy of a conference title. The men's team displayed extreme promise for the future, making an impressive charge to the top half of the Big Ten with a fourth-place finish. The Nittany Lion men were less than a point from the medal stand in the program's best showing since the 2001 season. Sullivan's 2007 efforts did not go unnoticed as she was voted the Mid-Atlantic Region Women's Coach of the Year - the 14th Coach of the Year distinction of her career. All told, the Penn State's teams have earned nearly 50 NCAA All-America honors, gained 35 Big Ten Champions, and 33 Big Ten runner-up finishes under Sullivan's tutelage

The 2007 cross country teams also experienced a great deal of success as Sullivan's women's squad captured team titles at the Iona Meet of Champions and the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational, placed second in a solid field at the Penn State National Invitational, and finished fourth at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships. The women had an outstanding year overall, appearing in the USTFCCCA rankings for most of the season. The women were ranked as high as 26th in the country. Franek finished sixth in the Big Ten, earning all-conference status, before placing fourth in the region, claiming her second-consecutive all-region finish, and guaranteeing her second-career berth to the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Cheryl Spring would also earn her second-career all-region certificate in 2007, while redshirt freshman Leah Rosenfeld captured all-region honors with a 14th-place effort.

The Nittany Lion men posted top-three efforts at both the Spiked Shoe Invitational and Iona Meet of Championships, before finishing fourth at the Penn State National. The Penn State harriers have swept the Big Ten Runner of the Week awards on two occasions this season, with Franek winning twice on the women's side, and junior Brian Fuller and freshman Lucas Zarzeczny earning the honor for the men.

Sullivan had an outstanding year in her first season at the helm of the men's program. During the 2006 cross country campaign, Sullivan led the Lion men to a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships - the highest finish by a Lion squad since the 2001 season. Sullivan coached her first All-American on the men's side, as senior Dan Mazzocco posted a career-best 31st place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Sullivan also coached All-Region finishes from Mazzocco, who finished fourth overall, and Chris Nirschel, who took 22nd. On the women's side, Sullivan saw All-Region performances from freshmen Bridget Franek and Cheryl Spring with Franek earning an individual bid to the NCAA Championships.

Sullivan's troops continued to excel on the track, as the Penn State men tallied a fourth-place finish at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships - just half a point from the medal stand. On the NCAA stage, Sullivan saw sophomore and NCAA East Region high jump champion Ryan Fritz earn All-America honors during both seasons, including a fifth-place finish indoors. Under Sullivan's watch, Fritz, who also won a pair of Big Ten titles in 2007, was named the Mid-Atlantic Region Field Athlete of the Year for the indoor season, while Big Ten javelin record holder and NCAA qualifier Allen Pettner won the same award outdoors. Pettner won his second-career Big Ten javelin crown in 2007, setting new Big Ten, Penn State, and Nittany Lion Track facility records. All told, Sullivan's 2007 squad produced two All-America performances, four NCAA Championship appearances, three Big Ten individual titles, and 14 NCAA Regional qualifiers.

Under Sullivan's watch, the Nittany Lion women continued to tear through Penn State history, finishing the year with nine All-America performances and 13 school records. Junior Shana Cox, who was named the 2006-07 Penn State Female Athlete of the Year, produced one of the most memorable moments of the entire year with her second-place finish in the 400-meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Cox, and teammates Dominique Blake, Briene Simmons, and Aleesha Barber made Penn State history in 2007, scoring a fouth-place finish in the 4x400-meters at the NCAA Indoor Championships, earning the school's first-ever All-America finish in the mile relay. Sullivan also coached Big Ten Freshman of the Year Bridget Franek to an outstanding rookie campaign, which included three NCAA appearances, as well as a school record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Franek was the only freshman in Division I to qualify for all three NCAA Championships in a distance event. The 2007 Nittany Lion women also received All-America performances from Gayle Hunter in the heptathlon, Simmons in the indoor 800-meters and Barber in the 400-meter hurdles. At the NCAA regional level, Sullivan's team recorded 21 individual and two relay qualifiers, with senior Christen Clemson adding an NCAA East Region title in the discus to the Lion trophy case. The Nittany Lion women managed a fourth-place finish overall, tying the program's highest-ever effort at the regional meet.

Throughout the year, Cox, Hunter, Pettner and Fritz earned major regional recognition winning Mid-Atlantic Region Athlete of the Year honors, with Hunter and Fritz claiming the award indoors, and Cox and Pettner earning regional accolades outdoors.

The 2008 season is shaping up to be another record-setting campaign for the Lions, thanks to two outstanding recruiting classes. The men's class includes top-rated prep miler Sam Borchers, who won the mile at both the Nike Indoor and Outdoor Championships last year. Borchers' 4:03.33 was the top time by a high schooler in 2007, as well as one of the best marks in prep history. The Lions also inked Coatesville High School twins Kyle and Owen Dawson, who were members of the winning team at last year's Nike Cross Country Nationals, as well as the gold-medal DMR squad at the prestigious Penn Relays. Also making his way to Happy Valley this year is Pennsylvania state cross country champ Lucas Zarzeczny, out of Pittsburgh, Pa. In the throws, the Lions bring in shot putters Joe Kovacs, and Blake Eaton, who are both ranked among the top high school competitors in the country. The Lions also add middle distance standout Lionel Williams, who posted the best 600-meter time in the nation last winter.

The women's squad will welcome the additions of two-time Nike Outdoor Champion Karlee McQuillen - one of the most highly touted javelin recruits in the country last year. In the jumps, the Lions add Gabriela Baiter and Bianca Fung, both outstanding horizontal jumps from New York. Baiter was the Nike Outdoor National Champion in the triple jump last spring.

Sulllivan's squad recorded another outstanding year in 2006, with All-America performances from senior Jennifer Leatherman and then-sophomore Shana Cox. Leatherman capped off her Nittany Lion career with a fifth place finish in the hammer at the NCAA Championships, to go along with a third-place effort in the 20lb weight at indoor nationals. Leatherman also improved on her own school records, resetting the Penn State bar in both the weight (74-10), and the hammer (219-1). The senior dominated Big Ten competition winning indoor titles in the weight and the shot put to earn Athlete of the Championship honors, and went on to take conference gold in the hammer and discus outdoors. Leatherman's efforts earned an unprecedented seven Big Ten Athlete of the Week certificates in 2006, as well as the Big Ten Athlete of the Year award. Cox was equally impressive last season, taking Big Ten titles in the 200, 400, 4x100, and 4x400 at the outdoor championships. Cox was named Athlete of the Championship for her outstanding performance. The sophomore went on to win the 400 at the NCAA East Regional Championships, before placing third at NCAAs. Cox continued to impress throughout the summer, taking gold in the 400 at the NACAC Under-23 Championships in a blistering school-record time of 51.15. Cox also had a solid indoor season, anchoring Penn State's 4x400 to its first-ever Big Ten title, before finishing seventh in the 400 at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Cox set another pair of school records indoors, recording all-time Nittany Lion bests in the 400 (52.62), and 500 (1:10.30). Indoors, Sullivan's troops won three Big Ten titles, produced two automatic and six provisional qualifying performances, and sent two athletes and a relay to the national championships. Outdoors, the Nittany Lions posted 24 regional qualifying marks, captured six Big Ten titles, and sent four individuals and one relay team to the national meet.

During her time at Penn State, Sullivan has seen numerous elite level performers, including 2003 NCAA Discus Champion Deshaya Williams, who won the Nittany Lions' first-ever NCAA title on the women's side. Sullivan also saw standout sprinter Connie Moore to 11 All-American certificates, as well as a spot on the 2004 U.S. Olympic team.

Off the track, Sullivan's teams excel as well, as her women's squad have maintained over a 3.0 since her arrival in Happy Valley. Nine members of the Nittany Lion teams were named United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic Team last spring adding more outstanding accomplishments to an already sensational 2007 season. The Penn State women also earned recognition with their stellar team GPA. To be eligible for the award, student athletes must maintain a GPA of 3.25 or above and have completed two or more semesters, while having obtained an NCAA provisional, automatic, or regional-qualifying mark in their respective event through the past indoor or outdoor season. Five Nittany Lion women captured the academic citation, including freshman Franek, sophomore Emma Schmelzer, juniors Sonja Hinish and Heidi Nadeau , and senior Kim Markel , while four Penn State men earned the award with Clarence Smith, Jay Pagana, Ryan Kleintop, and Steve Meyers making the list.

Prior to her tenure at Penn State, Sullivan was the Women's Coordinator for the Stanford track and field and cross country teams from 1995-99. During those four years, Sullivan coached over 30 NCAA All-America athletes including one NCAA individual champion (Monal Chokshi in the 3,000 meters), guided numerous Pac-10 team and individual championship performers and led the team into national prominence. Under her coaching, Stanford placed in the top 10 at the NCAA Cross Country Championships all four years of her tenure including winning the NCAA championship in 1996. The Cardinal also took home runner-up honors in 1997 and a strong third place finish in 1998. In return, Sullivan was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year three times, NCAA Regional Coach of the Year twice and NCAA Division I Coach of the Year in 1996. In all, Sullivan has received Coach of the Year honors 14 times during her career. Before her years at Stanford, Sullivan served as the head coach at Mankato State University from 1993-95 and as the assistant coach at Southeast Missouri State University from 1991-93. Responsible for all aspects of coaching and recruiting within these programs, she was able to turn them around and create very successful teams in her short stays while laying a strong foundation for her later coaching endeavors. She earned conference-coaching honors and produced over 20 conference champions for these schools. Her coaching accomplishments at the university level have helped pave the way for Sullivan to reach prestigious positions on both the national and international stage.

In 2004, Sullivan was named a member of the Olympic coaching staff for the Athens Games. She was also selected to represent the United States as an assistant coach at the 2003 World Championships in Paris where she guided the middle distance runners for the world's top ranked track and field team. The 2004 Olympics was the fifth coaching post for Sullivan on the international level. She also has served as an assistant on the 2001 U.S. World Championships Team, guiding middle-distance and distance team members throughout the trials and the championships held in Edmonton, Canada. Prior to that appointment, Sullivan guided the U.S. Junior Team to the 1997 World Cross Country Championships in Turin, Italy. She was also the coach for the 1994 U.S. team that competed in the Beijing International Ekiden and was an assistant coach for the 1995 U.S. Olympic Festival staff in Colorado Springs. In addition to coaching, Sullivan is actively involved in the development and direction of collegiate cross country and track and field. She is an executive board member of USA Track and Field's Cross Country Committee, the U.S. Women's Track Coaches Association and the U.S.T.F.C.C.A first vice president. From 1998-2000, she served as the NCAA Division 1 President of the Women's Intercollegiate Cross Country Association.

In 2007, Sullivan was inducted into the Classic Lake Conference and the Hopkins High School Hall of Fame, both in Minnetonka, Minn. As a high school athlete at Hopkins High, Sullivan competed in track and field and cross country and was a member of the state championship cross country team in 1983, and the fourth-place 4x800-meter relay at the state level.

Sullivan earned a bachelor's degree in social work in 1989 from the University of Minnesota. As a Golden Gopher, she ran cross-country and track and field and captained her cross-country team her sophomore through senior years. She later completed a Master of Science degree in sports administration at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 1993. While at SIU, she began her college coaching career serving as assistant coach from 1989-91. During her time at SIU, she met and married her husband, Jim Sullivan. Jim is a full-time instructor with the Department of Kinesiology at Penn State and continues to be an important resource in developing training methodology. Dr. Sullivan volunteers his time as the Penn State pole vault coach. The couple lives in Bellefonte, Pa., with their two cats, Whitley and Ronin, who are also track fans!