Michael Spence Named Cross Country Associate Head Coach

Michael Spence, who has served as a volunteer, graduate assistant and assistant coach under veteran head coach Gregg Gensel from 2009-2011, has been named associate head coach for Utah State [University] cross country.

“I’m excited to have Mike back on our staff and with this promotion I see him filling an expanded role in helping us continue the success we have had over the years.,” Gensel said. “He is a coach that I have worked with before and trust. He comes in here with a very good recruiting background. He is known for that, he has a passion for the sport and an eye for the details needed to be successful in our sport. Those are the areas that he will step right in and be given a lot of responsibility to fulfill.”

Originally, Spence came to the state of Utah to train professionally, eventually volunteering to assist with USU cross country and track in 2009. Later, Spence was made a graduate assistant to coach Gensel for the 2010-2011 season. He then took a brief detour from Utah becoming an assistant coach at the university of Oklahoma from 2011-13. There he helped the men’s cross country and track team achieve two top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships. He returned to Utah State in April of 2013 as an assistant coach, and in the summer of 2014 he was named as the associate head coach of cross country and recruiting coordinator for both cross country and track.

“I really appreciate this opportunity to take on new responsibilities here at Utah State with our track and field and cross country teams,” Spence said. “Both teams — men and women — are coming off a tremendous first year in the Mountain West Conference, and Coach Gensel has an exciting vision of the future of the program. An incredibly talented group of freshmen joined the Aggies this year, and I’m excited to play an expanded role in helping this team reach its potential at the conference and national levels.”

Prior to his coaching experience, Spence earned his bachelor’s degree at Princeton University, where he also earned All-American honors and captained the Tigers’ cross country team in 1999.

As a runner, Spence was team captain for Team USA at the 2007 World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa, Kenya. Spence also earned a silver medal in the 3000-meter steeplechase at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Spence is a five-time USATF national team member and is a six-time top 10 finisher in USATF championship events. Spence finished sixth in the 3000-meter steeplechase at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore.

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Contact:  Lea Williams, (435)-797-8584