ADRIAN, Mich.--Adrian College athletics director Mike Duffy has named Brian Thill as the Bulldogs new men's and women's track & field and cross country coach, effective Aug. 1.
Adrian Athletics also announces that Erin Kline has joined the Adrian track and field staff as an assistant coach.
Thill originally joined the College as a track and field assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, but was elevated to the head coaching position for cross country and track & field after Ben Carlson left for Ohio Wesleyan University (as head cross country coach and assistant in track & field) after one season with the Bulldogs.
"We are thrilled that Brian has taken the reins of the program in short order," Duffy said. "His track and field acumen as a successful student-athlete at the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point and experience as a Division III coach at Defiance College and Stevens Point should serve him well here at Adrian College. We look forward to seeing Brian continue to elevate our men's and women's programs, especially in track and field."
For the past two seasons, Thill worked at Defiance College as the cross country and track & field graduate assistant coach and also had the title of interim associate head cross country coach last fall. With the Yellow Jackets, he was the technical coach in jumps, sprints and hurdles, inputted meet entries, recruited student-athletes, assisted in budget management,
supervised the workout/weight room planning and implementation for jumps, sprints and hurdles, performed meet management duties including hosting high school, college and 2016 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Indoor Championship events, and fundraising.
In 2015, Yellow Jackets Men’s Cross Country earned All-Academic Team distinction from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
"I am excited for this opportunity that Mike Duffy and the College administration has afforded me," Thill said. "We have a solid base here and an established group of returning student-athletes that are good to work with, so I want to work off that and continue to grow Bulldog Track & Field and Cross Country.
"Jordan Davis (sprints/hurdles/jumps) and Scott Campbell (sprints/throws) have a shot for a great upcoming year with the potential to qualify for Nationals, along with some of their teammates. I look forward to getting to know the team and being with them in competition," he said.
At Stevens Point, Thill was a three-time multi-event All-American. He earned his bachelor's degree in dietetics.
After graduation, Thill stayed on at his alma mater for the 2013-14 track and field season, helping coach two national qualifiers and an Indoor All-American long jumper at the NCAA Division III Championships.
Thill is owns a USA Track & Field Level 1 Coaching Education Certification, and received a master of arts in education from Defiance.
"I think our goals for the first season...the biggest thing is to transition the program to the next step in having a sustained era," Thill explains. "I want to maintain a top-four status in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, and continue to build-up the roster to be a contender (for conference championships and NCAA qualification) year-in, year-out."
Kline, who began her new duties this week, comes to Adrian via Carthage College where she served as a women's track and field graduate assistant and an assistant coach at UW-Stevens Point before that. She has worked at numerous youth camps and holds a USA Track & Field Level 1 Coach certification.
She received a bachelor's degree in biology from UWSP and is in the process of completing a master's degree in education leadership through Carthage.
Kline was a NCAA D-III track and field All-American in the 100m hurdles and a seven-time national qualifier.
Story provided by Patrick Stewart, Adrian
