Beth Alford-Sullivan Position: Director of Cross Country Years:: 9th Season

Beth Alford-Sullivan will complete her first decade at the helm of the Penn State women's cross country and track and field teams this year, and lead the Nittany Lion men's programs for the third year. Under Sullivan's watch, both programs have risen to unparalleled heights, including a record-breaking track and field season in 2008.

Sullivan's troops will be poised and ready for another record-breaking campaign this fall, led by Bridget Franek, a three-time NCAA All-American and two-time NCAA qualifier in cross country, who has been the Lions' top runner in her two years in the Blue and White. Sullivan guided Franek to a sixth-place and All-Big Ten finish at the 2007 conference championships, as well as a fourth-place and All-Region effort at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships. Leah Rosenfeld and Cheryl Spring also managed All-Region finishes in 2007, placing 14th and 23rd, respectively in one of the more competitive regions in the country. The Lions, who were ranked in the nation's top 30 for the majority of the 2007 season, managed several impressive team finishes during the fall, including wins at the Iona Meet of Champions, the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational, and a runner-up effort at the high-powered Penn State National. The Nittany Lion harriers continued to excel on the track with Franek earning a trio of All-America certificates on the year, including an impressive third-place effort in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Sullivan also led a solid distance contingent to the NCAA East Regional Championships, with Franek, Claire Percival, and Spring competing in the steeplechase, and Rosenfeld running the 1500-meters. Throughout the season, Franek posted qualifiers in the 1500, steeplechase, and 5,000-meters, while Rosenfeld and Spring also recorded regional efforts in the 5K. Percival would also go on to take top honors in the steeplechase at the Canadian Olympic Trials.

After leading Dan Mazzocco to an All-America finish during the 2006 season, Sullivan led the Lion men to a successful 2007 cross country campaign, including top three finishes at the Iona Meet of Champions, Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational, and Penn State National. Sullivan also guided then-junior Brian Fuller, who garnered Big Ten Athlete of the Week honors during the fall, to individual victories at the Lock Haven Dolan Duals and the Spiked Shoe Invite. With everyone back from the 2007 season - led by a seasoned group of seven seniors - Sullivan's charge once again look primed for another impressive campaign in 2008.

Sullivan oversaw a season for the record books last spring, including a fourth-place finish from the women's team at the NCAA Championships - the highest showing in program history. The historic performance was highlighted by gold-medal performances from Shana Cox in the 400-meters, as well as Dominique Blake, Aleesha Barber, Gayle Hunter, and Cox in the 4x400-meter relay. The relay's blistering 3:27.69 winner was the fastest performance recorded by a collegiate squad in 2008, while Cox's 50.84 PR was also a 2008 best. Following Deshaya Williams' NCAA victory in the discus in 2003, the Penn State women's program has now seen a total of three national title efforts, all of which have come under Sullivan's watch. The momentous 2008 campaign also included the program's first-ever victory at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships. The Lions would make a remarkable number of trips to the medal stand at the championships, including four individual winners and one relay champion. Sullivan was voted Women's Coach of the Year following the impressive victory while leading Cox to Athlete of the Championship and Athlete of the Year citations. The Nittany Lion women followed up the conference championship with a second-place effort at the NCAA East Regional Championships - also the best finish in program history. Sullivan was also named Mid-Atlantic Region Women's Head Coach of the Year - the 16th Coach of the Year honor of her decorated career.

The Nittany Lion men also experienced a record-setting 2008, including NCAA appearances by Shawn Colligan, Mark Miller, and Clarence Smith. Smith posted a ninth-place finish in the triple jump to earn his first-career All-America finish, while Colligan competed in the decathlon and Miller raced the 800-meters in their first-career NCAA appearances. Sullivan has already overseen four All-American finishes from the men's team in just two short years with the program. Sullivan's men's team posted a sixth-place effort at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships, led by freshman Samuel Borchers who provided an exciting sprint finish to earn the program's first Big Ten title in the 1500-meters. Sullivan also saw seniors Miller and Ron Jules to runner-up finishes in the 800-meters, and 110-meter hurdles, respectively, as well as a silver-medal finishes from Colligan in the decathlon and Smith in the triple jump. The Penn State men have been impressive at the conference level since Sullivan took the reins of the program two years ago, including fourth-place finishes at the 2007 Outdoor and 2008 Indoor Championships. During that time, Sullivan has seen Big Ten title efforts from Miller in the 800 and Smith in the triple jump at the 2008 Indoor Championships, Allen Pettner, who set the conference record in the javelin at the 2007 Outdoor Championships, and Ryan Fritz, who earned both Big Ten high jump titles in 2007.

Before coming to Penn State, Sullivan, who has coached well over 60 NCAA All-Americans throughout her career, served as the Women's Track and Field and Cross Country Coordinator at Stanford University. There she was honored as the Pac 10 Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year in 1996, 1997 and 1998. In 1996, when her Stanford team won the NCAA title, Sullivan was named the NCAA Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year. She also won Regional Coach of the Year honors in 1996 and 1997. In 1997, her Stanford team was national runner-up and in 1998 the Cardinal harriers finished third. Overall, her cross country runners at Stanford earned five top 10 NCAA finishes.

A 1989 University of Minnesota graduate in social work, Sullivan was a three-year team captain for the Gopher cross country team and also competed in track and field. She later completed a master's degree in sports administration at Southern Illinois University in 1993. While at SIU, she began her college coaching career serving as assistant coach from 1989-91. She went on to serve as head coach at Mankato State University (1993-95) and was an assistant coach at Southeast Missouri State University (1991-93). She is married to Jim Sullivan, a full-time instructor in the Penn State Department of Kinesiology and an important resource in developing training methodology. The couple lives in Bellefonte, Pa.