Vin Lananna Moves On - 2003
STANFORD TRACK AND FIELD/CROSS COUNTRY RELEASE July 1, 2003 Contact: Kyle McRae Phone: (650) 725-2959; Fax: (650) 725-2957 Email: kyle.mcrae@stanford.edu; Web: gostanford.com *Stanford's Director Of Track And Field/Cross Country Won Five NCAA Titles During 11-Year Tenure At Stanford Vin Lananna Accepts Director Of Athletics Position At Oberlin College STANFORD, CA - Vin Lananna, the director of track and field/cross country at Stanford for the past 11 years, has accepted the position of Delta Lodge Director of Athletics and professor of physical education at Oberlin College, Oberlin President Nancy S. Dye announced Tuesday. "Stanford track and field has made unbelievable progress under the guidance of Vin Lananna," said Stanford Athletic Director Dr. Ted Leland. "Vin not only brought Stanford track and field into the national spotlight, but into the international circle as well. Stanford track and field athletes are known worldwide. We'll miss Vin, but the foundation for success that he has brought to Stanford track and field remains rock solid." During his 11-year tenure at Stanford, Lananna's teams won five NCAA titles. In 2000, he led the Stanford men's track and field squad to its first NCAA Outdoor Track And Field title since 1934. Stanford also swept the 1996 men's and women's NCAA Cross Country crowns before the men repeated in 1997 and returned to the throne again in 2002. His Stanford cross country teams added 14 Regional titles (seven men, seven women) and 15 Pac-10 titles (nine women, six men). Lananna has been named the NCAA National Coach of the Year five times, three times with the Stanford men's cross country squad (1996, '97, 2002), once with the Stanford women's cross country team (1996) and once with the Dartmouth men's cross country squad (1986). He has been an NCAA Regional Cross Country Coach of the Year 19 times, 15 on the women's side and four with men's teams. In addition, Lananna has earned a total of 14 conference cross country/track and field Coach of the Year honors. Prior to his tenure at Stanford, Lananna served as assistant director of athletics at Dartmouth, where he also directed the men's and women's cross country/track and field programs from 1980 until the fall of 1992. In 12 seasons with the Big Green, Lananna had a team qualify for the NCAA Championships every year with his men's squad finishing as the NCAA runner-up in both 1986 and 1987. His track and field/cross country teams won 13 Ivy League titles. He began his coaching career in 1975 as head coach at the C.W. Post campus of Long Island University, in Brookville, New York. Lananna earned a Bachelors of Arts degree in history and psychology in 1975 at C.W. Post, where he was captain of the cross country team. He later earned a Masters of Science degree at Long Island University. Since 1994, he has also served as president and co-founder of the Nike Farm Team, a post-collegiate program for corporately funded professional middle distance and distance athletes based at Stanford. Lananna recently added to his lengthy list of accomplishments when he was named the Team USA middle distance coach for the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. Kyle McRae Stanford Athletics Assistant Director of Media Relations Arrillaga Family Sports Center Stanford, CA 94305-6150 Email: kyle.mcrae@stanford.edu Web: gostanford.com Phone: 650-725-2959 Fax: 650-725-2957