Elgin, Ill. - Exciting events continue for Judson University as the university has announced that they are bringing back men's and women's cross country for the 2008 season and have hired a coach to continue the rich tradition it once had.  Marengo's Rich Weinhandl has been hired to form both teams for next season.

"Rich brings a wealth of experience to Judson after coaching for so many years at the high school level," says Judson University Director of Athletics Nancy Smith. "I feel very confident that we have the right person to get our cross country program up and going again. He has a lot of passion and energy and will do a great job."

Weinhandl is no stranger of building programs as he rebuilt the Marengo High School cross country team from three players 18 years ago to a respected program now.  In 18 years at Marengo HS, he has produced five runners that have been state qualifiers.  In the 1993 season, he had two runners advance to state in Debbie Nelson and Danielle Nelson.  His most recent qualifier for state was Sarah Sprague in 2006.

His teams have also competed strongly every season.  His girl's teams have been Sectional qualifiers nine times in his 18 years.  The girl's team went four years in a row from 1992 through 1995 and then three straight times in 2001, 2002, and 2003.  They also qualified in 2004 and 2007.  The boys team went four straight times from 2001 through 2004. 

His teams have also done well in school as several of them have received team academic achievement awards from the Illinois High School Association.

In the coaching ranks, he has been a certified track official for 33 years.  In 1995, he was named the Northwest Herald Cross Country Coach of the Year. 

Weinhandl also has done a lot of community service with his teams over the past 18 years.  This past summer, he took his cross country team to South Dakota to the Crow Creek Indian Reservation to learn more about the Indian culture and to do community service. 

He currently is an assistant administrator for the McHenry County Sheriff's Office in Woodstock, Illinois.  He helps to write grants for the sheriff's department and is currently the executive director of the Friends of McHenry County Sheriff's Office Foundation in which he founded.  He has also served as a probation officer for 13 years. 

On the college scene, Weinhandl is a 1974 graduate of Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois, where he received his bachelor's degree in sociology.  He also ran cross country at Greenville and was inducted into their Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004.  He has also received other awards through the years that include the Outstanding Young Men of America Award, Outstanding Educators of America, Special Olympics Flame of Hope Award, National Organization on Disabilities Program of Excellence award, the Turning Point Peace and Justice Award, and the Illinois Probation and Court Services Line Staff Award.

JUDSON CROSS COUNTRY

Judson University is bringing back men's and women's cross country after 12 years of inactivity.  The program was cut after the 1996 season for both the men and women.  The men's team produced two Judson Athletes of the Year in Dan Westlund (1982) and Mike O'Brien (1996).  Westlund was voted into the Judson Hall of Fame in 2006 for his cross country accolades.  He was a four-time all-NIIC (Northern Illinois Intercollegiate Conference) runner and team MVP.  He was also a two-time NCCAA (National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association) All-American, NAIA National Qualifier, and all-NAIA District team member.  The men's team also won three straight NIIC Championships in 1993, 1994, and 1995 along with being the NAIA District Champions in 1993.

Judson will start the cross country season in 2008.  Weinhandl will immediately begin recruiting for the 2008 season as the Eagles will field a full schedule for both teams.