HOME OF BULLDOG CROSS COUNTRY- 11 Combined SCIAC Championships

Aaron Olswanger Resigns from Bulldog Cross Country and Track & Field Position

Director of Athletics and Physical Education Jeff Martinez announced yesterday that Aaron Olswanger has resigned from his post with the Bulldogs in order to become an assistant cross country and track & field coach with his alma mater of Idaho State University.

Olswanger originally served as a volunteer assistant coach during the 2004-05 academic year and then became the cross country graduate assistant coach for two years. During this time, he completed his Master of Arts through the School of Education. He moved into the role of Head Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Coach during the summer of 2007 and continued to work with the distance runners of the track & field programs.

“Coach Olswanger has been instrumental in the return of our men’s and women’s cross country programs to the upper echelon of the SCIAC,” commented Martinez. “His mark on the programs will remain present for several years to come as this year’s rosters include many outstanding freshman and sophomore runners.”

During his time at the University of Redlands, Olswanger’s efforts, contributions and leadership have produced solid results for the Bulldog cross country teams. The women won the SCIAC Championship in 2006, finished second in 2007, and then took third this fall, in what was likely the best caliber of conference competition since the late 1980s. The men’s team has also enjoyed success under Olswanger’s tutelage, placing third in 2007 and fourth this fall. He leaves a program which had six All-SCIAC performers in 2008, five of whom are freshman or sophomores.

Olswanger now returns to his alma mater of Idaho State University, where he enjoyed an outstanding collegiate career as a student-athlete. He landed on the Big Sky Conference All-Academic Team nine times while earning a total of six letters in cross country and track & field. He capped off his stellar career as the 2004 ISU Track & Field Student-Athlete of the Year.

For the time being, current Redlands Head Track & Field Coach Mike Schmidt will oversee the cross country programs.