Walt Drenth Becomes Director of MSU's Cross-Country and Track & Field Programs

Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagley

Michigan State University's cross-county and track & field programs have taken a really positive step forward with the appointment of Walt Drenth as the director.

Just as Tom Izzo has led the Spartan basketball program back to national prominence, and new first-year coach Mark Dantonio has already dramatically improved Michigan State's football fortunes with a bowl appearance, Walt Drenth will create a winning tradition among Spartan runners.

Drenth arrived on campus as a proven winner about to become a more successful winner at Michigan State. He had spent 7 years as Arizona State's head cross-country coach, turning a failing team into one of the premier performers in the West.

When he arrived at Arizona State, neither of the men or women cross-country runners had ever made a team appearance at the nationals nor earned a national ranking. The women had never even produced one All-American runner.

Under Drenth's leadership, encouragement and motivation, the Arizona State women have been to the NCAA Championships 5 years in a row, including a school-record 6th place finish. They have also been two-time regional runners-up, 3-time Pac 10 runners-up, posted a program-best No. 3 national ranking, and produced a woman All American 4 years in a row.

The Arizona State men made their first appearance at the nationals, were nationally ranked, and logged a school-record 3rd place finish at the regionals. Drenth also made a difference by coaching the distance runners in track as they produced 12 school records in distance events and 14 became All-Americans.

Not too shabby considering that there are 299 NCAA Division 1 Men's Cross-Country programs at last count.

None of this was new to Walt Drenth, who led the College of William & Mary to 5 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) cross-country titles and 2 track and field titles in 6 years, and was named CAA Cross-Country Coach of the Year 5 times. William & Mary was also a District II champion in cross-country and Drenth was District II Coach of the Year twice. His William & Mary track teams won 2 CAA titles and he tutored 5 All-American runners.

Prior to coaching at William & Mary, Drenth was the head cross-country and assistant track and field coach at his alma mater, Central Michigan University. He won a District IV title there and was named District IV Coach of the Year. Drenth also won 2 Mid-American Conference titles and was named MAC Coach of the Year twice.

In short, Drenth has won team titles and produced individual champions at every coaching stop in his 20-plus-year career. He will not be stepping up at Michigan State as much as stepping up Michigan State's running programs because winners win and losers don't.

In examining Michigan State's 2007 roster of men and women runners, I find that 35 of the 45 runners (77%) are from Michigan. Rule 1 is to dominate recruiting in your state. Do not let good runners get away to other schools and beat you. This is doubly important for Drenth because among the 50 states, Michigan has the 8th largest population.

An insider has told me that Drenth does not play psychologist with his athletes. In other words, his program is performance-based. I really like Drenth's approach. Apparently he does not hand out scholarships like candy. Talking a good game will get you nowhere; you must perform to reap any rewards for your effort.

It does not automatically follow that a state champion distance runner in high school will enjoy the same success level at college. College races are longer, the competition is much better, and the academic and social adjustments at college level are more difficult.

You must have some talent to succeed at a higher level. You must be willing to work hard by training consistently and effectively. You must have personal growth emotionally to withstand the ups and downs of performance and improvement. You must also develop a mental toughness to separate yourself from the pack. A runner or athlete who wants to be a champion must announce himself or herself by separating from the lead pack. There is a reason why Steve Prefontaine was a front runner. Trust me when I say it was not because he planned on losing the race.

Getting to the top is not so much about having the will to win-everyone wants to win-but having the will to prepare to win. Preparation is everything that will is not. Having the will to win is a want, but preparing to win is a need. What is opportunity without preparedness? Nothing but an opportunity wasted. It is only when preparedness meets opportunity head on that an explosion happens and something exciting takes place. Look for an explosion of running success at Michigan State University as Walt Drenth is prepared to make it happen.


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