Austintown, Ohio - December 8, 2009 – The Heidelberg University men’s cross country team coaching staff have earned the 2009 Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Coaching Staff-of-the-Year honors.
The OAC began recognizing the Staff-of-the-Year in 2005. Prior to 2005, the coaches recognized an OAC Coach-of-the Year.
Under the guidance of second-year head coach Keith Roberts Jr., third-year assistant Tessa Sibley, and first-year assistants Ray Armstrong Jr., Jason Headman, and Tiffany Kovacevich, the men’s cross country team were nationally ranked throughout the 2009 season, including a 12th place ranking in the preseason national poll.
A week after a first-place finish at Pre-Regional, Heidelberg ran away with the 2009 OAC Championship. Paced by seven All-OAC honorees, Heidelberg won the program's fourth title. Its victory joined its titles from 1998, 1999 and 2000.
The Berg also earned an automatic bid to nationals after finishing strong at NCAA Great Lakes Regional with a second-place finish. The trip to the NCAA Championship was the program’s seventh appearance overall, fourth-straight (1997, 1998, 1999, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009), where it placed 18th overall.