FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Media Relations

SOMERS, Wis. (Feb. 22, 2016)-- University of Wisconsin-Parkside cross country and track & field coach Micah VanDenend has resigned from his position in order to pursue other career opportunities Athletic Director Tamie Falk-Day announced on Monday.
 
VanDenend guided the men's and women's cross country and track & field programs for the last six seasons, helping the Rangers' collect All-Great Lakes Valley Conference accolades on 63 occasions while coaching eight All-Americans.
 
VanDenend helped the women's cross country team place runner-up at the GLVC Championships in 2013 while returning the Rangers to the NCAA Championships in 2015 for the first time in eight years, placing 16th overall. On the men's side, the 2015 Co-GLVC Men's Coach of the Year guided the cross country squad to runner-up finishes at both the 2014 and 2015 GLVC Championships, the highest-ever finish in program history while placing eighth at the 2015 NCAA Championships, the first ever nationals appearance in school history.  
 
 "The department would like to thank Micah for all his hard work elevating both the men's and women's programs back to national prominence and wish him the best of luck in the future," said Athletic Director Tamie Falk-Day.
 
"He is leaving us with a talented group of student-athletes and we're excited to see what this group can do this weekend at the GLVC Indoor Championships and in the future."
 
VanDenend's resignation is effective immediately. The process to identify an interim coach for the outdoor season is already underway while a full national search for a permeant head coach will be conducted at the same time.
 
The Rangers host the 2016 GLVC Indoor Track & Field Championships on Saturday and Sunday inside Petretti Fieldhouse.