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

SOMERS, Wis. (June 24, 2016)-- The University of Wisconsin-Parkside athletic department and Athletic Director Tamie Falk-Day announced on Friday the hiring of Thomas Breitbach as head coach for the men's and women's cross country and track & field programs.
 
"I'm excited to add Thomas Breitbach to the Ranger coaching staff," said Athletic Director Tamie Falk-Day. "Thomas is an accomplished runner himself and has a great understanding of training techniques to lead our cross country teams back to Nationals. His passion for the sport and positive attitude will immediately be felt by his runners." 
 
A four-time All-American, Breitbach brings several years of experience coaching at the collegiate level in Wisconsin. Breitbach previously served as a graduate assistant for Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin during the 2014-2015 academic year, helping the women's cross country team to its highest finish in program history at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional while coaching an All-Region honoree.
 
Prior to Edgewood, Breitbach served as a volunteer assistant coach at Division I Marquette University for two seasons. His stint with the Golden Eagles included coaching two student-athletes to the preliminary round of the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The Wisconsin native got his start in the coaching ranks as a student assistant with the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 2011, helping the Blugold women's cross country team to a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference crown.
 
In addition to coaching at the collegiate level, Breitbach has served as a coach for elite post-graduate athletes since 2010, including a 2016 U.S. Olympic Trails qualifier in the marathon.
 
Breitbach enjoyed a decorated career at UW-Eau Claire, securing All-American laurels in track & field on four occasions, including three runner-up finishes at the NCAA Division III championships. Breitbach was a two-time national qualifier in cross country, was a two-time WIAC Champion in the 5,000-meters, while helping UW-Eau Claire to a runner-up finish in the team standings at the 2012 NCAA Division III Indoor Championships. He was a six-time United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic selection, a five-time WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll honoree, and was a three-time team captain, including captaining the 2012 squad that was honored as the USTFCCCA Scholar Team of the Year during both the indoor and outdoor seasons.
 
Breitbach graduated from UW-Eau Claire in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in history and will begin his duties on campus on July 1.

The Rangers are coming off a banner cross country season last fall with the men placing eighth at the NCAA Division II Championships while the women placed 16th. The men's and women's squad's open the season on Sept. 10, hosting the Midwest Open at the Dannehl National Cross Country Course.