Matt McGuirk

Head Coach
Office Phone: (503) 370-6898
E-mail: mmcguirk@willamette.edu

Matt McGuirk is entering his sixth year as Head Coach of Cross-Country and Track & Field at Willamette University. Last season, McGuirk directed the Willamette Track and Field teams to first place finishes in the Northwest Conference. In cross country, the women captured the conference title and the men finished second.

In the spring of 2005, in which fourteen athletes qualified for the national meet, McGuirk was named 2005 NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s West Region Coach of the Year. He, along with his staff, guided three-time All-American Shannon McGrane to West Region Athlete of the Year honors. At the same time, McGuirk coached 5-time national champion Nick Symmonds to West Region and National Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year, which marks the second year in a row that a Willamette athlete has earned that national honor. McGuirk’s staff led ten athletes to fourteen All-American marks at the national championships, as the men finished 4th and the women finished 11th nationally.

During his first year as cross-country head coach in 2004, both the men and women won the NCAA Division III West Region Cross-Country Championships en route to their national performances. In addition, McGuirk led the men to their fourth consecutive Northwest Conference Championship and their women to their third in a row, and was voted as both the men’s and women’s 2004 Northwest Conference Cross-Country Coach of the Year. Earlier that spring, the men’s team tied for third place at the NCAA Division III National Meet, giving Willamette its first NCAA trophy in school history. Among other successes, he and his staff coached the men’s and women’s teams to their third consecutive Northwest Conference Championship in a row.

Prior to taking over as head coach in 2004, McGuirk was the program’s head assistant coach and recruiting coordinator beginning in 1999. His dedication to recruiting student-athletes that are willing to make the commitment to being great in the classroom and in athletics has resulted in the largest and most successful teams in school history. As the head cross-country coach for the men, he has overseen four straight Northwest Conference titles (’01,’02,’03,‘04), three consecutive West Region Championships (’02,’03,’04), and to two fifth place finishes at the 2002 & 2004 Division III National Cross Country Meet, the highest finishes in school history.

During his short time at Willamette, McGuirk and his staff have coached fourteen different athletes to thirty-two All-American performances. Included in these are five-time National Champion Nick Symmonds, who has won the 1500 twice and the 800 three times under his tutelage. Among McGuirk’s proudest achievements is coaching three Bearcats (Jacob Stout, Aaron Hollingshead, Scott Overby) to All-American status in the 2004 National Steeplechase event, his primary race throughout his collegiate and professional career. In addition, four-time All-American Alicia Andrews ran to two consecutive runner-up finishes in the 800 with McGuirk at the helm.

McGuirk recently guided Jacob Stout to four All-American honors and the 2004 Division III Male Track & Field Athlete of the Year Award. McGuirk also oversaw Stout in cross-country, where he was the first three-time All-American at Willamette and NCAA West Region history. In his first year as head coach over both teams, McGuirk also presided over fourteen Academic All-Americans on the men’s and women’s teams in 2004, the largest number in school history.

Prior to his arrival at Willamette, McGuirk was the first head coach at Wilsonville High School and built the cross-country program from the ground up. In only their fifth year of existence, the school won its first state cross-country championship. From that time, Wilsonville has annually been one of the top 3A programs in Oregon.

McGuirk is a native of Eugene. After completing a decorated high school career at South Eugene, McGuirk embarked upon an excellent college career at The University of Oregon. At Oregon, he became a member of a select group by lettering eight times in cross-country and track & field. McGuirk also put his name in the Oregon books by racing to All-American status in the 1984 steeplechase, helping the Ducks win the outdoor track and field national championship that year, their last to date. He graduated from The University of Oregon with degrees in finance and marketing.

McGuirk has shown an ability to transcend his athletic experience into true coaching expertise, allowing dedicated student-athletes to realize immediate results as well as focus upon long-term goals.

“Willamette is the ideal place for a student who is looking for high quality academics and athletics. It’s my honest belief that if an individual chooses Willamette and decides to be successful in and out of the classroom, the opportunity will be provided. The philosophy of my staff is to simply impart the best advice, information, and opportunities possible to allow student-athletes to be great in whatever they aspire to achieve.”

Coaching Quick Facts

Full Name: Matthew McGuirk
Hometown: Eugene, Oregon
High School: South Eugene
Alma Mater: University of Oregon, ‘88 (B.A. in Finance/Marketing)
Running Career: 1983 U.S. Junior Steeplechase Champion; Ranked Top 40 in the world in steeplechase (1992 & 1993) Placed seventh in the steeplechase in the 1992 Olympic Trials, setting a personal record of 8:26.10; 1993 Olympic Festival steeplechase champion
Coaching Highlights: 2004 3rd place finish at Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships, 2005 4th place finish at Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Six straight Northwest Conference titles as head coach in cross-country/track & field
Student-Athlete Highlights: 14 Academic All-Americans in 2004, 5 Cross-Country NCAA Division III Academic All-Americans, 13 Track & Field NCAA Division III Academic All-Americans, 32 Northwest Conference Cross-Country Scholar-Athletes, 44 Northwest Conference Track & Field Scholar-Athletes, all in 2005

Brett Franz

Recruiting Coordinator / Assistant Coach
Office Phone: (503) 370-6934
E-mail: bfranz@willamette.edu

Brett Franz joins the Bearcat staff for his fourth year after spending 2005 as the Head Men’s and Women’s Cross Country and Distance Coach at Lindenwood University in St Charles, Missouri. Under his direction the Lindenwood Men’s Cross Country team placed 3rd at the NAIA National Championships while the Women’s Cross Country team placed 15th. He coached the men’s NAIA National Champion in Cross Country, Mile (indoor), and the 10,000m (outdoor). Franz coached 8 NAIA All-Americans last season in Cross Country and Track. Coach Franz was named trackbrain.com’s NAIA National Assistant Coach of the Year (Distances) for Indoor Track and Field as well as Men’s HAAC Conference and NAIA Region V Coach of the Year for Men’s Cross Country.

Franz Received a Masters in Athletic Administration from Lindenwood University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Western Oregon University.

Christopher Sabato

Assistant Coach
Office Phone: (503) 370-6803
E-mail: csabato@willamette.edu

Christopher Sabato returns for his fifth year to the Bearcat staff as an assistant coach for the cross country and track & field teams. Sabato Works with the cross country team in the fall and coaches the pole vaulters in the spring. Sabato comes from Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee where he has spent two years coaching the sprints and jumps including several all conference athletes and a handful of NCAA Division III national qualifiers.

Prior to his time at Rhodes College, Sabato attended Alfred University in Alfred, New York, graduating in 2002 with a degree in electrical engineering. During his collegiate track & field career, Sabato competed in the sprints, the long jump, and the pole vault. He was a 3-time All-State pole vaulter in the New York State Collegiate Track Conference. His athletic and academic experience will provide a significant boost to the Bearcat cross country and track & field teams.