Cross Country Coaches

Matt McGuirk

• Head Coach
• (7th year, 12th year on WU staff)
• BA, University of Oregon  '88
  
• Sparks 221
• (503) 370-6898 voice
• mmcguirk@willamette.edu

Matt McGuirk is in his seventh year as the head coach of cross country and his eighth year as head coach of track and field at Willamette University.

Prior to becoming head coach in 2004, McGuirk led the men’s cross country team for five seasons. He also was the team’s top assistant coach and recruiting coordinator from 1999-03. His ability to recruit student-athletes who succeed both in the classroom and in competition has led to the most successful teams in school history.

In 2002 and 2004, the WU men’s team earned fifth place finishes at the NCAA Championships. Sarah Zerzan of WU won back-to-back individual national titles at the NCAA Championships in 2006 and 2007. The WU women’s team placed ninth in the  NCAA during the 2004 and 2007 seasons.

McGuirk was named NWC Coach of the Year in both men’s and women’s cross country in 2004 and 2007. He also earned NWC Coach of the Year honors in men’s cross country in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2009, and in women’s in 2008.

McGuirk led the men’s team to eight NWC titles in the past nine years and the women to five straight titles from 2004-08. He also led WU to the NCAA West Regional men’s title in six of the past eight seasons and to the women’s West Regional title four of the past six years.    

McGuirk has guided the men’s team to the NCAA Championships nine times, with the women qualifying on five occasions. He was an assistant coach when the women qualified in 2003.

Since he has been at WU, both teams have earned All-Academic status every year. The award requires at least a 3.1 team GPA.

As Willamette’s track and field coach, McGuirk led the men’s team to a tie for third place at the NCAA Track and Field Championships in 2004, giving Willamette its first NCAA trophy in school history. The WU men’s team took fourth place at the NCAA Championships in 2005.

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