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Desert Hills Logan Fielding and American Fork's Bruno Hunziker were named this week as the Utah boys' and girls' cross country coaches of the year by the New Orelans-based U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Association.
This is the first year the group has named state-by-state coaches of the year. The state award makes both Fielding and Hunziker eligible for national high school coach of the year honors when those awards are announced next week. The group named one girls and one boys winner from each state.
Fielding coached the Desert Hills boys team to the Class 3A title last October at Sugar House Park, while Hunzier's American Fork girls' easily won the 5A championship.
"High school coaches have a profound impact on young athletes' lives," said USTFCCCA CEO Sam Seemes. "For so many runners, their high school cross country coach is the person who opened the world of running to them. We're excited to be able to recognize and reward those high school coaches for the successes of their teams this season."
State-by-state winners were selected based on their teams' performances throughout the 2014 cross country season. Among the factors taken into consideration were team score and placement at the state championships, margin of victory, performance against rankings if available, individual championships and how their teams' performances stacked up to previous years.
In recent years, Utah has become well known for producing some of the nation's top high school cross country runners and teams.
– Tom Wharton