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Post date: Aug 10, 2011 2:02:00 AM
The national search started in the spring finally netted a new Head Cross Country Coach for the Captains.
Matthew Barreau Selected To Lead CNU’s
Cross Country & Distance Program
After a long, national search that attracted the attention of several high profile coaches with outstanding credentials for developing Cross Country programs, the top candidate – Matthew Barreau – accepted the opportunity to carry CNU’s distance program in to its next chapter. Barreau has a dozen years combined experience at the NCAA Div. I, Div. II, NAIA, and high school levels and has found success at every stop. Highlights include a stint as a Graduate Assistant Coach at Div. II powerhouse Adams State College. Well known for their Cross Country and Distance successes, the Adams State program established by Joe Vigil – legendary distance coach and one of the founders of USA Track & Field’s Coaching Education Program – and carried on by Damon Martin who himself has earned 29 National Coach of the Year awards and 27 National Championships.
After coaching at Adams State, Barreau was hired as the Assistant Coach at Division I Portland State University in charge of the Cross Country & Distance program. In three years, his athletes captured 16 School Records and 104 spots on the PSU Top-10 Lists. He had two of qualifiers for the NCAA Regionals and three for USA Track & Field’s Junior National Championships where Melissa Owens ran 2:08.61 for 6th Place and followed that up with a 9th place finish in just her second ever 1500m (4:36.00).
Most recently, Barreau coached the sprinters and distance runners at Bethune-Cookman, helping 400m Hurdler Eric Cray qualify for the Div. I National Championships and has been working for RunnerSpace.com as editor for their Training Site and Colorado Site.
“My high school coach made such an impact on my life that I decided at 15 that all I wanted to do with my life was coach” said Barreau. “So, here I am – looking forward to many years to come here at CNU!”
Regarding his new Cross Country Coach, Head Coach Tyler Wingard assessed “Coach Barreau has a great sense of training mechanics and design. Even more importantly, he gets it across to his athletes. I first met Coach Barreau at the USATF Coaching Education Level 2 Endurance School several years ago and was impressed by his insights and analysis. I am excited to have Coach Barreau on board – our Cross Country and Distance Program is in very good hands!”
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