ROCK ISLAND -- Director of Athletics Mike Zapolski has announced the hiring of Chad Gunnelson to serve as the College's Director of Cross Country/Track & Field.

"The Director position generated an outstanding applicant pool," said Zapolski. "Chad will leverage the tremendous assets that Augustana has to offer to build our roster size, improve programmatic competitiveness, create a team-first environment and connect with our alumni. Chad has compiled an impressive record of success in a highly competitive conference, and I am confident that his leadership skills will translate to creating a holistic, positive experience where our coaching staff and student-athletes can thrive."

Gunnelson comes to Augustana after spending 12 years at the University of Dubuque. Beginning in 2011, Gunnelson first began his tenure with the Spartans as the head coach of the men's track & field team and both the men's and women's cross country teams before also taking on the women's track and field team from 2012-2015. In 2015, he was elevated to Director of Cross Country/Track & Field, holding the title until 2022.

As head coach of men's & women's track & field, Gunnelson led the men to their first-ever and back-to-back indoor conference titles and their first outdoor conference title in 61 years at UD. The women achieved their highest indoor and outdoor conference finishes in school history as well. During his time with the cross country programs, Gunnelson led the women to their best conference finish in school history and the men's top finish in over 30 years.

In 2023, the track program placed 18 men and 18 women on the American Rivers Conference Spring All-Academic Team and five men and five women earned CSC Academic All-District honors. This year's men's and women's track & field teams earned 3.215 and 3.628 GPAs, respectively, making them eligible for USTFCCCA All-Academic honors.

"I am so grateful for Mike Zapolski, his leadership, and his hospitality throughout the hiring process," stated Gunnelson. "He and the Augustana College administration and admission staff provide spectacular support and I'm honored to be joining their team."

Gunnelson brings a wide array of accolades and accomplishments to the Vikings' programs. At Dubuque, he saw 85 school records broken in track & field and both top marks in cross country earned. He coached 652 top-10 performances, 160 conference titles won, and 76 All-America honors in his 12 years. On an individual level, he coached eight NCAA runner-ups and four NCAA champions, while leading the team to three conference titles and two top-10 finishes nationally. He was three-time Coach of the Year in the region and four-time Coach of the Year in the ARC.

"Our primary focus will be to build a championship culture and championship teams around two standards, being a great teammate and being a great competitor," he added. "How soon and how well we start living by and holding each other to these standards will determine how great Augustana track & field and cross country can truly be." Gunnelson earned his Bachelor's Degree in Health, Wellness, and Recreation before securing two Master's Degrees in Sport Management and Organizational Diversity and Inclusion Leadership, all at the University of Dubuque.

Gunnelson's duties with both the cross country and track & field programs will begin next month.