SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco State Director of Athletics Stephanie Shrieve-Hawkins has announced that men's cross country Head Coach Tom Lyons has been named the Director of Track & Field and Cross Country programs. Additionally, assistant track & field coach Christa Youngern has been named the Associate Head Coach of Track & Field.
 
This change takes place after Head Coach Kendra Reimer was named the Director of Track & Field and Cross Country at San Jose State. The two-time CCAA Coach of the Year led the Gators to the first CCAA Championship in program history this past year, and to a top-ten ranking nationally all season. She was also a four-time USTFCCCA West Region Head Coach of the Year during her time at SF State, and was named the West Region Coach of the Year during the indoor season in 2018.
 
"We are very fortunate to have such a depth and breadth of leadership experience with our track and field and cross country coaching staff," says Shrieve-Hawkins. "Continuity is vital to the success of our student-athletes in all areas of their collegiate lives. We are lucky to have the ingredients right here to sustain and grow that prominence. I am very pleased with the composition of our Gator Track & Field and Cross Country coaches, and confident they will lead our student-athletes to continued victories."
 
Lyons enters his 14^th season as a Head Coach at SF State. From 2005-14, Lyons served as the men's and women's cross country Head Coach and held the post as Interim Head Coach for the women's track and field team from 2013-14. During his tenure, Lyons has coached eight NCAA Division II All-Americans and nine All-West Region honorees. In the classroom, Lyons' men's and women's cross country programs have garnered nine USTFCCCA All-Academic Team awards, with over 30 student-athletes earning USTFCCCA All-Academic Individual awards. In 2008 Lyons started the SF State Distance Carnival, which has established itself as one of the largest track & field meets in the West. This year the event will be renamed the Mike Fanelli Track Classic, and will be held over three days at Chabot College from March 28-30.
 
In total, Lyons has 26 years of head coaching experience and is in the Marin Athletic Foundation Hall of Fame for his service as the head track and cross country coach at Redwood High School.
 
Under Youngern's tutelage, SF State had six All-America awards in 2018. Destiny Mack-Talalemotu earned First Team honors at the indoor NCAA National Championships in shot put and weight throw, while also earning second team recognition at the outdoor Championships in shot put, discus and hammer throw. Courtney Massengale was also named an All-American at the outdoor NCAAs, earning the award in discus.
 
Assistant Coaches Mike Tomasello and Chioke Robinson will also remain at SF State this season. Robinson was named the USTFCCCA West Region Assistant Coach of the Year in 2017 following a stellar campaign by the Gator sprinters. In 2016-17, Tomasello's student-athletes set two school records and six Top Ten All-Time marks. Adriana Calva competed at NCAA Track and Field Nationals in the steeplechase and was named All-Region and All-Academic in Cross Country.
 
The Gator cross country squads return on September 21 for the SF State Invitational, which takes place at Golden Gate Park's Speedway Meadow.