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April 29, 2008 LAURINBURG, N.C.—Brian Mand, Director of Athletics, has announced on Tuesday the resignation of Gary Aycock as the head coach of the St. Andrews Presbyterian College men’s and women’s Cross Country and Track & Field programs and the promotion of six-year assistant coach Jim Walters to head coach in both sports effective at the end of the 2007-08 academic year. “It has been an honor and privilege to lead a group of such talented student-athletes through the past six seasons,” said Aycock. “Through the hard work, dedication and commitment of everyone involved, the SAPC running programs have become one the of the most respected programs in the southeastern part of the United States.” A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Aycock earned a Bachelor of Science in physical education and a master’s degree in physical education from UNCP. Aycock is leaving St. Andrews to work in his alma mater’s athletics department as an assistant track & field coach, an assistant cross country coach, and director of compliance. Aycock has been the Knights’ cross country head coach for the past six years leading both the men’s and women’s teams to their most successful era in the program’s NCAA Division II era both on race paths and in the classroom. Aycock, a Scotland County native, also served as the Knights’ assistant coach in 2001-02. He has also served as the head track and field coach since the beginning of the program in 2005. “I would like to express my sincere thanks to Carl Ullrich, Howard Reichner, and Dr. Brian Mand for their support and guidance over the past six seasons. I would also like to thank Jim Walters for his hard work and commitment as the assistant coach,” added Aycock. "I would like to thank our athletic director Dr. Brian Mand and the St. Andrews administration for giving me the opportunity to coach here as an assistant for the past six years as well as the vote of support to take over as the new head coach,” said Walters. “ JimWalters has worked side-by-side withGaryAycock over the past six years and also deserves much of the credit to the growing success of the track and field program in its infancy stages and the gradual and sustained success of the cross country program,” stated Mand. “When I became aware of Gary’s desire to coach at his alma mater, the thought never crossed my mind to look outside the Knights family to secure our next head coach. Jim Walters is as prepared and ready as one can be to assume the head coaching responsibilities and I see this as a seamless transition and reward for his loyal and dedicated service to St. Andrews and our athletics program. On behalf of St. Andrews, I would like to thank Gary Aycock for his well documented accomplishments and service to the athletics program and college and wish him well in his new career opportunity. At the same time, I am excited to welcome Jim Walters in his new and well deserved role as Head Cross Country and Track & Field Coach.” “I am very grateful to Gary Aycock for the leadership and opportunities he has given to me during our six years together. We have built a running program that we are very proud of and I look forward to continuing the tradition that we have started,” stated Walters. Aycock, a 2005 Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference & 2006 Southeast Region Coach of the Year at SAPC, has guided the Knights cross country teams to countless individual and team milestones in his six seasons at the helm. On the men’s side, Aycock and Walters led St. Andrews to it’s first-ever conference title in 2005 and first-ever Southeast Region crown in 2006. Undertheir guidance, the men’s teams have won nine races had nine other runner-up finishes. Aycock and Walters haveled the Knights to their first-ever No. 1 ranking in the Southeast and qualified the men’s team for the NCAA Division II National Championships in both ’05 and ’06. Aycock and Walters recruited the CVAC Freshman of the Year in three consecutive seasons (Chris Miller in 2004, Mitch Cooper in 2005, and Pedro Tapia Jr. in 2006). Aycock and Walters have coached 15 All-Conference, nine All-Region, and six Runners of the Week. Aycock also helped Mitch Cooper and Alyson Trovato qualify for the 2007 National Championships as individuals last season. Cooper also was crowned the 2006 CVAC Runner of the Year. Trovato becomes first Lady Knight to ever qualify for the national race. “It has been very exciting to watch the programs rise from the bottom of the conference ranks to see the programs ‘toe the line’ at the NCAA D-II National Championships,” proudly stated Aycock. On the women’s side, Aycock and Walters have coached an impressive 16 conference Runner’s of the Week while also building the program into contenders in the region (earning the program’s first-ever ranking in the Southeast Region). Aycock guided women’s teams have won two races and finished in the top-three places seven times. Aycock and Walters has directed seven All-Conference and three All-Region women’s honorees. Aycock and Walters have proudly coached All-Academic individuals and teams on either the women’s or men’s side in each of his six seasons with SAPC. Aycock has directed 15 Individual Academic All-Americans and four All-American Teams including the 2004 women’s team being ranked fourth in the nation with a 3.71 team GPA. Aycock was named the inaugural head coach of the St. Andrews men’s and women’s track & field teams in 2005. In just the first three seasons, Aycock has already built the programs into contenders at the conference and regional levels. The 2008 Knights track & field teams had 21 participants finish in the top-10 of the Tri-Conference Championships. Walters will be taking over the men’s and women’s track & field programs after serving as the Knights assistant for the past three years. Walters, another Scotland County native, is a lifelong runner. His running and racing experience extends to various open levels, including half-marathons, marathons, and adventure races. Walters is a certified Level I United States Track & Field coach in all event areas and is a certified Level II USATF coach specializing in all throwing events. Walters graduated from UNC Pembroke with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education and a Master of Arts degree in Exercise Science. Aside from his coaching duties, Walters is a visiting faculty member in the sports studies department. Aycock wrapped up by saying, “I will forever be indebted to the St. Andrews community for the opportunity they have provided me. I am proud of the student-athletes performance both on the track/cross country course and in the classroom. They will never be forgotten!” "The men's and women's cross country and track & field teams and I, wish Coach Aycock the very best with his new opportunities,” concluded Walters. |