Meet Coach Joe Sweeney

July 7, 2006
Joe Sweeney can also be reached at 651-962-5914 or at: jvsweeney@stthomas.edu

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Joe Sweeney has built one of NCAA Division III's most successful cross country and track and field programs. The 2006-07 school year will be his 27th season as St. Thomas head coach for women's cross country/track and field.

Sweeney was named the 1995 National Coach of the Year in track and field, and he's been honored as MIAC Coach of the Year several times. A Chicago, Ill., native, Sweeney was a standout distance runner for the Tommies in the late 1970s and was elected into the St. Thomas Athletic Hall of Fame.

He and wife Kathleen and their five children reside in New Brighton. Besides the St. Thomas successes in CC and on the track, Sweeney's teams have been excellent students and active members of the campus scene.

The UST achievements under Sweeney's guidance include:

--23 individual national championships (two in cross country, 21 in track & field)

--The UST cross-country teams have won four NCAA Division III team championships. Only one other team nationally has won more in this sport. The Tommies also placed second nationally in 1996, seventh in 1995, 10th in 1998 and 15th in 1999 and 2005.

--Individually, St. Thomas women have won 15 national championships in cross country or track and field in events from 1,500 to 10,000 meters. Kelly Copps, a six-time Division III national champion on the track, was the 1994 national runner-up in cross-country in a field of 190 runners.

--During an eight-year stretch from 1981-88, Sweeney guided the women's team to five national championships and three runner-up finishes. The Tommies have advanced to nationals as a team in 16 of the 24 years since joining Division III in 1982 and have claimed 13 top-seven team finishes. St. Thomas had three cross country All-Americans in 1996 and has had 36 overall since joining Division III in 1982.

--St. Thomas has won 14 of the 26 MIAC team titles in cross country since the event was first sponsored for women in 1981. UST had the top two individual finishers at conference meet in both 1995 and 1996; the first three finishers in 1997; the individual champion in both 1999 and 2000; and the runner-up in 2001.

--UST has had two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans in the last two seasons.

--UST has 16 top-7 national team finishes in cross country (five championships, five runner-up finishes)

--UST is the lone Minnesota university to win an NCAA track relay championship (4x100, 1997)

--UST has nearly 140 All-American honors in cross country and track & field

--UST has top-5 national team placings in cross country, indoor and outdoor track 27 of a possible 74 times

--UST has had a cross country All-American or a team in the national meet 22 out of 26 seasons

--Sweeney had guided teams to 55 MIAC team championships (out of 73 contested) in cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track

--Sweeney has three impressive MIAC consecutive team championship streaks -- 14, outdoor track (1985-98); 9, indoor track (1989-97); and 9, cross country (1981-89)