UIS introduced Mike De Witt as the first-ever coach of the Cross Country and Track & Field programs in 2015.
The Prairie Stars earned their first wins in program history as the men's and women's team both won the 2016 Orion Mini Meet.
De Witt cames to UIS with more than 30 years of collegiate coaching experience.
De Witt is a veteran distance coach and was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 2000 for his coaching success. He began his career at the high school level in Phoenix, Ariz., where he coached at Phoenix Union and West Division High Schools, guiding individual state champions in cross country and the high jump as well as a champion 4 x 400m relay team. He moved back to his home state of Wisconsin and coached at Gateway Technical Junior College. During his two years there, he coached an individual National Champion in the 3000m, and an All-American in cross country.
De Witt went on to coach women's cross country at his alma mater and GLVC member school, UW-Parkside, in 1981 with the women's cross country program. He then took over both cross country and track in 1983 before and adding the men's program in 2007. De Witt led his teams to eight GLVC conference championships and when UW-Parkside was an NAIA member, De Witt helped his team to the 1986 NAIA Women's Cross Country National Championship. In his 18 appearances at the NAIA National Championships with the Rangers, De Witt's teams finished among the top 11 teams 14 times.
When Parkside transitioned to NCAA Division II, De Witt coached his teams to four Midwest Region Titles and 13 NCAA National Championship berths. He saw the development of more than 125 All-American athletes and had six athletes make 15 Olympic Games appearances. During his tenure he was named an NAIA or NCAA region Coach of the Year 12 times, while also earning NAIA Coach of the Year in 1986.
After Parkside, De Witt made his way south to begin a program at Ave Maria University where helped establish a program and earned fifth place in the first year of competition and had one female qualify for the national championship. De Witt also coached the university's first-ever all-American athlete. He also coached two athletes who qualified for the NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships in the program's first year of existence.
Most recently, De Witt coached at Belmont Abbey for three seasons. He led the men's cross country program to a top eight region finish for the first time in the program's history and helped the programs earn 22 all-conference awards. His programs also earned eight Conference Carolinas Sportsmanship awards during his tenure. In his final season, De Witt earned the Indoor Track Coach of the Year for both men's and women's programs.
Besides coaching, De Witt has experience working on committees for the NCAA, NAIA, and USA National Championship as well as the GLVC championship events. He has assisted in the design and development of UW-Parkside's Dr. Wayne E. Dannehl National Cross Country Course, the site for top high school, collegiate and USA National Championship events.
De Witt was the first All-American at UW-Parkside in track, competed in the US Olympic trials five times in the 50K race walk and was on Team USA seven times including the 1989 World Cup of Race Walking. De Witt medaled twice at the U.S. National Olympic Festivals in the 1980s. He has also been an elementary teacher for more than 35 years. DeWitt earned a bachelor's in geography and elementary certification from UW-Parkside and a master's degree from Arizona State in Education.
De Witt officially begins his duties on March 9, 2015. A press conference for DeWitt is scheduled for Tuesday, February 17 at 1:30 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room in TRAC.
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What They're Saying about Coach De Witt
"You have made a great hire. Mike DeWitt brings years of experience and proven ability to build a successful program in the GLVC. He will make UIS an immediate contender."
Tamie Falk-Day, UW-Parkside Athletic Director.
"Mike was my mentor when I came into the GLVC as a coach in 1997. He may not have realized it, but our goal was to try and emulate and duplicate what his women's program at Parkside was all about. His teams were the gold standard of women's cross country in the GLVC. I think I can speak for all of the coaches in the league in saying that we're happy to have him back. He's a proven winner, and his return to the GLVC will certainly raise the bar."Â
Michael Hillyard, Head Coach Southern Indiana
"Coach De Witt is outstanding role model for all generations of runners. He leads his life on a daily basis as a great example of what young student-athletes need to do in order to mature into a well-rounded person. I have seen Mike take normal student-athletes as freshman and by the end of their career they grow into not only exceptional athletes, but most importantly incredible citizens ready to do great things in the real world."
Jerry Baltes, Head Coach Grand Valley State University
"Mike DeWitt is a terrific coach and an even better person. I have seen him not only mold young men and women into great student-athletes, but into great people. Mike will be welcomed back to the GLVC with open arms; the GLVC Coaching Body will be excited to have a Class act like Mike back in our ranks. The Prairie Stars and the city of Springfield should be excited to have someone like Mike on their campus and in their community."
Bill Massoels, Athletic Director Saint Joseph's College
"I am glad to see Coach Mike De Witt return to the GLVC and direct the future UIS Prairie Stars Cross Country and Track teams! Despite being a start-up program, UIS now has decades of GLVC cross country experience in their leadership as Coach De Witt spent the majority of his coaching career at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside where he was highly successful by every measurement of success. I was fortunate to get to know him at the start of my coaching career just as his time at Parkside was coming to an end. His character and integrity are beyond reproach, and as a former coach in the GLVC I can assure you he is well respected by his peers. Coach De Witt has coached National Champion teams and All-American individuals, yet what I admire about him most is his passion for seeing all of his athletes' progress regardless of their place on the depth chart. He truly cares about all of his athletes and mentors them to be successful in running and in life. With his work ethic and the distance talent in Illinois I expect that it will not take Coach De Witt long to build a competitive program in Springfield."
Rick Hammer, Head Coach Edinboro University (formerly at Lewis)
