NEWPORT NEWS, VA - Christopher Newport University Director of Athletics C.J. Woollum today announced the hiring of TYLER WINGARD as the school\'s track and field head coach. Wingard will join the CNU staff following six years as head track and field coach at Valparaiso University, a Division I program in Indiana.
"We are very excited about the addition of Tyler Wingard to our staff," Woollum said. "We are confident that he will continue the great tradition of our track program and take it to new heights."
Wingard will take the reigns from Louis Johnson, who served as CNU\'s interim head coach for the past year.
"Coach Johnson did a wonderful job of directing our program this past year," Woollum continued. "As a university, we owe him a great measure of gratitude for his efforts."
Wingard\'s athletes broke 44 school records at Valparaiso during his tenure, and 81 earned all Mid-Continent Conference honors, including 13 individual conference titles and two champion relays. Seven of Wingard\'s athletes qualified for NCAA Regional competition. In addition, he coached the men\'s outdoor conference athlete of the year this spring and guided three conference newcomers of the year.
"I am honored and excited to be named the new track and field coach at Christopher Newport University," Wingard said. "CNU has a rich tradition of excellence in track and field and I am impressed with the growth and direction of the university as a whole. The support, the atmosphere, and the expectations for the student-athletes and programs here are absolutely first-rate. I am eagerly looking forward to leading the CNU track and field program into its next chapter."
The track and field program at Christopher Newport rose to national prominence during the 25-year tenure of former coach Vince Brown. Brown\'s squads recorded 12 team national championships and produced 455 All-Americans.