After eight years and 18 conference championships under Andy Eggerth, the Department of Athletics confirmed on Thursday, Nov. 8, that Cale McDaniel would become the next director of track and field and cross country.
Under Eggerth, the Owls dominated the Atlantic Sun Conference during both the indoor and outdoor track seasons, setting numerous program records and consistently turning out All-American athletes.
In the ASUN conference, Eggerth oversaw seven indoor men’s titles, seven outdoor men’s titles, two outdoor women’s titles, one indoor women’s title and one cross country title.
His leadership helped the growth of several star athletes including Bilal Abdullah, Dayo Akindele, Paris Williams and Andre Dorsey. The recent rise of the women’s team has seen the likes of Jocselyn Powell, Jordan Gray, and Caitlyn Farrell become standout performers.
Eggerth’s success extended beyond the conference, as every year his teams advanced to the NCAA championships while Abdullah and Dorsey competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials.
Over the past eight years, Eggerth has created a culture of success that will serve the program well for years to come. The Owls earned their highest national ranking under Eggerth and are now on the map as an established program that will continue to bring in high levels of talent.
His emphasis on excellence on the track, in the classroom and in the community has shaped a team that has the discipline to sustain success for seasons to come.
McDaniel comes to KSU after serving as the head coach of Western Carolina’s track and field and cross country programs for the past two years.
The five-time Southern Conference Coach of the Year led the Catamounts to new heights last year, as the men’s team won both the indoor and outdoor conference title while the women’s team won the outdoor title.
“My family and I are thankful for all the experiences at Western Carolina, and we look forward to the new challenges ahead,” McDaniel said. “I am genuinely looking forward to the opportunity to work with such a talented group of student-athletes, and an athletics department that is motivated to compete at the highest level.”
The future of the KSU programs will lie in the hands of McDaniel, who will need to balance the continuation of Eggerth’s culture while imparting his own influence and knowledge to the teams.
As for Eggerth, he will not be forgotten at KSU for his contributions. The sense of humility, hard work and sportsmanship he instilled in the track and field programs will be felt for a long time.
“The program is in great hands with coach McDaniel at the helm,” Eggerth said. “He’s a great person and an outstanding coach and I look forward to following the evolution of the teams.”
