Heath Moenck named cross country coach
INDIANOLA, Iowa – Simpson College announced Tuesday the hiring of Heath Moenck as head coach of the school's cross country teams and assistant for the track and field programs.
Moenck, a Webster City, Iowa native, ran collegiately at the University of Iowa and spent the last three years as an assistant at NCAA Division II Augustana College (S.D.) and NCAA Division III University of St. Thomas.
"We are pleased that a thorough and extensive search has led us to a new coach in Heath Moenck," Athletics Director John Sirianni said. "We are confident Heath can help our program compete at the highest level, both in the Iowa Conference and on the national scene."
Moenck most recently spent a year on staff at St. Thomas, where he was an assistant cross country and track and field coach. In charge of the middle distance runners, Moenck helped the Tommies win Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) championships in women's indoor and outdoor track and field.
Prior to St. Thomas, Moenck spent two seasons at Augustana, where he started as a graduate assistant before being promoted to assistant cross country and track and field coach in 2010. While at Augustana, the Vikings won consecutive Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) championships in women's cross country and turned in two, top-15 finishes at the national meet (fifth in 2008 and 13th in 2009). The men's team won a conference title in 2009 and placed 10th in the nation.
As a student-athlete, Moenck lettered for the cross country and track and field teams at Iowa, where he was primarily a distance runner. He served as team captain of the cross country squad as a senior in 2007.
"I'm very excited to begin coaching at Simpson College," Moenck said. "I believe in a strong team atmosphere and will work hard to recruit the type of young men and women that will represent Simpson College with the highest integrity. I'm looking forward to working with the rest of our staff to bring out the best in our student-athletes, both academically and athletically."
The Storm begin the 2011 season Sept. 3 at the Central College Dutch Invitational in Pella, Iowa.
