Men's Cross Country
- Title:
- Men's Cross Country Head Coach
- Email:
- tme2@lehigh.edu
- Phone:
- 610-758-4391
- Alma Mater:
- Lehigh '02
Todd Etters ’02 is in his fifth season as head coach of the Lehigh men's cross country program. Etters spent six seasons as an assistant coach for the men's and women's cross country teams before becoming head coach for the men's team in 2008.
In 2011, Etters' team had 11 student-athletes placed on the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll. The Mountain Hawks finished 11th at the Regionals and third at the Patriot League Championships. Lehigh also had a stellar outing at the Paul Short Run, placing 20th; the Mountain Hawks' best finish since finishing 15th in 2008.
After losing seven varsity letter winners from the 2008 team, the 2009 team came into the season with a lot to prove. The men defeated Lafayette for the 11th straight year and ultimately finished fourth in the Patriot League and 15th in the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship. They were led by All-Patriot League performers, sophomore Evans Kosgei (2nd place) and senior Doug Ridyard (11th place). Kosgei also recorded the highest ever finish in the current NCAA Regional format by finishing in 17th place and is also Lehigh’s first ever recipient of the Patriot League Scholar Athlete Award.
In addition to the team's success on the course, the men's cross country team has fared well in the classroom, earning USCCCA Academic All-American Team honors in each of the past eight seasons. The 2009 team also set a new team academic record by earning a 3.41 GPA, the highest ever by a men’s athletic team. This was highlighted by 10 team members making it onto the Dean’s List and 17 earning Patriot League Honor Roll status.
During his first season as head coach Etters led the Mountain Hawk men to a ninth place finish in the Mid-Atlantic Region, their 10th consecutive victory over archrival Lafayette in the annual dual meet, a top-five finish at the prestigious Iona Meet of Champs and the program’s highest Patriot League finish since 1999. In addition Etters mentored three All-Patriot League selections in Ben Lampi, Jon Wetzel and Evans Kosgei. Wetzel later went onto earn All-Region distinction, while earning the highest ever Lehigh finish in the current regional format by finishing in 20th place.
In the track and field season, Etters serves as the middle distance and distance coach for the men under head coach Matt Utesch. Last year’s highlights included several All-League finishes, along with several other IC4A qualifying performances.
Etters became Lehigh's first-ever full time assistant coach for cross country in 2005, an appointment that was made possible in part thanks to the generosity of Lehigh Penske Hall of Fame member Murray H. Goodman ’48. In October 2004, Goodman pledged a $5 million gift to the Athletics Department as part of the university-wide "Shine Forever: The Campaign for Lehigh" fundraising effort. In 2008 Etters also served as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Representative. His duties included ranking teams on the regional and national level, as well as attending the USATF national convention to discuss issues on the sport.
Etters earned a social psychology degree from Lehigh and was captain of the men’s team during his senior year. His wife Edann ’03 serves as a volunteer assistant coach with the men’s and women’s programs and is a former Patriot League Champion in the steeplechase. Currently Todd and Edann reside in Allentown with their one year old son Miles and the team’s unofficial mascot, their dog Kramer.
