The fall of 2009 will mark Dr. Toby Schwarz's 12th season as head coach of the Whitworth Cross Country program.

In 2008 Schwarz led the Pirate men as they won the NCAA DIII West Regional Championships, qualified for their first ever NCAA Championships meet, and won the NWC Title. Also, in 2002 Schwarz led the Whitworth women to an NCAA West Region title and the team's first-ever berth to the NCAA Championships. Schwarz was named the NCAA West Region women's Coach of the Year in 2002, the men’s Coach of the Year in 2008; and was honored as the NWC Men’s Coach of the Year in 2008. Schwarz was named the NCAA West Region women's Coach of the Year in 2002, the men’s Coach of the Year in 2008; and was honored as the NWC Men’s Coach of the Year in 2008.

At Whitworth, Schwarz has established the cross country program as a force to be reckoned with. In addition to their national championship appearance in 2002, the women's team finished as NWC runners-up in 2002-04 and again in 2008. The Pirate men have improved their conference standing, finishing 3rd five times in the last six seasons, and winning the conference title in 2008. Schwarz has led at least one Whitworth runner to the NCAA championships every season since 2001, which includes the 2008 Men’s NCAA West Region Champion, Nick Gallagher.

Coach Schwarz is pleased with the progress of the combined Whitworth cross country programs over the years. However, there is always room for growth and change.

After building the program from a dozen student-athletes in 1998 to 54 runners in 2005, Schwarz decided that it was time for philosophical face lift for the program. A decision was made to cease the continuous growth of the program and move to a philosophy of a smaller, more focused and committed group of athletes.

Now through a process of tryouts and cuts, a more streamlined group of committed athletes make up the Whitworth cross country program.

Schwarz is excited about the philosophy that has been adopted in this new era of Whitworth Cross Country. With a smaller, more committed group of student-athletes, the level of excitement at practice is extremely high and this excitement has lead to both programs going to the next level.

Schwarz has served as the Head Track and Field Coach at Whitworth since he was hired in 1996. At Whitworth, Schwarz has revitalized the Track and Field program. The size of the team has grown every year, to its current high of over 90 athletes. In the spring of 2008 the Whitworth men won a Northwest Conference title and finished third at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships with a pair of individual national champions and five All-Americans. That success continued in 2009 with the men’s team finishing 3rd at the NCAA Division III Indoor National Championships and 6th in the NCAA Outdoor Championships on the team’s way to finish 4th in the inaugural Al Carious program of the year rankings. In 2001 Whitworth swept the NWC titles in men's and women's Track and Field. It was the first men's title since 1971 and first women's title ever. Each of the last eight seasons more than 60 athletes (over 75% of the team) have qualified for the Northwest Conference championship meet. And over the last ten years, Schwarz has coached twenty athletes to NCAA Division III All-America honors, including Kristin Shields to a national championship in the 100 dash in 2004, and two time national champions Emmanuel Bofa (800m) and Cody Stelzer (High Jump) in 2008 and 2009. Schwarz has earned thirteen Coach of the Year awards, including the 2008 NWC and NCAA West Region (both indoor and outdoor) men's awards and the 2009 NCAA West Region and 2009 National Men’s Indoor Coach of the Year award. He won the same men's award in 2000 and in 2001 he won both the men's and women's awards.

Dr. Schwarz is also a Professor in the Kinesiology Department. Schwarz fills his "spare time" when he is not teaching and coaching by being very active in youth ministry. He is the advisor for Whitworth’s chapter of Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is also the Chair of North Spokane Young Life. Schwarz, along with his wife, Sally, live in the north Spokane’s Mead neighborhood.

For more information on the Whitworth Cross Country program you can contact Coach Schwarz at tschwarz@whitworth.edu.

Travis Howell, Assistant Coach

Travis Howell will enter his third season as a full time assistant in the cross country and track and field programs in the fall of 2009, and he also serves as Whitworth's Director of Athletics Facilities and Game Management. Howell works with Toby Schwarz on areas such as program development and recruiting. Howell is a graduate of Clarkston High School (2000), where he was a sprinter and jumper for the Bantams, and Gonzaga University (2004 & 2008). Howell spent five years coaching at West Valley High School in Spokane. You can contact Coach Howell at thowell@whitworth.edu.

Dr. Jeff Rahn, Assistant Coach

A graduate of Mead High School (1977), Whitworth (1982) and University of Nevada - Reno (1988), Dr. Jeff Rahn has an extremely impressive high school and college resume. A member of the first team to win a state championship at Mead High School, Rahn continued that success at Whitworth where he continues to hold the school record in the 1500m (3:47.34) in track and field. After returning to Whitworth as a coach in 1998, Rahn has helped to build both men’s and women’s programs to a level where they can challenge for the conference championship each year. Rahn is a Professor of Chemistry at Eastern Washington University and resides in Spokane with his wife Annette and two children, Katherine (17) and Daniel (15).