Peter Thomas is looking to celebrate his 26th season as head coach of Keene State's men's and women's cross country and track programs by returning the Owls to the NCAA championships and adding to KSC's long list of All-Americans.
Under Thomas, the recipient of multiple coach-of-the-year honors at both the Division II and III level, Keene State continues to be a premier cross country team nationally and regionally. He has led the Owl men's team to a combined 16 NCAA championship berths, including nine consecutive trips as a Division III member. Five members of the KSC women's cross country team have also earned All-America honors.
Not breaking their stride in 2008, the Keene State men reclaimed the LEC championship - its 10th title in the past 12 years. Keene State has captured four New England regional crowns (1999-2002), and made ninth straight trip to the NCAAs (1997-2005. The Owl women, who claimed their seventh straight LEC championship last fall, earned the program's first NCAA berth in 2006. Coach Thomas has now produced 46 Keene State cross country All-Americas, including Rob Edson, the 1989 Individual National Champion.
Having earned a reputation as one of the top cross country coaches in Division III, Coach Thomas has now set his sights on developing a well-rounded and competitive track and field program at Keene State. He took a major step in that direction in 2002-03 by directing Mary Proulx and Mark Miller to their fifth and fourth national championships, respectively. Keene State has had a pair of fourth place finishes at the NCAA championship, indoors in 2006 and outdoors in 2008.
Last season, Keene State produced three track All-Americas last year, including Byran Kolacz, the national champion in the hammer throw.
Needless to say, Coach Thomas, a New Ipswich, N.H., native has high hopes for both programs this year.
jnapolitano@keene.edu
603-358-2146
John Napolitano enters his first season as the Head Throws Coach at Keene State this fall. Napolitano, a 2008 graduate of Keene State, also serves as the Assitant Sports Information Director at Keene State.
As a student-athlete, Napolitano was a two-year captain and SAAC team representative at Keene State College. He earned All-LEC honors six times, including third place finishes in the 35-lb weight in 2007 and 2008. He also qualified for New England Championships in 2007.
A Providence, Rhode Island native, Napolitano graduated from Classical High School in 2004. He studied under hall-of-fame coaches Al Morro and Robert Palazzo and qualified for Rhode Island State Championships and New England Championships his senior year in the discus and 12-lb hammer.
Napolitano's responsibilities will include running day-to-day practices for the throwers and assisting head coach Peter Thomas in recruiting efforts.
Napolitano resides in Keene, N.H.
An Assistant Professor of Health Sciences at Keene State, Proulx brings a wealth of knowledge in the area of strength and conditioning to the Owl track and field teams this season as an assistant coach.
Proulx, who earned his undergraduate degree in health and fitness form Keene Sate in 1994, will work primarily with KSC sprinters, jumpers, and throwers as a conditioning coach, helping to maximize their performance in competition. He has also developed a highly successful conditioning program at Keene High School.
Prior to joining the KSC faculty, Proulx was Assistant Professor of Exercise Science at Georgetown (Ky.) College, and Department Chair and Associate Professor Applied Medical Sciences at Hesser College in Manchester. He earned his Master's in exercise science from Appalachian (N.C.) State University in 2000 and also holds doctorate degrees in chiropractic healthcare and exercise science. While at Appalachian State, Proulx did research work with Mike Stone, a renowned authority on resistance training and two-time Olympian Meg Ritchie.
Originally from Arlington, Mass., Proulx grew up in Keene and
was a state qualifier in the discus as a senior at Keene High
School. He and his wife Margarita reside in Keene.