HOBOKEN, N.J. (September 4, 2018)  – Stevens Institute of Technology Director of Athletics Russell Rogers announced that Emory University assistant Lance Harden has been hired as the Ducks' Head Men's and Women's Cross Country and Track and Field Coach.

Harden spent four seasons with the Eagles, managing all aspects of the men's distance program, including training, recruiting and administration. Under Harden's watch, Emory Cross Country reached the NCAA Championship in four straight seasons, while winning a pair of South/Southeast Regional titles. With Harden in tow, Emory set 10 school records, had four University Athletic Association (UAA) individual champions, six NCAA Track Championship qualifiers and three NCAA All-Americans.

A member of the 2015 UAA Men's Outdoor Coaching Staff of the Year, Harden was also recognized as the 2016 United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Men's Outdoor Track Assistant Coach of the Year. Additionally, during his time at Emory, 28 student-athletes garnered USTFCCCA Individual All-Academic honors and two were tabbed Academic All-Americans by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

"We are excited to welcome Lance to Stevens as our new head cross country and track & field coach," Rogers said. "He brings with him a wealth of Division III coaching experience at outstanding academic institutions with top level programs."
 
"More than that, Lance really seemed to connect well with our student-athletes during his visit to our campus," Rogers continued. "I look forward to supporting his efforts in providing a positive and meaningful experience for our student-athletes and  in leading our programs to even greater success."

"Lance did a wonderful job for us during his time at Emory," added John Curtin, Head Men's and Women's Cross Country and Track & Field Coach at Emory University. "He was a bright and personable young coach who had a true passion for the sport. He will be missed."

Prior to his time in Atlanta, Harden spent three seasons as an assistant with Williams College, where he was charged with organizing training for the Ephs' student-athlete contingent of more than 80 competitors. 

"I am honored and excited to lead the Track & Field and Cross Country programs at Stevens," Harden said. "I would like to thank Russ Rogers and the rest of the athletic department staff for entrusting me with this opportunity. In addition, I am grateful to all of the coaches and administrators who have supported and mentored me along the way at Emory, Williams, and Davidson. With the help of our outstanding assistant coaches, Veronica Montrose, Samella Koroma, and Chris Sandoli, I am eager to guide our teams to new heights."

Harden had his first professional coaching opportunity at his alma mater, Davidson College, where he spent one season as a volunteer coach, serving in a mentorship role for student-athletes to discuss race strategy, injury maintenance and mental preparation.

As an undergraduate, Harden helped guide Davidson to its first NCAA Division I Southeast Regional ranking and the program's best team finishes at conference and regional meets. He was the Southern Conference's Outdoor Track & Field 10,000-meter champion and was an eight-time All-Southern Conference honoree, collecting two all-conference nods in cross country and three each in indoor and outdoor track & field. 

Additionally, Harden set set schools records in 8K Cross Country, 3,000 and 5,000-meter runs in indoor track and was a part of a record-setting 4 x 1,500-meter relay team in outdoor track.

A 2009 graduate of Davidson College with a bachelor's in philosophy, Harden will become the fifth coach in program history.

Harden, who was at the helm of the cross country team for the Vassar College Season Opener, inherits a program that achieved many program milestones during the 2017-18 season, including Men's Cross Country's first Empire 8 Conference championship, the program's first-ever Men's Track & Field All-American and multiple All-America performances on the women's side. Additionally, three members of the team received Google Cloud Academic All-Region distinction from CoSIDA and Alex Kainer became the third Duck to be named a CoSIDA Google Cloud Academic All-American.

Both men's and women's cross country return to Poughkeepsie, New York this weekend for the annual Ron Stonitsch Invitational.

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