Women's Cross Country 8/23/2022 9:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

UCO Names Gus Schmader Head Cross Country, Track & Field Coach

EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma athletic department announced Tuesday the addition of Gus Schamder to the position of head track & field and cross country coach.

"The Bronchos got better today by adding Gus to our team, and I'm excited for our student-athletes and the UCO community to meet him," UCO Director of Athletics Stan Wagnon said. "There was a strong candidate pool for this opening, and Gus exhibited a focus and passion that helped us to envision the meaningful impact he will make. He has a championship pedigree and a proven record of leading his athletes to success."

Schmader brings 15 years of coaching experience at almost every collegiate level to Central Oklahoma, where he will oversee the Broncho cross country team and both Indoor and Outdoor track & field programs.

Schmader comes to UCO from Coker University in Hartsville, South Carolina, where he led the same programs this past season. He coached both men's and women's cross country and track & field programs. His previous stops include NAIA Indiana East, Division II Barton College (N.C.), Division I St. Francis (Pa.), and his alma mater, Lincoln (Pa.). He started as an assistant coach at Lincoln in 2005 at the DIII school.

Though Schmader spent just one season at Division II Coker, he coached four national qualifiers, seven All-Region selections, and five South Atlantic Conference champions.

A four-year stint as head coach at Indiana East in Richmond, Indiana preceded his time at Coker. Schmader, who was named the 2020 Men's Conference Coach of the Year, led student-athletes in both men's and women's programs to enormous success. He coached 30 conference champions, 54 All-Conference performers, 16 national qualifiers and eight NAIA All-Americans.

Schmader spent two years as an assistant coach at Barton College in Wilson, North Carolina from 2015-16. Under his leadership, the program set more than two dozen school records, had nine conference champions, and 22 All-Region performances.

Prior to that, from 2011-14, Schmader was an assistant coach at Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania. The success was similar there as every other stop. Schmader coached 15 Northeast Conference Champions and four national qualifiers. He was named the 2013 Northeast Conference Assistant Coach of the Year. He served as event coach for the NEC Women's MVP in 2012, 2013, and 2014.

Schmader coached at his alma mater Lincoln from 2005 until 2010, with the men's team winning the NCAA Division II Men's Indoor National Championship in 2007.

Schmader was a student-athlete at Lincoln. He won the 2002 DIII national title as part of the 4x100 relay team. His 4x400 relay team set a school record that still stands today. And in 2005, his final year competing for the Lions, he helped the team to a national runner-up team finish in Indoor season before winning the Outdoor national title. He won the 2005 100-meter dash national title with a time of 10.53 seconds.

Schmader also serves as an assistant coach and recruiter for the Liberian national team.

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