Under the direction of long-time coach Peter Thomas, a former Owl runner, Keene State College is recognized for producing some of the top men’s and women’s cross country and track athletes at the league, regional, and national level.

Now in his 28th season, Thomas, the recipient of multiple coach-of-the-year honors at both the Division II and III level, including LEC men's and women's cross country coach of the year awards last fall, is looking forward to another productive year on the trails and track for his highly-successful program that has developed a combined 47 cross country and 104 track All-Americas, including one cross country and 18 track national champions.

Last fall, the KSC men’s cross country team placed third at the New England regional meet and earned its first NCAA berth since 2005.  He has led the Owl men's team to a combined 16 NCAA championship berths, including nine consecutive trips (1997-2005) as a Division III member. His 1999 and 2000 teams were national runner-ups. KSC has also captured 10 Little East titles and four (1999-2002) New England regional crowns.

Thomas led the KSC women’s cross country team to its 10th consecutive LEC championship last fall and had a runner earn an at-large berth to the nationals.  The Owls finished fifth regionally and made their inaugural NCAA appearance in 2006.

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. The Keene State women have had a pair of fourth place finishes at the NCAA championship, indoors in 2006 and outdoors in 2008.

Keene State has continued to add to its list of All-America in recent years.  In 2009,  Keene State produced three track All-Americas, including Bryan Kolacz, the national champion in the hammer throw. Last season, the Owls produced five All-Americas with Kolacz finishing sixth and third respectively in the weight throw and hammer, Allison Chamberlain raced to second place finish in the 800, and Peter Najem doubled up in the 800 (7th) and 1,500 (8th).

Needless to say, Coach Thomas, a New Ipswich, N.H., native has high hopes for both programs this year.

John Napolitano enters his third season as the throws coach at Keene State College in 2011-12 after taking over for Darcy Wilson in 2009. In his short tenure, Napolitano has guided his Owl throwers to five All-American honors, two of which came in last season’s NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Ohio Wesleyan University.

At the outdoor track and field championships, Bryan Kolacz 11’ finished 2nd in the hammer throw with a toss of 63.85 meters (209’-5’’). Kolacz’s toss was the 5th farthest in NCAA Division III history. Kolacz completed his KSC career as a five time All-American, winning the honor three times outdoors in the hammer, including the 2009 National Championship, and twice indoors in the weight throw. Kolacz’s toss of 20.04 meters (65’-9’’) in the 35-lb weight at the Smith College Invitational last December was the 2nd farthest throw by a competitor in NCAA DIII history.

Two days after Kolacz earned his hammer honors at the outdoor championships, Glenn Guilmette 13’, earned his first All-American honor by placing fifth in the javelin with a toss of 62.78 meters (206’). Guilmette became the first men's javelin thrower in school history to earn All-America honors in the event.

Napolitano, a 2008 graduate of Keene State College and former All-Little East Conference performer in the hammer, discus and 35-lb weight, also serves as the colleges Assistant Sports Information Director.

Napolitano resides in Keene, N.H.

A two-time national champion and a four-time All-American in the high jump, Crystal Blamy returns for her third season as an assistant coach with the Keene State track team.  Blamy, a native of Walpole, will help develop the skills of Owl high jumpers. 

Blamy capped off her Owl career by capturing the national Division III indoor and outdoor high jump championship as a senior, becoming the just the third athlete to win both indoor and outdoor honors in the same year since 1997. 

In addition to her national championship, Blamy also New England Open, New England Division III, ECAC and Little East indoor champion and was named the Northeast region and LEC field athlete of the year.  Her outdoor accolade included New England Division III and LEC championship and conference field athlete of the year honors.  Blamy was named Keene State’s 2009 female athlete of the year.