Continuing a tradition he helped establish as an Owl harrier in the 1970s, Peter Thomas begins his 24th season as head coach of Keene State's men's and women's cross country and track programs.

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 2005, the Keene State men captured their ninth straight LEC title, placed third at the New England regional, and made their ninth straight trip to the NCAAs. The Owl women claimed their sixth straight LEC championship and also had an NCAA All-America. 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. Last season, Breanne Lucey (800 meters) and the DMR team of Jennifer Adams, Kystin Gavin, Sarah Miller, and Lucey added their names to the impressive list after racing to national titles at the indoor championship. With nine honors, Keene State's impressive list of track All-Americas grew to 74 last year.

Needless to say, Coach Thomas, a New Ipswich, N.H., native has been extremely successful in developing the talents of Owl runners on trail and track.

Now entering his 16th year as assistant coach after years as a volunteer, Jerry Jasinski has helped put the field in Keene State's track and field program. Playing a major role in the development of KSC athletes in the technique events, Jasinski has worked with many Owls who have gone on to qualify for regional and national competition.

This past season, he helped Samantha Hirsh become an All-American javelin thrower and Frank Radlof earn LEC field athlete of the year honors, become an LEC champion in four outdoor events, and qualify for the NCAA championships in the long jump.  He has the distinction of helping produce KSC's first national decathlon champion, Paul Trocki, who captured the title in 1979.

A former high school record holder in the high jump and captain of the University of New Hampshire track team, Jasinski coached at Springfield (Vt.) and Stevens high schools prior to joining the Owl program. The Newport, N.H., native has been a KSC chemistry professor for the past 30 years.

           Darcy Wilson joined the Keene State track staff as a part-time throwing coach last season.  Wilson from Westmoreland, N.H., was instrumental in helping Owl freshman Bryan Kolacz earn LEC field athlete of the year honors while qualifying for the NCAA championships in the hammer event. She also works with athletes at Keene High School, where she produced three state qualifiers, two New England competitors, and Kelsey Huckins, a nationally ranked thrower now at Boston College.

            A top national and regional competitor at Boston University, Wilson became one of the first women to compete in the hammer event.  She is a member of the National Throw Coaches Association.  

Stephanie Westcott has joined the Keene State cross country and track program as an assistant coach.  Westcott, a former All-Region cross country and track runner from Bellows Falls, Vt., will help head coach Peter Thomas develop the talents of Owls runners.

"I'm really excited to return to the program.  It's an incredible opportunity," said Westcott.  "I want the athletes to know they can be very good if they put their minds to it."

"Stephanie was a very committed athlete during her time competing at Keene State," said Thomas.  "She knows what it takes to work hard and the rewards that it brings."

Westcott capped off her four-year Owl career with a strong senior season.  She was a member of the first KSC women's cross country team to earn an NCAA berth in 2006.  That season she earned All-Division New England, New England Division III, All-ECAC honors and added All-Little East Alliance honors on the track after capturing the indoor LEC championship in the 3,000-meter and the outdoor title in the 1,500 meter race.

At Bellows Falls High, Westcott was a three-time State champion in the 3K and captured the State Division II cross country crown as a junior.