SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia 23-year coaching veteran Kregg Einspahr has garnered his fourth major coaching honor of the 2015 campaign. On Tuesday the Omaha World-Herald named Einspahr its Midlands College Men’s Coach of the Year. The latest recognition comes roughly a week after he received co-state college coach of the year laurels from the Lincoln Journal Star.
This season Einspahr has also received honors as GPAC men’s outdoor coach of the year and NAIA men’s outdoor national coach of the year. The NAIA and Concordia athletics hall of famer has piled up numerous coaching awards during an impressive career that now includes a national title in addition to 16 GPAC crowns (nine cross country, seven track and field) and six national runner-up finishes. In 1999 Einspahr garnered women’s cross country national coach of the year accolades from the USTFCCCA.
Einspahr is the only Nebraska athletic figure to be named a coach and athlete of the year by both the Lincoln Journal Star and Omaha World-Herald. A six-time individual national champion on the track, Einspahr notched back-to-back State College Athlete of the Year awards in 1981 and 1982 while competing at Concordia. He was also named the Men’s Midlands College Athlete of the Year in 1982.
Einspahr’s honor marks the sixth time a Concordia coach has been tabbed Midlands College Men’s Coach of the Year. Einspahr is the first Bulldog to receive the honor since Grant Schmidt in 2005.
All-time Concordia men’s midlands college coaches of the year
2015 – Kregg Einspahr (track and field)
2005 – Grant Schmidt (men’s basketball)
1992 – Grant Schmidt (men’s basketball)
1982 – Larry Oetting (football) and Wayne Rasmussen (men’s basketball)
1971 – John Seevers (football)