SEWARD, Neb. – Named the 2016 NAIA National Women’s Outdoor Track and Field National Coach of the Year, Kregg Einspahr collected two more significant coaching awards on back-to-back days this week. On Sunday the Lincoln Journal Star tabbed Einspahr the co-State College Coach of the Year (along with Nebraska Wesleyan men’s basketball coach Dale Wellman). The next day the Omaha World-Herald recognized Einspahr as its Midlands College Coach of the Year. Einspahr received the same honors from both news outlets in 2015 after the Concordia men captured the 2015 outdoor national title.
Einspahr, also named the USTFCCCA’s 2016 NAIA National Women’s Outdoor Coach of the Year and 2016 NAIA Midwest Region Men’s Outdoor Coach of the Year, stockpiled accolades throughout his 24-year tenure as head coach of Concordia cross country and track and field. The 19-time GPAC coach of the year has guided the track and field program to two outdoor national titles over the past two seasons. In 2016, both the Concordia men and women placed among the top five at the indoor and outdoor national championships. Einspahr has received four different national coach of the year awards for either cross country or track. In addition, he won a combined 16 conference titles and led teams to seven national runner-up placements in addition to the two national championships.
Prior to his coaching career, Einspahr shined as one of the top athletes in Concordia’s history. He won six individual NAIA track national titles, including three in the steeplechase. He also competed in three Olympic trials. The Lincoln Journal Star named him one of its Nebraska state college athletes of the century in December 1999. He was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1982.
Einspahr earned his bachelor’s degree from Concordia in biology. He proceeded to attain a master’s in biology (emphasis in human physiology) from the University of Nebraska and a Ph.D. in biochemistry and cell physiology from the University of Texas. He then served a post-doctoral fellowship in immunology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
On April 21 it was announced that 2015-16 would be Einspahr’s last as head coach at Concordia. At that time, President Friedrich said the following in a statement, “Coach Einspahr has been the heart and soul of the Concordia University, Nebraska cross country and track and field programs for 24 years. Beginning with a handful of athletes and a cinder track, Coach Einspahr has built premier programs and facilities that have moved our teams into perennial championship contenders at both the GPAC and NAIA levels. We celebrate all of Kregg’s accomplishments, especially the profound impact he has had on a generation of student-athletes he recruited and coached during his coaching tenure at Concordia. He steps aside as the most decorated Bulldog coach in history. He is a giant who will be very difficult to replace. However, we are thankful he will remain on the faculty of the university and will be able to increase his time in the classroom.”
All-time Concordia LJS State College Coaches of the Year
2016 – Kregg Einspahr (track and field)
2015 – Kregg Einspahr (track and field) / Drew Olson (women’s basketball)
2005 – Todd Voss (women’s basketball)
1992 – Grant Schmidt (men’s basketball)
1982 – Wayne Rasmussen (men’s basketball)
1971 – John Seevers (football)
All-time Concordia OWH Midlands College Coaches of the Year
2016 – Kregg Einspahr (track and field)
2015 – Kregg Einspahr (track and field) / Drew Olson (women’s basketball)
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)