About The Author
Rich Ceronie was introduced to track and field as a high school senior, when he competed in sprints and jumps at Mt. Morris High School, Mt. Morris, New York. That experience prompted him to run track at Brockport State University, New York. He was a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) sprint champion and was part of Brockport's 1973 and 1974 SUNYAC championship teams. Ed Winrow, the head coach at Brockport State, had been a world-class long-distance runner, but his love of all things track and field had a strong positive influence on Rich: so much so, that Rich was inspired to go on to teach and coach.
After graduating from Brockport State in 1975, Rich got a teaching (6th grade math/science) and coaching position at Canton High School, Canton, New York. As the head boys' track coach he sent over 40 athletes to the New York State High School Championships. After four years in Canton, Rich moved to the collegiate level, becoming a faculty member in Health/Physical Education and head men's track and field coach at Geneseo State University, Geneseo, New York. While at Geneseo he started the women's cross country and track program, and the cross country team went undefeated for three years also sending an athlete to the national championship for the first time in university history. Additionally, while at Geneseo, Rich finished a graduate degree in elementary education. Following three years at Geneseo, Rich moved to the University of Cincinnati as assistant track and field coach and assistant strength and conditioning coach. At UC he coached all field events and was the strength and conditioning coach for all sports except football. In two years, he coached five conference champions and one NCAA qualifier. It was at Cincinnati that Rich met his future wife, Karen at the Great Bearcat Alumni road race.
In 1984, Rich became the first full-time head coach of the newly formed women's cross country and track program at Miami (Ohio) University. In 24 years as head coach at Miami he produced 57 Mid-American Conference champions, 19 NCAA cross country and track national qualifiers, multiple U.S. Olympic Trials qualifiers, 13 Miami University Athletes of the Year, 8 Miami Hall of Fame inductee's, and was honored with several conference coach of the year awards. For his efforts, in 2018 he was inducted into the Miami University Hall of Fame's Cradle of Coaches. He also completed two educational degrees at Miami: a Masters degree in Sport History, and then a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership/Athletic Administration. His research focus was on leadership in intercollegiate athletics (athletic directors) and how both academic and financial issues affect that leadership.
In the fall of 2009, Rich moved to Albuquerque and joined with Head Cross Country & Track coach Joe Franklin. Rich and Joe already knew each other, after serving on the NCAA Division I Track & Field Committee from 2005-09, and they set out to build a championship program. They built the indoor track and field home meet series hosted in the Albuquerque Convention Center into a national caliber affair. For their efforts they were awarded hosting duties for three NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships (2014, 2020, 2023). Additionally, USA Track & Field awarded the Albuquerque Convention Center with their national indoor championship beginning in 2010. Rich was given the responsibility to build the Local Organizing Committee and serve as meet director of the USA Indoor Track and Field Championship from 2010-14.
After never winning a women's cross country conference championship in program history, the Lobos won 15 consecutive titles, while after a 20-year drought on the men's side, the Lobos won six straight. The Lobos had never won an indoor conference title on either the men's or women's side, but won five.
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