FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Michael Smith has announced the promotions of Jarred Cornfield and Roderick Townsend as assistant coaches to the cross country and track & field programs. Both coaches were previously graduate assistants on the Lumberjack staff.

"Both Coach Cornfield and Coach Townsend have been with us a graduate assistants," Smith said. "We're so happy to be able to bring them on as assistant coaches."

Cornfield will work primarily with the distance runners, while Townsend will continue to coach the jumping events.

"We're just so happy to have the experience of a paralympic gold medalist, someone with the expertise of Coach Townsend," Smith said. "We knew that he was going to be a hard graduate assistant to replace and we're just so thrilled from the support of NAU to recognize his talents and keep him on board."  

"Coach Cornfield brings great experience as a coach from our national championship cross country team," Smith added. "We believe he is one of the top recruiters in the country and we're excited he's staying on board with us as well."

Cornfield has been an integral part of the NAU distance program, and was key in the Lumberjacks' winning the 2016 NCAA National Cross Country Championship. Townsend has coached NAU's jumpers to multiple Big Sky titles during his two-year GA stint.

Cornfield and Townsend complete Smith's staffs, as the cross country programs swept the Big Sky Championships a year ago, while the track & field programs won three out of the four league championships.

"An already strong cross country and track & field staff is strengthened even more and we're just so happy that we have been supported in this way by NAU to keep these guys on board," Smith concluded.

Northern Arizona gets its cross country season underway with the running of the 37th annual George Kyte Classic this Saturday at Flagstaff's Buffalo Park.  The event will begin with the men's 4.5 mile race at 1:30 p.m. and will be followed by the women's 2.6 mile course at 2:30 p.m.