March 16, 2004
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara University men's cross country coach John Maloney announce he will resign his position this spring after 11 seasons to focus on his soon-to-expand family, Director of Athletics and Recreation Cheryl L. Levick announced today.
A 1985 graduate of Santa Clara, Maloney has served as the Broncos' distance coach since the fall of 1993 after serving as an assistant for six seasons. Since that time, the Broncos have placed fourth or better in the last nine West Coast Conference championships, highlighted by school-best second-place finishes in 1996, 2000, 2001 and 2002. Maloney was named the WCC Men's Coach of the Year following the 2000 and 2001 league championships.
"I want to thank Amy Hackett and Carroll Williams who gave me the opportunity 12 years ago to be a head coach at my alma mater," said Maloney. "It has been a year long, daily ritual that I eagerly anticipated as a student and coach at Santa Clara University.
"Competing and coaching at Santa Clara University has rewarded me in immeasurable ways. Lifelong friendships established with teammates over twenty years ago have led to lifelong friendships with now fellow alumni who I have had the honor to coach. I especially want to thank every man and woman who I coached as a Mission Harrier. Everyone who has been associated with Santa Clara Cross Country has touched me while I have been an athlete and coach. It has been an unforgettable and rewarding journey."
His teams over the years have featured 12 first team All-WCC selections, 17 WCC honorable mention picks, one conference Freshman of the Year honoree and 16 WCC All-Academic performers. In addition, six of his last eight teams have been recognized by the U.S. Cross Country Coaches Association for their outstanding academic achievement.
"John has done an excellent job in guiding our cross country program," said Levick. "Accepting his resignation was very difficult but I am thrilled for him and his wife, Elizabeth, as they welcome their first child this summer. John has touched the lives of everyone associated with the Santa Clara cross country program and is a loyal ambassador of this institution. He will always be a Bronco and I suspect he will remain very close to this program for years to come."
Maloney was the fifth head coach in the program's history. While lettering for Santa Clara, he ran for the first three head coaches, Dan Durante (1977-80,82), Larry Eder (1981) and Dan Cruz (1983-84). Under Sam Imelli, the Broncos' first head coach of combined men and women's teams (1985-92), Maloney became a volunteer assistant in 1987. Maloney was promoted to assistant and then head coach under Imelli's guidance. Additionally, Maloney became the third women's cross country coach at SCU in 1993 following Imelli and Dick Forst (1977-84).
