William and Mary Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Stephen Walsh announced the hiring today of former American record-holder and NCAA Champion Chris Solinsky as an assistant coach.  Solinsky will work primarily with the distance and middle-distance athletes while also helping with all training and administrative aspects of the Tribe's nationally-competitive program.  He is also plans to continue his competitive career, and hopes to make the 2016 Olympic Team.

"I'm excited to welcome Chris to our staff," said Walsh, "and our athletes are too!  Chris brings a massive wealth of experience both as a top collegiate runner, and as one of the best athletes this country has ever produced.  We're beyond eager to have him coaching with the teams, and look forward to adding the Solinsky family to our extended Tribe family."

Solinsky comes to W&M after seven years as a professional athlete in the highest ranks, and with three years of Division I coaching experience.  He served as a volunteer coach at the University of Portland for the past two years, helping the Pilots men's team to a 12th place finish at the NCAA Championships in 2012 and improving to seventh last fall.  He also spent one year as a student assistant will finishing his degree at Wisconsin.

Solinsky's professional running career is the envy of most, including seven years sponsored by Nike.  He was a member of Team USA at the 2009 World Outdoor Championships, finishing 12th in the 5,000m, and was runner-up in the event at the 2009 U.S. Championships.  In 2010, Solinsky ran 26:59.60 in the 10,000m, breaking the American record by more than 14 seconds and becoming the first man not born in Africa to ever break 27 minutes in the event.  He has also broken major barriers in the 5,000m (12:55.53) and the mile (3:54.1), and ranks second all-time in U.S. history in both the 5,000m and 10,000m.

Solinsky ran for the Wisconsin Badgers as an undergraduate, helping the team win the NCAA Cross Country Championships in 2005 and the NCAA Indoor Championships in 2007.  He was a 14-time All-American and a five-time NCAA Champion, winning each of his last three years indoors (2005 and 2006 3,000m; 2007 5,000m) and his last two outdoors (2006 and 2007 5,000m).  Solinsky won four individual Big Ten titles, and helped Wisconsin sweep the Big Ten team championships in every season all four years.

He graduated from Wisconsin in 2007, with a degree in history.  Solinsky and his wife, former Badgers pole vaulter Amy Dahlin, are moving to Williamsburg with their two dogs.