WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - William & Mary Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Stephen Walsh announced his resignation today, effective immediately, to pursue a career outside of athletics.  Walsh is stepping down after six years at W&M, the last five as the Director of the combined programs. 

"We would like to thank Stephen Walsh for his leadership of the cross country and track and field programs over the last six years," Athletics Director Terry Driscoll said. "During his time, he led the Tribe to 12 total CAA Championships and helped mold exemplary student-athletes, who excelled in the classroom and on the track. We wish him well in moving toward a different avenue in his career."

"I've thoroughly enjoyed my time at William & Mary," said Walsh, "and it was a very tough decision to leave.  I think that the teams are in a great place to move forward, and I'll look forward to seeing the coaches and athletes achieve much more success in the coming years."

During his six years at W&M, Walsh led the Tribe cross country teams to 10 CAA titles, and also claimed a pair of conference championships on the track.  The women's cross country team made three-straight NCAA appearances from 2012-14, finishing as high as 12th in 2013, and had NCAA outdoor finals qualifiers every year since 2012 and indoors every year since 2014.  The men's cross country team made NCAAs in 2010, while two men qualified for the 2016 indoor track and field championships and the Tribe was represented at the outdoor championships in 2011, 2012, and 2015.  In total, eight athletes earned All-American honors during Walsh's tenure, accounting for a total of 21 individual awards.

Walsh's teams were also notable in the academic circles, accounting for nine CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards including sweeping the track and field awards in 2015-16.  Brandon Heroux '12 was the CAA's Overall Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year in his senior year, and Brian Waterfield '15 M.Acc. '16 was named a Third-Team Academic All-American in 2016, one of three Academic All-American nods for the Tribe in the last six years (Alex McGrath '13, second team in 2012-13; and Betsy Graney '11, second team in 2010-11).

Walsh was honored for his coaching success on a number of occasions, including CAA Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year all six seasons.  In 2012-13, he also swept the Men's and Women's Track and Field Coach of the Year honors, becoming the first coach to ever win both awards in a career, and the first coach to win three CAA Coach of the Year awards in a single school year across all sports.  In 2010, he was named the USTFCCCA Southeast Region Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year.

Prior to his time at W&M, Walsh had spent four years at Providence College and four years at Penn.  Walsh graduated from Penn State in 2001 with a degree in accounting, after spending four years on the Nittany Lions track and cross country teams under former Tribe head men's coach Harry Groves.

Agate: Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Stephen Walsh resigns position at the College of William & Mary.