East Michigan News

Eastern Michigan University (EMU) has appointed Austin Whitelaw as the new Head Men's Cross Country Coach and Assistant Track and Field Coach. The announcement was made by EMU Track & Field Co-Directors Chris Best and Sterling Roberts on August 1, 2024.

Whitelaw joins EMU with three years of collegiate coaching experience. He previously served as an assistant track & field/cross country coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Connecticut from 2022 to 2024, following a similar role at the University of Tennessee.

"We're extremely excited to have Austin join our team," said Best. "He has a lot of great connections to the state where he was one of the top high school runners, his mother is an Eastern alum, his dad used to work at Eastern, and he was coached by an Eastern alum in high school. We're excited to bring Austin home to the great state of Michigan."

Whitelaw expressed his enthusiasm for joining EMU: "I am honored to join the staff at Eastern Michigan University and take on this opportunity. EMU has the tradition, support, and resources to compete for championships."

During his tenure with UConn, Whitelaw contributed significantly to their success. The Huskies secured eight Big East team championships and were named Big East Coaching Staff of the Year eight times. He also mentored two NCAA Second Team All-America members—Chloe Thomas in the 5,000m outdoor event in 2024 and Mahamed Sharif in the indoor 800m.

At Tennessee, Whitelaw was part of a coaching staff that earned two NCAA trophies in 2022 when the men's track & field team placed third at both indoor and outdoor championships. He also coached student-athletes who set program records in various events.

Roberts highlighted Whitelaw's fit for EMU: "We were exceedingly lucky to have such a great candidate as Austin throw his name in the hat for this position. He's eager and enthusiastic about the vision for the program."

Whitelaw brings not only coaching expertise but also academic advising experience from Florida State University, where he worked primarily with cross country and track & field teams.

A Monroe High School graduate, Whitelaw was a standout runner before attending Tennessee, where he qualified for NCAA Cross Country Championships and NCAA Track & Field First Round Championships multiple times. He holds degrees from Tennessee and East Tennessee State University and is currently pursuing an MBA from Florida State.

Whitelaw's family has strong ties to EMU; his mother is an alumna with both undergraduate and graduate degrees from EMU, while his father served on the university's police force for 15 years.

For updates on EMU cross country/track & field, visit EMUEagles.com or follow @EMUXC_TF on social media platforms.