University of Richmond Athletics
Jon Molz Promoted to Associate Head Coach
08/11/2017 | Cross Country, Women's Track & Field
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. -- Director of Spider Cross Country and Track Lori Taylor along with Men's Cross Country Coach Steve Taylor announced the promotion of Jon Molz to Associate Head Coach on Friday afternoon.
Molz is no stranger to the Richmond program. After a standout career with the Spiders (2004-08) he joined the coaching staff soon after and has been an essential key to the programs' success ever since. The Women's Cross Country team has notched five consecutive top-three finishes at the Atlantic 10 Championship since 2012, including back-to-back team victories in 2015 and 2015. In addition to team accomplishments, Molz has helped the women's team garner 13 individual All-Conference honors in cross country since his first year on staff in 2011, including a 2011 victory by Jill Prentice. In 2016, the Spiders used a 1-5 spread of less than five seconds to secure their second consecutive team victory, as all five scoring members placed between 13th and 18th place overall.
On the track, Molz has overseen the middle distance groups (800m, 1000m, Mile, 4x800m and DMR indoors; 800, 1500m and 4x800m outdoors) since 2012. During that time, the Spiders have earned a total of 30 top-three finishes at the Atlantic 10 Championships in those events, in addition to a runner-up team finish at the 2015 Indoor Championships.
During the indoor season, the Spiders middle distance relays have shined as the DMR has won four of the last six championships (2012, 2013, 2015, 2017), and the 4x800m has won twice (2012, 2013) including finishing as the runner-up in 2015. Individually, the Spiders have had a top-three finisher in the 1000m for six straight years, including three champions (Taylor Clevinger – 2013, 2015; Haley Preschutti – 2017). The Spiders have also had a conference champion in both the 800m (Alyson McGonigle – 2013) and the mile (Marisa Ruskan – 2015) during Molz' tenure. In 2017, junior Amanda Corbosiero finished the season ranked #11 nationally in the 1000m, with a time of 2:44.52, which also qualified her for the USATF Indoor Track & Field Championships. She was also ranked top 50 nationally in the mile with a best of 4:41.56.
Outdoors, Molz has led the Spiders' middle distance group to great success, particularly in the 1500m and 4x800m relay. Since 2012, the Spiders have won three Atlantic 10 championships in the 4x800m (2013, 2015 – school record, 2017) and finished runner-up twice (2012, 2016). In 2015, 2016, and 2017 the Spiders had an individual finish second in the 1500m at the Atlantic 10 championships, while back in 2012, Nicol Traynor was crowned champion. Molz has also helped four runners qualify for the First Round NCAA Championships in the 1500m (McGonigle – 2013; Corbosiero – 2016, 2017; Ruskan – 2017).
Prior to working full-time with the Women's Track & Field teams, Molz was a volunteer coach for the Men's Cross Country & Track and Field teams from 2008 - 2011. During that time, Molz helped guide the men to unprecedented levels of success; highlighted by the team's first-ever Atlantic 10 Conference Championship and 24th-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in 2010. Andrew Benford (3000m Steeplechase, 2011) and Matt Llano (10,000m – 2010) also earned All-American honors on the track while Molz was volunteering.
While volunteering with the Spider men, Molz also served as the head coach of the 2011 St. Catherine's School indoor and outdoor track & field teams. In just one year at the helm of the program, his indoor and outdoor squads each won the league and state championships. For his teams achievements Molz was named the League of Independent Schools' Coach of the Year for both indoor and outdoor track & field.
In 2013, Molz co-founded the Collegiate Running Association with Men's Head Coach Steve Taylor. The Collegiate Running Association was established to promote healthy lifestyles among college students through running and to establish national championships in road racing, mountain running, and trail running for college students. Since 2014, the Spider-men have competed in these national championships, amassing numerous top-10 finishes.
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Prior to his coaching career, Molz enjoyed a standout running career with the Spiders from 2004-2008, during which he earned two Atlantic 10 championship titles in indoor track and a total of five all-conference honors between cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. During his senior year, Molz turned in a third-place individual finish to lead the men's cross country team to, at the time, its highest-ever team finish with a second-place showing at the 2007 Atlantic 10 Championship. Molz also qualified for the NCAA East Regional Championship in the 3,000m steeplechase in outdoor track in 2008.
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Molz graduated from the University of Richmond in 2008 and earned his Master's from VCU's Center for Sport Leadership in 2009.Â
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Molz is no stranger to the Richmond program. After a standout career with the Spiders (2004-08) he joined the coaching staff soon after and has been an essential key to the programs' success ever since. The Women's Cross Country team has notched five consecutive top-three finishes at the Atlantic 10 Championship since 2012, including back-to-back team victories in 2015 and 2015. In addition to team accomplishments, Molz has helped the women's team garner 13 individual All-Conference honors in cross country since his first year on staff in 2011, including a 2011 victory by Jill Prentice. In 2016, the Spiders used a 1-5 spread of less than five seconds to secure their second consecutive team victory, as all five scoring members placed between 13th and 18th place overall.
On the track, Molz has overseen the middle distance groups (800m, 1000m, Mile, 4x800m and DMR indoors; 800, 1500m and 4x800m outdoors) since 2012. During that time, the Spiders have earned a total of 30 top-three finishes at the Atlantic 10 Championships in those events, in addition to a runner-up team finish at the 2015 Indoor Championships.
During the indoor season, the Spiders middle distance relays have shined as the DMR has won four of the last six championships (2012, 2013, 2015, 2017), and the 4x800m has won twice (2012, 2013) including finishing as the runner-up in 2015. Individually, the Spiders have had a top-three finisher in the 1000m for six straight years, including three champions (Taylor Clevinger – 2013, 2015; Haley Preschutti – 2017). The Spiders have also had a conference champion in both the 800m (Alyson McGonigle – 2013) and the mile (Marisa Ruskan – 2015) during Molz' tenure. In 2017, junior Amanda Corbosiero finished the season ranked #11 nationally in the 1000m, with a time of 2:44.52, which also qualified her for the USATF Indoor Track & Field Championships. She was also ranked top 50 nationally in the mile with a best of 4:41.56.
Outdoors, Molz has led the Spiders' middle distance group to great success, particularly in the 1500m and 4x800m relay. Since 2012, the Spiders have won three Atlantic 10 championships in the 4x800m (2013, 2015 – school record, 2017) and finished runner-up twice (2012, 2016). In 2015, 2016, and 2017 the Spiders had an individual finish second in the 1500m at the Atlantic 10 championships, while back in 2012, Nicol Traynor was crowned champion. Molz has also helped four runners qualify for the First Round NCAA Championships in the 1500m (McGonigle – 2013; Corbosiero – 2016, 2017; Ruskan – 2017).
Prior to working full-time with the Women's Track & Field teams, Molz was a volunteer coach for the Men's Cross Country & Track and Field teams from 2008 - 2011. During that time, Molz helped guide the men to unprecedented levels of success; highlighted by the team's first-ever Atlantic 10 Conference Championship and 24th-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in 2010. Andrew Benford (3000m Steeplechase, 2011) and Matt Llano (10,000m – 2010) also earned All-American honors on the track while Molz was volunteering.
While volunteering with the Spider men, Molz also served as the head coach of the 2011 St. Catherine's School indoor and outdoor track & field teams. In just one year at the helm of the program, his indoor and outdoor squads each won the league and state championships. For his teams achievements Molz was named the League of Independent Schools' Coach of the Year for both indoor and outdoor track & field.
In 2013, Molz co-founded the Collegiate Running Association with Men's Head Coach Steve Taylor. The Collegiate Running Association was established to promote healthy lifestyles among college students through running and to establish national championships in road racing, mountain running, and trail running for college students. Since 2014, the Spider-men have competed in these national championships, amassing numerous top-10 finishes.
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Prior to his coaching career, Molz enjoyed a standout running career with the Spiders from 2004-2008, during which he earned two Atlantic 10 championship titles in indoor track and a total of five all-conference honors between cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. During his senior year, Molz turned in a third-place individual finish to lead the men's cross country team to, at the time, its highest-ever team finish with a second-place showing at the 2007 Atlantic 10 Championship. Molz also qualified for the NCAA East Regional Championship in the 3,000m steeplechase in outdoor track in 2008.
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Molz graduated from the University of Richmond in 2008 and earned his Master's from VCU's Center for Sport Leadership in 2009.Â
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Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
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