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 Head
Coach Mike Mead enters his 14th season directing the Laker cross country
program.
A
fixture at Clayton State since November of 1990, Mead has
utilized his running experience in building a competitive collegiate program.
The building reached its zenith in the last couple of seasons. Last
season, led by Peach Belt Conference "Runner of the Year" and "Freshman
of the Year" Walid Berkhedle, the Laker men finished second in the
conference. In 2005, the Laker men won the Peach Belt Athletic Conference and
earned a berth to its first NCAA Division II National Championship finishing 23rd
at the national cross country meet.
In 2006, Mead paced the Clayton State Laker women to a runner-up
finish in the Peach Belt Conference and produced Peach Belt Conference
individual champion, All-Region and All-American Angela Cobb.
In 13
cross country seasons, Mead has coached three All-Americans and nine
Academic All-Americans in addition to 42 all-conference and 15 All-Region runners. During
the 2004 season the
top
women’s runner, Allison
Kreutzer, finished second at the NCAA Division II championship meet and was the
Peach Belt Conference “Runner of the Year” and “Freshman of the Year.”
In 1997, Mead guided the Laker
women
to a third-place region finish and a No. 23 NCAA Division II national ranking
during the program's first season at
the NCAA level. Mead has led
both the men's and women's cross country teams to runner-up finishes in the
Peach Belt Conference Championships, the women's squad in 1996, 2001, 2006 and the men's
team in 2003, 2004 and 2007.
Mead has received several coaching awards, including four Peach Belt
Conference "Coach of the Year" honors (1996, 1997, 2001, 2005) and was tabbed
"Coach of the Year" in the NAIA
Southeast Region (1996) and NAIA Southeast Independent Region (1996). In
addition, his women's team has garnered the University's All-Academic
Team trophy four times (1999-2002 & 2004) while four of his male runners
have been named recipients of the Laker Award and two female runners
have been named recipients of the Lady Laker Award, recognized annually
as the top student-athlete.
Mead has also built the Clayton State track & field program, since its
inception in 1997, which has
produced a combined nine All-Americans since 2002, including Ahmad Rolle
(men's indoor triple jump) and Kimberly Larry (women's outdoor high
jump) in
2008. In 2002, the women's program had its first All-America with Joni
Guffey in the 1500m. In 2004, the Laker men had four runners named All-America
and five runners compete at the Division II championship meet. The 4x400 team
of Brian Etleman, Rother Heard, Carlos Guyton and Eric Simmons placed sixth in
the nation.
Mead holds a Bachelor of
Arts in Speech and Master of Public Administration degrees from the University
of West Georgia.
While at West Georgia, he
helped the cross country team to consecutive appearances at the NCAA Division II
Championships in 1978-79. In track and field, Mead represented West Georgia
at three NCAA Division II Championships in the 3,000 meter steeplechase. He held
four track records including the steeplechase (9:08.7), indoor mile (4:18) and
indoor two-mile (9:14).
Prior to
attending West Georgia, Mead ran
two seasons at NJCAA powerhouse Southwestern Michigan College. He competed in
two NJCAA national meets, including the 1977 cross country championships in
which SMC finished second. Following college, Mead ran for the Atlanta
Track Club (ATC) and Athletics South competitive teams during the early 1980's
and set personal bests on the road of 30:54 for the 10K, 24:47 for 8K,
and 14:35 for 5K. He
has helped direct several road races in Americus, Carrollton and Morrow and is a
current member of the ATC Master's Team.
Before coming to Clayton State
in 1990 to serve as Public Information Assistant and Sports Information
Director (SID), Mead worked two years with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
He also worked for daily newspapers in Carrollton and Americus
and served as SID at Georgia Southwestern.
In addition to his coaching duties,
Mead serves as Assistant Director of Athletics. He is also active in the
community, serving on the board of directors for Clayton Youth Leadership and
the Good Shepherd Clinic, and is a member
of the Southlake Kiwanis Club. He is an active member in the United States Track
& Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), currently serving as President for Division II Cross
Country. In 2005, he was inducted into the
Lakeshore High School (Mich.) Athletic Hall of Fame. Mead and his wife, Alison, reside in
nearby Lake City.
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