Ohio Valley Conference

APSU Sports Information

Doug Molnar

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Doug Molnar, who owns more than a decade of Division I experience, has been named the cross country/track and field head coach at Austin Peay State University. Molnar, who will lead the men and women's cross country teams and women's track and field programs, replaces Yvonne Lowe, who resigned in July.

"We are pleased to have Doug on board," said assistant athletics director Chuck Kimmel. "He emerged from a list of strong candidates and was highly recommended by his superiors and his peers.

"I believe Doug's educational background and experience at the Division I level have prepared him for this challenge," continued Kimmel. "For us to get someone of his obvious abilities and work ethic is a real steal for the university. I believe he will be a great leader for our cross country, track and field programs. I also believe he will be a positive role model for our student-athletes."

Molnar comes to Austin Peay from Texas-Pan American where he served as an assistant coach the past two seasons. During his tenure with the Broncs, he saw nothing but success while in charge of the distance runners, coaching the program's first All-American in cross country in 2002 and repeating in 2003. The UTPA men's cross country program posted a top-10 regional finish in 2003 and the women's program recorded its best finish at the regional meet since the 1980s.

Molnar has traveled a long and winding path during his career. Prior to his stint at Texas-Pan American, he spent three years at Tennessee, serving as a volunteer and later interim head women's cross country coach from 1999-2000. He then moved over to the men's program, serving as a volunteer for the cross country team while serving as an assistant track and field coach.

Molnar, who earned his Ph.D in Educational Administration and Cultural Studies with a concentration in sports psychology from Tennessee in 2002, began his coaching career at Kent State, serving as a graduate assistant working primarily with the men and women's distance runners while completing work on his second postgraduate degree - a Master's of Arts in Physical Education, which he earned in 1992. He then was a volunteer coach at Oberlin College for one year before returning to his graduate alma mater, serving as Kent State's head men's cross country coach while assisting the men and women's track and field program.

A native of Lorraine, Ohio, Molnar earned all-state track and field honors and also played football at Admiral King High School before attending West Virginia. He served as the Mountaineers' track team captain his junior and senior years and earned his bachelor's degree in 1986. He remained in Morgantown to earn his MBA the following year.

Molnar will hit the ground running in his first week at the helm. The men and women's cross country teams travel Saturday, to Alabama-Huntsville for his first meet as the program's head coach.