David Chandler was hired to reignite the St. Edward’s cross country program in December of 2014.
In the first two seasons of competition, SEU has taken strides to improve as a program, and in 2017, Chandler will have upper classmen to begin establishing a presence in the Heartland Conference.
In 2016, Chandler saw Rachel Frei become the first, First-Team All-Conference honoree from the Heartland Conference after Frei placed 11
th overall at conference championship. On the men’s side, Chandler saw Mauri Padilla and John Daniels take top 30 finishes at the Heartland Conference meet to help the Hilltopper men place sixth as a team.
Chandler guided the women’s team to their first-ever NCAA Regional Championship Meet appearance while the men appeared as a team for the first time since 2008.
The return of cross country in 2015 culminated with the women finishing fifth at the Heartland Conference Meet and the men finishing eighth. Senior runner Katy Gillis was named honorable mention All-Heartland Conference and also garnered third-team Academic All-America honors. A representation of Hilltoppers also advanced to compete at the NCAA South Central Regional meet in Canyon, Texas.
Prior to arriving at SEU, Chandler spent 11 years as the head cross country and assistant track and field coach at McMurry University in Abilene, Texas. During his tenure at McMurry, Chandler coached 79 all-conference performers, 11 all-region honorees, 22 school record breakers, two NCAA DIII national qualifiers, 102 academic honorees, three Academic All-Americans and six Academic All-American teams.
Chandler has directed long distance running camps and clinics since 1999 and has presented at several coaches’ clinics, including the Texas High School Girls Coaching School, Corpus Christi Track Coaches Clinic and the Mississippi High School Track Coaches Association.
Chandler is a member of both the USA Cross Country and Track and Field Coaches Associations and is a USATF level I coach, and he has been a level II coach in endurance events since 2004.
As a student-athlete, Chandler was a four-year letterman in cross country at McMurry. He won the ASC individual cross country championship in 1998 and 2000, led the men’s team to an ASC championship in 2000, was the ASC 800-meter champion in 1997, and earned all-conference honors twice in track and field.
Chandler graduated from McMurry in 2000 with a BS in Multidisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Secondary History and Physical Education. He received his master’s degree in Sports Recreation Management from Hardin-Simmons in 2002.
Chandler married the former Janet Bohling in May 2002, and the couple has a son, Michael.
