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Pat Healy begins his 17th season as head coach of both the women's cross country team and the women's track and field squad at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2007.
Healy has successfully maintained programs which continues to be among the most respected cross country and track and field programs in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and in the NCAA III.
His coaching success has come from a personal approach to his squad. "I've always prided myself on being able to understand the character of different student-athletes," says Healy. "I think it's important as a coach to look at each person and treat them as an individual."
"The best thing you can do as a coach is to give each student-athlete on the team every opportunity to reach their own potential," he continued. "Coaches don't make athletes, we just provide them with the instruction and opportunity to reach whatever potential they have, and everybody has different potential."
Healy has guided the Eagles to 12 top-10 finishes at the NCAA III cross country championships in his 16 years. UW-L placed fourth at the 2001 and 2005 championships, its best finish ever under Healy.
The Eagles have captured four (2001, 2002, 2005, 2006) Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Cross Country titles under Healy.
UW-L's track and field program has been a perennial power at the national level under Healy. He led the Eagles to a five second-place finishes at the indoor and outdoor NCAA III championships during his tenure. UW-L finished fourth at the 2007 NCAA III Indoor Championships and tied for 16th at the outdoor championships. The Eagles have finished in the top-five in eight of the last 18 championships in indoor and outdoor track.
The Eagles earned trophies in the "triple crown" (cross country, indoor and outdoor track) in 2001-02 for the first time since 1983-84.
UW-L has won seven of the last eight indoor track & field conference titles under Healy and eight of the last 10 outdoor championships.
Healy was named the WIAC Coach of the Year in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track during the 2001-02 season. He has been awarded the WIAC Coach of the Year in track 14 times, including the indoor and outdoor coach of the year in 2007.
Prior to his arrival at UW-L, Healy was head women's track and field coach at Southern Oregon State College. He also served as assistant cross country coach. During his tenure, the Raiders won several track and cross country conference titles and NAIA II district championships.
Healy is a 1977 graduate of Western Oregon State. He and his wife, Melanie, and children Caitlyn, Carson and Allison reside in La Crescent, Minnesota.
Healy's UW-La Crosse Head Coaching Career - Cross Country
| Year | WIAC Finish | NCAA III Finish |
| 1991 | 2nd | 9th |
| 1992 | 4th | 7th |
| 1993 | 2nd | 6th |
| 1994 | 4th | DNQ |
| 1995 | 2nd | 10th |
| 1996 | 2nd | 9th |
| 1997 | 3rd | 11th |
| 1998 | 3rd | 10th |
| 1999 | 2nd | 5th |
| 2000 | 3rd | DNQ |
| 2001 | 1st | 4th |
| 2002 | 1st | 6th |
| 2003 | 3rd | 7th |
| 2004 | 1st | 10th |
| 2005 | 1st | 4th |
| 2006 | 1st | 15th |
Healy's UW-La Crosse Head Coaching Career - Track & Field
| Year | Indoor Track | Outdoor Track |
| WIAC/NCAA III | WIAC/NCAA III | |
| 1992 | 2nd/13th | 1st/8th |
| 1993 | 2nd/2nd | 1st/2nd |
| 1994 | 1st/5th | 2nd/6th |
| 1995 | 2nd/8th | 2nd/3rd |
| 1996 | 2nd/3rd | 2nd/6th |
| 1997 | 1st/8th | 2nd/2nd |
| 1998 | 2nd/8th | 1st/4th |
| 1999 | 2nd/2nd | 1st/8th |
| 2000 | 1st/5th | 1st/8th |
| 2001 | 1st/2nd | 1st/6th |
| 2002 | 1st/3rd | 1st/4th |
| 2003 | 1st/5th | 1st/3rd |
| 2004 | 1st/Tied 23rd | 2nd/10th |
| 2005 | 1st/Tied 18th | 1st/16th |
| 2006 | 2nd/7th | 2nd/8th |
| 2007 | 1st/4th | 1st/Tied 16th |
