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Head Coach Don Fritsch
Don Fritsch enters his 10th year at the helm of the UW-La Crosse men's cross country team in 2007. After taking over in 1998, Fritsch has led the Eagles to two National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championships and six Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) titles.
UW-L captured its third national title in school history in 2005 and second under Fritsch, also winning in 2001. The Eagles won their first national championship in 1996. UW-L finished with 94 team points to defeat two-time defending champion Calvin College (Mich.) at the 2005 NCAA III Championships.
Fritsch was named the 2001 and 2005 NCAA Division III Cross Country Coach of the Year.
He has led the Eagles to WIAC Championships in 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2006. Fritsch led UW-L to its first conference championship since the 1994 season with the team title in 1998. For his efforts, Fritsch has earned WIAC Coach of the Year honors in all six seasons the Eagles have captured the conference crown.
Fritsch was inducted into the Wisconsin Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame in January, 2004.
He has guided UW-L to top-seven national finishes in eight of nine years as head coach. The Eagles placed sixth in 1998, third in 1999; seventh in 2000; sixth in 2002; fourth in 2003 and third in 2004. UW-L has placed in the top-seven at the national meet for 32 of the last 33 years.
Fritsch assisted head cross country coach Phil Esten and the UW-L track and field program for six years before being elevated to the head cross country position. His former duties included assisting in recruiting and implementing relaxation and mental imagery sessions for distance runners. He also served on the organizing committee for the NCAA III Cross Country Championships hosted by UW-L in 1995.
"This is my dream job," Fritsch said. "For as long as this school is willing to have me, this is my home. Ever since I moved here as a freshman in college, I've considered this home. I think it's fate that I'm here."
A driving force that motivates Fritsch to maintain UW-L's level of success is the confidence he has in his coaching ability despite relative anonymity. "I've always been one of those guys who feels like he has something to prove, because who has ever heard of Don Fritsch?" he said. "I'm not a big name in coaching, but I've always been successful, and I've got lofty goals here."
He has guided 11 All-Americans in cross country, including Mark Creger (15th) and Nate Hoffman (17th) in 2005. Three Eagles, Tyler Foos (third), Ross Substad (seventh) and Jason Tomrell (11th), earned All-America honors in 2001.
Fritsch has been credited with coaching 11 All-Americans with the highly successful UW-L track and field program, including national champion Brett Altergott in the steeplechase in 1997.
A former UW-L cross country and track and field athlete, Fritsch graduated in 1980 and later returned to receive a master's degree in physical education-human performance in 1993. He ran to All-WIAC and NAIA All-District 14 honors during his career at UW-L
Before coming back to coach at UW-L, he served as head coach of the boy's and girl's cross country programs at Stevens Point Pacelli High School from 1981-90, where he earned Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association Coach of the Year honors four times. He also guided the boy's and girl's track and field programs at the school from 1985-91.
Fritsch coached the boy's and girl's programs to a combined 15 WISAA Division II cross country team championships. He also guided the girl's track and field team to two state titles. During his tenure at Pacelli, Fritsch guided the development of 15 individual state champions.
Fritsch believes in what athletics and being a member of a team can teach student-athletes during and outside of competition. "I expect the student-athletes to be good people and represent themselves, the team and the school in a positive manner," Fritsch said. "It has always been an unwritten rule that the seniors in our program teach the underclassmen how we operate as a program and what is expected both on and off the course."
In addition to his coaching duties, Fritsch has been a member of the UW-L academic staff in the health and physical education department and in the education department at Viterbo University. He currently teaches health and physical education at Longfellow Middle School in La Crosse, a position he has held since 1994.
Don Fritsch's UW-La Crosse Head Coaching Career
| Year | WIAC Finish | NCAA III Finish |
| 1998 | 1st | 6th |
| 1999 | 1st | 3rd |
| 2000 | 2nd | 7th |
| 2001 | 1st | 1st |
| 2002 | 2nd | 6th |
| 2003 | 3rd | 4th |
| 2004 | 1st | 3rd |
| 2005 | 1st | 1st |
| 2006 | 1st | 11th |
Assistant Coaches: Justin Stakston, Erik Bartelson, Joe Uhan, Mike Herlihy, Cory Hayden
