Ann Arbor, Mich. -- When Roger Jackson, Concordia University Athletic Director, reviewed the resumes for potential head coaches for the cross country program, one name stood out: Kathy Rounds, a former cross country and sprint coach from Michigan State University.

Rounds, a resident of South Lyon, wanted to shorten her commute and therefore became interested in the Cardinal cross country position. Jackson, wanting to build a strong program with an eye for a future track and field program realized after meeting with Rounds that she had the pedigree to not only build upon the young CC team, but could oversee the implementation of a full-fledged track program.

 

For Rounds, who has been on the job for only a few weeks, her focus will change almost immediately. Today, the Concordia University Cabinet approved a plan by Jackson to add track and field as a recognized and full varsity sport in one year. For Rounds, it may make her recruiting effort easier in that she can offer distance runners two options, which should strengthen further the CC squad.

 

Prior to her hire at Concordia, Rounds was added to the coaching staff in February of 2006 as sprints and hurdles coach for the Michigan State Men's Track and Field program. Rounds had an immeidate impact on the men's sprint group with each active obtaining personal records during the indoor and outdoor season. This was highlighted during the Big Ten Indoor Championships where John Childress and Kyle Sweeney ran personal bests, finsihing fifth and eighth, respectively, in the 60-meter hurdle final.

 

During the outdoor season, Childress shaved .24 seconds off of his 110m hurdle personal record to place fourth in his first Big Ten Outdoor Championship Final and advanced to the NCAA Midwest Regional. Jeremy Orr also had a fine year placing fifth in the 200m, 400m and 4x100m relay at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships and improved his 400m time by 1.14 seconds. Orr placed third at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships and 18th at the NCAA National Championship meet.

 

Rounds began her coaching career in 1993 as assistant coach for the women's track and field program at Georgia Tech. She returned to competition as an 800-meter runner following her time at Georgia Tech, earning a fourth-place finish at the 1996 Olympic Trials and serving as an alternate for the Olympic Games. Rounds earned a first-place finish at the U.S. Outdoor National Championships in 1997 and represented the U.S. as a member of the World Championships National Team that competed in Athens. Greece. She followed that effort by competing internationally, earning a berth on the 1999 World Championship National Team and represented the United States at the 1999 Pan American Games.

 

Rounds returned to coaching following her retirement from competition in 2000, founding Elite Athletic Training, a sports performance development company for elite high school athletes, specialing in sprint technique, multi-directional agility, and conditioning. She also served as the boys and girls sprint coach at Milford High School in 2003 and 2004 where her athletes set seven school records. During her two years at Milford, 21 of her athletes qualified for the Class A state meet. She also had three additional athletes qualify in 2002 while serving as the pole vault coach for Walled Lake Central High School.

 

Rounds earned her Bachelor's degree in Finance from Louisiana State University in 1987. She was a five-time NCAA Track and Field All-American and a member of LSU's 1987 National Championship team. She is also an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Rounds and her husband, Chris, have three children; Taylor, Caiden and Jace.