Tulane names Adrian Myers Director of Cross Country/Track and Field

Myers to lead the Green Wave program after six years at NIU

NEW ORLEANS – Tulane University Director of Athletics Troy Dannen announced today the hiring of Adrian Myers as the Green Wave’s new Director of Cross Country/Track and Field.

Myers comes to Tulane following a decorated six-year tenure at Northern Illinois University where he served as the head coach of the women’s cross country programs and served as an assistant track and field coach with the Huskies.

“I’m excited to welcome Adrian to the Tulane athletics family,” Dannen said. “He quickly built a record of achievement in his time at both Purdue and Northern Illinois, and presented a strong plan to raise the level of competitive outcomes across our running programs during his visit Uptown. We look forward to both his leadership, and his vision for on- and off-track successes for our student-athletes.”

In six seasons with NIU’s cross country/track and field programs, Myers led the Huskies to their first Mid-American Conference (MAC) cross country and track and field championship titles. He also coached two All-Americans, two MAC Performer of the Year awards, three MAC Freshman of the Year awards, five United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Region honorees, 12 NCAA qualifiers, 12 MAC Champions, 13 All-MAC cross country individuals, 42 league medalists, and one United States national team individual. In addition, Myers coached 2018 Spanish Under 23 800-meter National Champion Lorena Martin.

“I want to first and foremost thank Troy Dannen, Lorne Robertson, Dr. Charvi Greer and the rest of the search committee for believing in me and my vision for Tulane Green Wave Cross Country/Track and Field,” Myers said. “This is a world class university, inside of a culturally rich city, which provides our student-athletes with a first class experience. With my word as my bond, I will be a good steward over the resources at hand to move this program into the top of the American Athletic Conference as well as into the national scene. I cannot wait to roll up my sleeves and get to work.”

In 2017, Myers coached Hope Schmelzle to the finals of the United States Track and Field Championships finals. Schmelzle was the only collegiate athlete to qualify for the championship finals. In addition, Myers’ student-athletes broke all of NIU’s distance and middle distance records.

In leading the Huskies’ women’s cross country program, Myers directed NIU to five Top 4 finishes at the MAC Championships. Most recently, Myers guided the NIU women’s program to the MAC championship crown in 2020 en route to be named MAC Coach of the Year. Prior to his arrival, NIU posted an average finish of 11th for the previous 20 years. Under Myers’ watchful eye, NIU received votes in the USTFCCCA poll in the fall and spring.

In addition, Myers was nominated as a NIU Athletics Victor Awards Coach of the Year candidate in 2017, 2018 and 2019. In 2020, he was tabbed NIU Huskie Athletics Coach of the Year.

Myers joined NIU after he spent two seasons with the men’s and women’s cross country and track and field programs at Purdue University. Myers also previously served as a volunteer assistant coach with the Boilermakers.

At Purdue, Myers helped the Boilermakers’ cross country programs produce their best recent finishes in the Big Ten. In 2013, the men’s program posted its best finish since 1991, while the women’s team enjoyed its top placement in the conference since 2007. Myers also worked with Purdue’s first cross country NCAA All-American since 1987, Matthew McClintock, who would go on to win gold for the U.S. junior team in the 10,000 meters at the 2013 Pan-American Games.

Myers’ guidance has also helped Purdue’s runners produce numerous personal records, All-Big Ten honors, NCAA qualifying berths, All-America recognitions, as well as a two-time USA Team member in McClintock and a USA World Junior team member in NCAA qualifier Hope Schmelzle in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Purdue alum and 2016 Summer Olympics Trials hopeful Bre’Anna Smith, who was an NCAA All-American at 800 meters finished 12th at the 2015 USA Track and Field National Championships.

Prior to his time with the Boilermakers, Myers served as an assistant coach and director of strength training for the Indiana Invaders elite development program, a nationally recognized group that has produced more than 200 qualifiers to USA Track & Field championships. While working with the Invaders, Myers coached two-time USATF national championship qualifier Drake Sterling in the 800 meters.

During that time period, he also assisted at Zionsville High School as sprints, jumps and hurdles coach at the same time, overseeing 14 IHSAA regional qualifiers, and was voted to the board of directors for USA Track and Field’s Indiana Association as the men’s track and field chair.

From 2011-12, Myers spent two years as the women’s cross country coach and assistant track and field coach for men’s and women’s middle-distance and long sprints at Marian University in Indianapolis.

During his time there, Marian’s women’s cross country program improved its finish at the Mid-Central College Conference championships with Lauren Borchelt earning All-MCCC honors. Under Myers’ guidance, Marian produced 11 national standards, the program’s first two male track and field All-Americans in its history, and qualifiers for the NAIA Championships in the 400m, 800, 1000m and the mile.

Prior to that, he began his coaching career at IUPUI in 2009, serving as the top assistant for Hall of Famer Chuck Koeppen’s program. In this role, Myers coached a first team All-Summit League cross country runner in Joe Hoffman while also working with IUPUI’s School of Physical Education on research related to the ground reaction forces between track spikes and different competition surfaces.

As a student-athlete at Lewis University, Myers was a three-time NCAA Division II All-American and was a 10-time All-Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) honoree as a middle-distance runner with the Flyers. He set the Lewis records in the 1,000-meter run and the distance medley relay while helping the Flyers win GLVC championships in 2004 and 2005. Myers also served as the team’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) representative and participated in the NCAA Peer Educator program.

Myers excelled at running in high school as a 10-time Illinois All-State track & field athlete, competing for Oregon High School’s heralded program.

He owns a bachelor’s degree in sports management from Lewis University and a master’s degree in human performance and physical education from Adams State University.

Myers and his wife, Tricia, have three children: two daughters, Nikeya and Sydney, as well as a son, Adrian Jr.

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