University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville Names Jesse Norman as Head Cross Country & Track and Field Coach
08.07.2007 | Track and Field
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - UNC Asheville Athletics Director Janet Cone announced today at an afternoon press conference the hiring of former Western Carolina assistant coach Jesse Norman as the Bulldogs new head coach for men's and women's cross country and track and field. He succeeds Dean Duncan who resigned in May.
"We are very excited to announce the hiring of Jesse Norman," stated Cone. "We believe Jesse is the perfect person to lead our cross country and track and field programs into an exciting future. He comes highly recommended from the staff at Western Carolina, one of the top programs in the Southern Conference, and is someone who has enjoyed nothing but success in his career."
Norman has worked the past two years at Western Carolina with the Catamounts men's and women's distance teams. He helped guide WCU cross country runner Dan Fassinger to an all-conference finish in cross country last season and Deanna Kulesz to an all-conference finish in the 1500 and 3000 meters. Norman was part of a Catamount coaching staff that helped WCU win the last two Southern Conference Outdoor Track and Field championships.
Norman enjoyed a great career at Western Carolina from 1999-2003. He won the Southern Conference individual championship in cross country in 2001, the only Catamount ever to accomplish such a feat. Norman was the squad's MVP in 2000 and 2001. He earned all-conference honors in the 10,000 meters during the 2000 outdoor season. Norman had a sensational prep career at Fuquay-Varina HS where he was a five-time state champion in cross country, 1600 meters and 3200 meters.
He also worked at Robbinsville HS for one year as the program's head coach for cross country and track and field. Norman earned a degree in physical education from Western Carolina in 2003 and then picked up his master's in physical education in May.
