GUNNISON, Colo. – Western State Colorado University Head Track & Field Coach Chris Bradford announced his resignation this past week. Bradford will take over as the Head Cross Country/Track & Field Coach at Cal Poly Pomona in Pomona, California. In his place, Lindsey Grasmick will become the Interim Head Coach for the Mountaineer track and field team.
 
"We would like to thank Coach Bradford for his eight years of passion and service he gave to the strong tradition of the Western Track & Field program, our student-athletes, the entire Western staff, the University and our Gunnison community," Western Athletic Director Miles Van Hee said. "He did an amazing job here at Western and I'm confident the success he had here will continue with him throughout his coaching career. We wish Coach Bradford the best of luck in his future endeavors."
 
During his eight-year tenure at Western, Bradford stewarded some of the strongest track & field teams in program history. Under Bradford's tenure, Western compiled 18 individual NCAA DII champions in track & field alongside 111 individual All-American performances.
 
Bradford coached the best high jumpers in Western history with Barbara Szabo setting the all-time DII indoor best before qualifying for the World Championship during her career and later the Olympics. Near simultaneously, Bradford guided Susan Jackson to the U.S. Track & Field Championships and the 2016 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials. Jackson finished her career as the fifth best outdoor high jumper in DII history. On the men's side, high jumper Oliver Harsanyi finished his career as the eighth best indoor performer in DII history. In 2017, pole vaulter Noah Zorsky dominated the NCAA DII ranks clearing 17'09 and becoming the 10^th best indoor performer in DII history.
 
Bradford's legacy at Western extends beyond individual performances though as the Mountaineers amassed 11 top-10 finishes at the NCAA DII Championships across the men's and women's teams. This streak of success is highlighted by a tie for 3^rd place with traditional DII powerhouse St. Augustine's at the 2011 NCAA DII Outdoor Track & Field Championship.
 
Under Bradford's guidance, Western's track & field success also carried over the classroom embodying the student-athlete model. In 2012 and 2013 the Western men earned the USTFCCCA Men's Scholar Team of the year while the Western women's track & field team won the 2013 Brechler Award for the highest GPA (3.53) in the RMAC.
 
"I want to thank Western State for the amazing opportunity I was given eight years ago to lead this program," Bradford said. "I have loved my time here and I will miss all the fans, supporters, members of the Western State community, and most importantly the amazing coaches and athletes I had the privilege of working with every day." 
 
Following the departure of Head Coach Chris Bradford, Western Director of Athletics, Van Hee, announced that Lindsey Grasmick will assume the role of Interim Head Track & Field Coach. For the past two seasons, Grasmick served as an assistant coach for the Mountaineers working with sprinters and hurdlers while fulfilling the duties of recruiting coordinator. Additionally, Grasmick coordinated Western home athletic events.
 
"I am very grateful for the opportunity here at Western and would like to thank Miles Van Hee and the rest of the administration for the chance to lead our track and field program," Grasmick said. "I will have big shoes to fill following Coach Chris Bradford's success the past eight years, but I look forward to the challenge of working with our great student-athletes in a new role while building another great season with the Mountaineers."

Having started her coaching career at Western as a volunteer assistant for the 2012-2013 season, Grasmick will now transition to the duties of Head Coach three years into her second stint with the Mountaineers. Last year, Mountaineer sprinters broke three school records (Men's 4x100m, Women's Outdoor 4x400m, and the Men's 400m Hurdles). This followed four additional school records in 2015-2016 totaling seven school records ranging from the Indoor 60m to the 400m hurdles in Grasmick's tenure. School record holder, Alex Schaffer, also earned All-American status finishing fifth at the 2017 NCAA DII Outdoor championships. Additionally, Grasmick has coached five individual RMAC Champions and helped the Western men capture the 2017 RMAC team championship.
 
"We did not have to go far to find the best head coach candidate to continue the tradition of the Men's and Women's Mountaineer Track & Field programs," Van Hee said about Grasmick. "Lindsey Grasmick has proven herself to be an up and coming successful head coach with her track record as an assistant coach for Western and her past success as a collegiate athlete. She is willing, and has the work ethic, to put the time in to be very successful. She is very passionate in her profession, she's a great recruiter and genuinely cares for her student-athletes."
 
Prior to her return to the Gunnison Valley in 2015, Grasmick served as a graduate assistant coach for two seasons at Minnesota State University, Mankato. While working with the Mavericks, Grasmick formulated daily practice plans and facilitated workouts for 50 student-athletes while performing daily operations that included recruiting, equipment ordering, managing study hall, team travel and budget maintenance. She also assisted the coaching staff with home meet operations by scheduling workers and helping run events.
 
While in Mankato, Grasmick also served as an Athletic Academic Advisor Intern during the 2014-15 academic year, advising student-athletes from 18 sports.
 
As a graduate student, Grasmick was a recipient of the Sport Management Leadership Award and the Woman of Courage and Vision Award in 2015. She earned her master's degree in Sport Management.

A native of Fowler, Colorado, Grasmick was an eight-time NCAA Championship qualifier and six-time All-American while running for Adams State University. During her time in Alamosa, Grasmick compiled an impressive 22 All-RMAC honors including nine individual conference titles. She was named the RMAC Freshman of the Year for both the indoor and outdoor seasons in 2009-10. Grasmick is a member of ASU's record-holding distance medley relay and is a former school record holder in the 400-meter hurdles.
 
Grasmick was also successful in the classroom, graduating cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Performance and Physical Education with an emphasis in Exercise Science and Sport Administration in May 2012. She earned eight Academic All-American honors and six RMAC Track and Field All-Academic awards. Grasmick was also an eight-time recipient of the Vice President's and Athletic Director's Honor Roll. 
 
"I'm super excited to have coach Grasmick take over as our Interim Head Men's and Women's Track and Field Coach and have the utmost confidence that she will continue the success of the program and prepare to take it to the next level," Van Hee said.