Illinois Promotes Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches
January 16, 2020 | General, Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Women's Track & Field, Men's Track & Field
Turk Named Director of Fighting Illini Track and Field/Cross Country; Haveman Named Head Coach of Men’s and Women’s Cross Country.
CHAMPAIGN, ILL. – Illinois Director of Athletics Josh Whitman announced today promotions for two leaders of the Illini track and field and cross country program. Mike Turk has been named as Director of Fighting Illini Track and Field/Cross Country and will remain head coach of the men's and women's track and field programs. Sarah Haveman (HAHVE-man), meanwhile, is being promoted to head coach of the Illini men's and women's cross country teams. Both changes were approved by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees at its meeting earlier today.
"We are implementing this new leadership structure to ensure the program stability and to continue building toward our vision for national caliber track and field and cross country at the University of Illinois," Whitman said. "Coach Turk has overseen the merger of our men's and women's programs with grace and begun laying the foundation for combined success. Our combined programs have demonstrated significant growth in recent years with 24 student-athletes having competed at NCAA Championship events, and 56 student-athletes earning Academic All-Big Ten accolades during the last two semesters.
"Sarah Haveman has been instrumental to the cross country program's development since joining the coaching staff in 2017," Whitman continued. "Her promotion to head coach will allow for continued growth and competitiveness in these programs, and our distance events in track and field."
Turk is entering his ninth season as head coach of the program, highlighted by the 2015 Outdoor Big Ten championship and four conference runner-up finishes.
"I am thankful for the continued support of Athletic Director Josh Whitman and the entire administrative team," Turk said. "We have worked hard as a staff to establish a new program with the consolidation of the women and men's cross country and track and field teams under one staff. The program is growing and improving and with the new facility at Demirjian Park on the horizon, we are poised to continue on our trajectory, build on our successes and add to our outstanding tradition. I am, as always, honored to be a Fighting Illini.
"Sarah Haveman is a bright star in the coaching world," Turk continued. "Sarah can handle the Xs & Os as well as anyone but her character, vision and commitment to the student-athletes' well-being and long-term development separates her from most coaches. She has done an amazing job with our cross country teams, leading the women to their first NCAA berth in a decade and a top 25 performance at the NCAA Championships with a very young team. I'm so excited to see the future of our cross country teams under Coach Haveman's guidance."
Haveman is in the middle of her third year at Illinois after serving as Director of Track & Field and Cross Country at Dayton in 2016-17.
"We have tremendous leadership at the University of Illinois that nurtures a healthy and positive environment for student-athletes and coaches to reach their goals," Haveman said. "I would like to thank Josh Whitman for consistently assessing and adjusting to continue to put coaches in positions to be successful and positively impact our student-athletes. I am very grateful for this new opportunity. It opens doors that allow me to better serve our student-athletes and demonstrates the faith that at the University of Illinois, we will continue to strive towards building one of the best cross country programs in the country. I am excited and honored to continue coaching our exceptional student-athletes to the best of my ability. I am so grateful for the dedication and faith being shown toward our cross country and track and field program's continual evolution."
Turk's contract will be extended through Aug. 15, 2023, with Haveman also earning a multi-year agreement through the same date.
Haveman was named Midwest Region Women's Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. The Illini women won the NCAA Midwest Regional championship before placing 22nd at the NCAA Championships. The men placed ninth at the NCAA Midwest Regional.
