The 2015-2016 season marks Joe Sweeney’s 36th campaign as the coach of the women’s cross country and track teams, breaking the record for longest-tenured coach in St. Thomas athletics history.
He’s racked up plenty of accolades during his distinguished career, and now, Sweeney can add the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Central Region Women’s Coach of the Year to his long list of accomplishments at St. Thomas.
He has led the cross country program to an impressive five national championships and five runner-up finishes. Sweeney is proud of his team for its most recent achievements: the NCAA central region title and a 26th place finish at the NCAA Division-III Championships.
“It meant a lot to me just from the standpoint that we haven’t won the region for a while, and from the standpoint of our team rising to the top and being a region champion,” Sweeney said. “That was great.”
A native of Chicago, Sweeney was a standout distance runner for the Tommies in the 1970s. After spending several years coaching at Hill-Murray High School in Maplewood, Minnesota, Sweeney returned to his alma mater in the fall of 1979. He has remained at St. Thomas ever since.
A member of the St. Thomas Athletic Hall of Fame, Sweeney said the secret to his longevity has been his pride in St. Thomas and a desire to bring success to the university.
“As a coach, I wanted to do well for the university,” Sweeney said. “Pulling everybody else, all your athletes, on board with that and building that tradition. It’s meant a lot to me that we won the very first national title in the history of St. Thomas in ’81.”
Although Sweeney has experienced his fair share of personal success over the years, he was quick to attribute much of that to his runners.
“I think finding the right kind of athletes that really bought into it and really wanted to work hard at it, particularly in cross country where it really is year-round,” Sweeney said. “You have to train hard, and getting the people that want to do it and want to do it as a group … that’s really contributed a lot to our teams that were national champions.”
Junior runner Bridget McGivern is one such athlete. She spent this fall as the team’s No. 2 runner, playing a key role in helping the team to a regional championship and a berth in the NCAA meet.
McGivern said once she decided to join the cross country team, she instantly knew it was the right decision.
“I know that definitely once I was here, and I had met (Sweeney) and kind of seen the legacy that his program has and the pride he takes in his coaching, it only reassured me I was in the right place,” McGivern said.
Sweeney also credits his achievements to the overall experience offered at St. Thomas, an institution that has enabled him to bring in high-end athletes looking for more than just sports. He said he always emphasizes to potential runners the academic and career opportunities the university offers.
Senior runner Emily Gapinski echoed similar sentiments about Sweeney’s success, citing his focus on more than just cross country as a big draw for many athletes.
“I think in a lot of the recruits he really emphasizes that you’re not just here to run, you’re also here to go to school,” Gapinski said. “We talk about all the different activities you’re able to do when you’re at St. Thomas, and he stresses that you can study abroad if you want to. I think that’s something that’s really cool that drew a lot of people to the school.”
In addition to the five national titles, Sweeney’s cross country teams have won 16 of 35 conference titles, and he has had either an All-American runner or a team in the national meet in 28 of his 36 seasons.
Sweeney also boasts two individual national championship runners and the top individual finisher in five of the last 20 conference cross country meets.
Despite his success, Sweeney said he never really wanted or had the opportunity to coach elsewhere.
“A lot of other coaches have asked me that, but I think maybe everybody kind of knew that they could never pry me out of this place,” Sweeney said.
When he’s not coaching, Sweeney said he likes to spend as much time as he can with his family. He and his wife of 36 years have five children together, three of whom are in college.
Even in the face of his job’s many demands, Sweeney has no plans to retire any time soon. He said a couple factors continue to fuel his passion for coaching.
“I think the athletes would tell you that other than the fact I can’t keep up with them any more, I’m still pretty young at heart,” Sweeney said. “I enjoy being around them and the energy and excitement of winning championships and guiding them.”
Willie Faust can be reached at faus5612@stthomas.edu.