2012 Women's Cross Country
 
2012 Women's Cross Country Coaches
John Foss Image
John Foss
Head Coach- 25th Season

John Foss enters his 25th season as the head cross country coach at Indiana Wesleyan University. Foss began his association with IWU as a student-athlete, earning NAIA All-American status twice in cross country.

During his tenure Foss has built the IWU cross country program from a regionally competitive League contender to a consistent national contender. The Wildcats have won 31 league championships including the 2012 men’s the 2011 women’s titles.

Athletes under Coach Foss’ coaching include 15 NAIA All-Americans and nine team finishes in the top-10 at the NAIA National Championships. The highest finish so far was the 2000 women’s team which finished third. Foss was named the NAIA National Coach of the Year. The Wildcats consistently place a large number of NAIA Scholar-Athletes on the board year in and year out.

Foss has served as the President of the NAIA Coach’s association. Several alumni are currently coaching at the intercollegiate, high school, and junior high levels and a number of IWU alumni are continuing to compete post collegiate.

John is married to Beth Foss and has four children. His son Josh was an NAIA National Champion in the 4 x 800 and NAIA national runner-up in the 1500 in 2008. His daughter Alyssa is currently a junior on the team.

 
Lee Smith
Assistant Coach- 28th Season

Lee Smith graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University and the track and field program in the spring of 1980. He worked at IWU for a few years as an admissions counselor and then continued his education toward a Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy at Duke University.

Smith currently owns a physical therapy center in Marion and has watched his business grow into the most respected and successful PT clinic in the area. Smith served in transition as the head cross country coach in the mid-1980s until his business grew to the point where it was difficult to do both jobs. Since Foss came in 1987, he has been the assistant coach, adding tremendous value and experience to the program.

Smith and his wife Lori both run the family business and Lori often travels with the team. She is famous throughout the program for her desserts and her compassion for the athletes on the team.