Cross Country | 6/15/2017 7:27:00 AM
MOORHEAD, Minn. — Minnesota State University Moorhead athletic director
Doug Peters has announced that
Ryan Milner has been named the new Dragon head track and field/cross country coach.
A native of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Milner been a member of the Dragon track and field coaching staff since 2011. He has been the team's cross country head coach during that time and for the past four seasons was also the associate track and field coach, coaching the distance runners.
"I want to thank
Doug Peters for entrusting me to lead the MSUM cross country and track & field programs," Milner said. "There has been a storied tradition here built by athletes, both past and present, full of great team and individual achievements at the conference and national level, and now we will begin the process of returning to that level. We will bring in student athletes with high character, a passion for education, and an understanding that there are no shortcuts to achievement. For us to compete at a championship level we must be consistently improving; moment-to-moment, day-to-day, year to year."
Milner has guided the Dragon men's cross country program to three straight appearances at the NCAA Division II Championships. Last fall, the Dragon men finished second at the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championships while the women finished in a tie for third.
"Development is the first word that comes to mind with Coach Milner," Peters said. "I have seen how he has developed the middle and long distance portion of our program into the national conversation competitively, academically, and socially. Equally important I have seen how Coach Milner has grown and developed as a coach and professional. I am excited to see what he does with the opportunity to lead the cross country and track and field programs."
Milner has coached 24 All-NSIC performers and 11 all-region performers in cross country. Last season senior
Molly Montonye finished 18th at the women's national meet and earned All-American honors. In track and field he has coached 11 All-Americans — five indoors and six outdoors. He has coached 16 NSIC champions, including relays.
In addition, Milner has coached Dragon student athletes to 33 NCAA DII National Championship qualifying times and 100 MSUM top 10 all-time performances. His athletes have been named to NSIC All-Academic teams 123 times and 13 athletes have been named Academic All-American by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA).
Before joining the MSUM coaching staff, Milner had served as an assistant cross country and track and field coach for four schools; Valley City State University, Chadron State College, Soka University, and Dana College. During this time he coached 19 National Championship qualifying performances, 26 school record performances, 23 All-Conference performances, 32 All-Academic Team members, and All-Americans at the NCAA DII and NAIA levels.
Milner competed in cross country and the distance events for Dana College. He ran on cross country teams that were nationally ranked three times and was a four time NAIA Track and Field National Championship qualifier.
Milner and his wife, Sara have a daughter, Addison.
