OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University has named Conor Holt as head men's and women's cross country coach.

Holt joins the Stars after four years as Purdue assistant cross country coach under Jack Warner. Holt captured the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon title in 2003 and 2004, posting a course record 2 hours, 22 minutes, 54 seconds the second time.

At Purdue, Holt guided the Boilermakers to a wealth of improvements, including a pair of NCAA qualifiers, seven regional track and field qualifiers, two Big Ten medal winners and 11 conference place winners.

“Conor has tremendous experience as a runner himself and has a real enthusiasm for the sport,” OCU athletic director Jim Abbott said. “These two attributes will serve him well as our coach. Conor has a proven record as a coach, a commitment to success in academics as well as competition, and I know that he will build our programs the right way. We are excited to add Conor to our staff. I believe that the sky is the limit for him personally, for the members of our teams and for our programs.”

OCU restarted its cross country program in 2008.

“Probably the biggest aspect for me is the opportunity and potential the program has,” Holt said. “The administration has made a commitment to making the program great. The university has wonderful facilities and the commitment to adding to the 41 national championships the athletic department has won.”

Last season, the Purdue women attacked the school record books, posting three of the fastest 6K times in Boilermaker history, including a new Boilermaker record. The Purdue men climbed to their highest regional ranking in school history. Purdue won the IPFW Invitational to open their season and followed with a second-place effort at the Indiana Intercollegiate Championships.

With Holt's influence, Purdue accomplished a series of firsts and milestones. Caden Shields became the first Purdue male to qualify for the NCAA Cross Country Championships since 1987. Stephen Bach placed in the Big Ten Championships three times under Holt, scoring in the 600-meter run twice indoors and once in the 800-meter run outdoors. He set the school record in the 600-meter run as a senior.

Jacob Palmer, Simon Rogers, Ladd Mercer and Feslier Holmes all made appearances in the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship qualifying events over the last two seasons, vastly improving their times and logging some spots on the Purdue all-time lists.

Prior to Purdue, Holt spent two years as women's assistant coach/recruiting coordinator at Oregon State. Holt mentored Ashley Younce, who became the first NCAA West Regional Championship qualifier in Oregon State history.
Originally from Ireland, Holt was a 3,000-meter junior national champion and a two-time 5,000-meter junior national champ. A member of the Junior World Cross Country Team (1989-91), he participated at the Junior World Track and Field Championships in 1990 and represented his native country at the World University Games in 1993.
A six-time All-American at the University of Oklahoma, Holt holds the school records in the indoor 5,000-meter run and the outdoor 10,000-meter run. He garnered a trio of cross country All-American awards, placing sixth, seventh and 14th at the NCAA Championships. He earned three more national honors in track and field (indoor 5K and outdoor 10K) and took home the Big 8 Championship in the 10K in 1996. He earned his bachelor's degree in music education in 1996.
Holt became a U.S. citizen in 2002 and followed earning 2003 Oklahoma Runner of the Year accolades and went on to become a 2004 Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier.