TEMPE, Ariz. – Assistant cross-country coach Jeremy Rasmussen has been named the new head coach of the men's & women's program, announced Vice President for Athletics Ray Anderson on Wednesday.
"Jeremy Rasmussen is the true meaning of a Sun Devil," said director of track & field Greg Kraft. "He walked on to our program as a student-athlete and became a Pac-10 Champion in the steeplechase. Jeremy has held every title imaginable in our program: volunteer coach, graduate-assistant, director of operations, meet director, and assistant coach. He has attacked each and every role with the single intention on how to make our program better. Jeremy's experience and history with our program will make for a seamless transition for our Sun Devil cross-country program."
Rasmussen becomes the sixth women's coach and eighth men's coach all-time in ASU history. He is also the first alum to lead the cross-country program, which he takes great pride in.
"First off, I want to thank Ray Anderson, Don Bocchi, Scottie Graham and coach Kraft for this opportunity," said Rasmussen. "Being an alum and going through the time when this program first took the national stage – which was a fun and exciting time as a student-athlete – and then having the opportunity to come on as a coaching member through the greatest years of the program's history in the early and mid 2000's was a tremendous opportunity for me. To have the opportunity to come back six years later with the program in a different place, the goal is to get back to the glory days and put ourselves in an opportunity to be a national contender in all three areas.
"I have a lot of passion because it is my alma mater and I can say there's no other school I would work harder for. They call it 'Sun Devil for Life' – they're not lying. I truly am."
During his time as a Sun Devil student-athlete, Rasmussen was a star steeplechaser and distance runner. In 1999, as a freshman, he helped the cross-country squad advance to the program's first NCAA Championships appearance and placed 14th. Over the next three seasons, he blossomed in the 3k steeplechase, earning the Pac-10 title in 2000 and the runner-up in 2001 and 2002. His second-place finish helped the ASU men break the 100-point barrier at the conference meet for the first time in program history.
He proceeded to graduate from ASU in 2003 with a bachelor's in computer science information, followed by a master's in higher education in 2006.
After graduating, he began the initial step before his climb on the Sun Devil track & field and cross-country staff as a graduate assistant in 2003-04, followed by a volunteer assistant from 2004-06, and finally his first official coaching position as an assistant in 2006. During that stretch, he worked with four-time Pac-10 steeplechase champion Aaron Aguayo and women's champion and eventual Olympian Amy Hastings-Cragg. He also coached Lisa Aguilera when she won the 3k steeplechase at the 2006 USA Track & Field Championships.
In 2007, Rasmussen accepted an assistant coach position with the University of Illinois, where he helped lead the Illini cross-country squad to a top-10 national ranking in 2007 and top-15 in 2008 and 2009. He also coached a national champion, several All-Americans, a National Cross Country Athlete of the Year, conference champions and more.
Finally, in 2014, Rasmussen returned to his alma mater in Tempe. Under the tutelage of his former head coach Louie Quintana again, Rasmussen continued to help coach national champions, conference champions and All-Americans.
The hiring of Rasmussen becomes Anderson's 16th hire of the 22 total coaches within Sun Devil Athletics.
"Jeremy Rasmussen is the true meaning of a Sun Devil," said director of track & field Greg Kraft. "He walked on to our program as a student-athlete and became a Pac-10 Champion in the steeplechase. Jeremy has held every title imaginable in our program: volunteer coach, graduate-assistant, director of operations, meet director, and assistant coach. He has attacked each and every role with the single intention on how to make our program better. Jeremy's experience and history with our program will make for a seamless transition for our Sun Devil cross-country program."
Rasmussen becomes the sixth women's coach and eighth men's coach all-time in ASU history. He is also the first alum to lead the cross-country program, which he takes great pride in.
"First off, I want to thank Ray Anderson, Don Bocchi, Scottie Graham and coach Kraft for this opportunity," said Rasmussen. "Being an alum and going through the time when this program first took the national stage – which was a fun and exciting time as a student-athlete – and then having the opportunity to come on as a coaching member through the greatest years of the program's history in the early and mid 2000's was a tremendous opportunity for me. To have the opportunity to come back six years later with the program in a different place, the goal is to get back to the glory days and put ourselves in an opportunity to be a national contender in all three areas.
"I have a lot of passion because it is my alma mater and I can say there's no other school I would work harder for. They call it 'Sun Devil for Life' – they're not lying. I truly am."
During his time as a Sun Devil student-athlete, Rasmussen was a star steeplechaser and distance runner. In 1999, as a freshman, he helped the cross-country squad advance to the program's first NCAA Championships appearance and placed 14th. Over the next three seasons, he blossomed in the 3k steeplechase, earning the Pac-10 title in 2000 and the runner-up in 2001 and 2002. His second-place finish helped the ASU men break the 100-point barrier at the conference meet for the first time in program history.
He proceeded to graduate from ASU in 2003 with a bachelor's in computer science information, followed by a master's in higher education in 2006.
After graduating, he began the initial step before his climb on the Sun Devil track & field and cross-country staff as a graduate assistant in 2003-04, followed by a volunteer assistant from 2004-06, and finally his first official coaching position as an assistant in 2006. During that stretch, he worked with four-time Pac-10 steeplechase champion Aaron Aguayo and women's champion and eventual Olympian Amy Hastings-Cragg. He also coached Lisa Aguilera when she won the 3k steeplechase at the 2006 USA Track & Field Championships.
In 2007, Rasmussen accepted an assistant coach position with the University of Illinois, where he helped lead the Illini cross-country squad to a top-10 national ranking in 2007 and top-15 in 2008 and 2009. He also coached a national champion, several All-Americans, a National Cross Country Athlete of the Year, conference champions and more.
Finally, in 2014, Rasmussen returned to his alma mater in Tempe. Under the tutelage of his former head coach Louie Quintana again, Rasmussen continued to help coach national champions, conference champions and All-Americans.
The hiring of Rasmussen becomes Anderson's 16th hire of the 22 total coaches within Sun Devil Athletics.