The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Women's Cross Country
- Title:
- Head Cross Country Coach/Associate Head Coach
- Email:
- mesche@uab.edu
- Phone:
- 934-7236
"I can't be more excited to have Matt join our staff," Thomas said. "He comes highly recommended from some great coaches, and has the work ethic, knowledge and ability to lead our distance program. He has been responsible for recruiting and building the distance programs at Bradley the past few years, so that experience will pay off huge here at UAB."
Esche, who has coached track and field since 2006, comes to Birmingham after spending the past five years as an assistant coach at Bradley University. While at Bradley, Esche coached All-American Kristen Busch, an NCAA Outdoor Championships qualifier in the 10,000-meter run, as well as five NCAA Preliminary qualifiers.
Esche's 2014 women's cross country team won the Missouri Valley Conference and finished runner-up in 2013. The men's cross country team finished third in 2014, the highest finish by the men's team since 1987.
Bradley's success continued in the spring of 2014 under Esche, as the women's indoor team scored 44 points at the conference championships, the most in school history. Overall, Esche coached six Missouri Valley Conference champions at Bradley.
Prior to his time at Bradley, Esche spent 2009 at Nicholls State and the 2010 track season at Butler. While at Nicholls State, Esche coached the cross country team to a number of program firsts, including its highest Southland Conference finish (sixth in 2009 after finishing 11th in 2008), its first NCAA South Central Regional Poll ranking (14th) and its highest NCAA South Central Regional meet (12th).
Following the turnaround season, Esche was selected as 2009 Louisiana Cross Country Coach of the Year.
Esche made his coaching debut as a volunteer assistant coach from 2006-2009 at his alma mater, the University of Iowa, where his 2006 cross country squad placed fifth at the Big Ten Championships, third at the NCAA Midwest Regional meet and 28th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.
"The distance program has been a cornerstone of our program for a long time," Thomas said. "I want to continue that tradition of conference champions and All-Americans and Matt is the guy to do that. He shares the same program philosophies and that will be important for this team to be successful."
As an athlete, Esche was an All-Midwest Region cross country athlete in 2002 and 2004. His holds the school record in the 10k (30:10), while ranking 10th all-time at Iowa in the 8k (24:31).
He is a 2006 graduate of the University of Iowa.
