ITHACA, N.Y. -- Rich Bowman, entering his 31st year with the Cornell track and field program, has been promoted to Associate Head Coach, announced on Monday by Andy Noel, the Meakem•Smith Director of Athletics and Physical Education.

Bowman, who works primarily with the hurdlers from both the men's and women's programs along with the sprints, relays and multi-event athletes for the women's team, has coached Cornell athletes to 142 individual Heptagonal Championships and 45 current school records during his tenure in Ithaca. The Big Red has claimed 35 team championships with Bowman on the coaching staff.

Additionally, three athletes that Bowman has coached at Cornell – Darren Roach, Lauren Kulik and Susic (Curtis) Schneider – have been added to the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame. Among the other athletes he has coached are Olympian Curt Hampstead and former Trinidad national triple jump champion Mike Saunders.

Before coming to Cornell, Bowman coached for three years at the University of Kansas where he helped the Jayhawks to three consecutive conference championships. Upon his arrival at Cornell, he helped the men's team to the 1985 Heptagonal Championship, coaching three jump champions as Cornell snapped a six-year title drought. More recently, he has coached four of the last eight Cornell Charles H. Moore Award recipients for the top senior female student-athlete (Katy Jay, Hannah Garrity, Jamie Greubel and Jeomi Maduka).

Bowman earned his bachelor of science degree and a master's degree in physical education from Eastern Illinois, the latter coming in 1975. He has coached at the USA Track and Field Elite Olympic Camp and is both Level I and Level II certified by USA Track and Field and is currently working toward his Level III certification. Bowman has also coached on seven international track and field tours in Europe with the Cornell program.