PU gives XC reins to Dolan

Assistant rises to head coach

By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
   Steve Dolan has excelled with the responsibility to lead the Princeton University men’s distance runners.
   Now he has the title to prove it.
   Dolan was named the Tiger head men’s cross country coach after serving as assistant to Fred Samara for the past four years since coming to Princeton from The College of New Jersey. Samara will remain the head men’s track and field coach.
   ”Steve has distinguished himself as an outstanding coach and recruiter of distance runners,” said PU athletics director Gary Walters in a statement. “The cross country team’s recent success reflects directly upon his direct impact on that program. Fred Samara and I believe that Steve’s promotion is merited by his performance and overall contributions to the track program.”
   Princeton has won the last two Ivy League Heptagonal championships. Dolan paused in his pre-season preparations for a run at a third crown to take in his promotion.
   ”I want to acknowledge my appreciation for Fred’s support since I got here,” Dolan said. “He’s allowed me to work with the guys and the acknowledgment that he and Gary are giving me to be the head coach is appreciated.”
   The promotion shows their dedication to Dolan, who has found a home coaching at Princeton. Whether he was an assistant or head coach, the athletes he coaches don’t change.
   ”I’m really excited to be at Princeton,” he said. “I think this is one of the great places in the country to coach. We have the opportunity to work with some special student-athletes. We have kids that want to achieve academically and athletically. I feel fortunate to work with the guys every day in practice.”
   Whereas Dolan was the director of both the men’s and women’s track and cross country programs at TCNJ, he has enjoyed being able to focus on building the men’s distance corps at Princeton. Working with them has allowed him to get to know them better, which allows Dolan a better understanding of their motivation and drive.
   ”The best part of coaching is directly interacting with the student-athletes,” Dolan said. “I’ve enjoyed the interaction and the close bond that you form with the student-athletes. I’ve been able to work closely with the middle distance and distance runners.
   ”I’ve experienced some special things in the years that I’ve been there. We traveled to China with the team last year. That’s an experience I won’t forget.”
   Dolan, like Samara, competed as a decathlete in college. Though he wasn’t one himself, Dolan has found he can be effective coaching distance runners.
   ”The same energy you take into decathlon, you take the same energy and put that into coaching,” he said. “I’m in 17th year of coaching, and I’ve been to focus my attention on the men’s distance runners here at Princeton.”
   Dolan came to Princeton for the opportunity to coach a Tiger team that targets the Ivy title every season, as well as the chance to coach some athletes hoping to compete at the highest level in the country.
   ”That definitely was a draw,” Dolan said. “And it’s met my expectations.”
   The Tigers return Heptagonal cross country champion and All-American Michael Maag, but will bring a relatively inexperienced lineup otherwise into this season that begins Sept. 13 when Princeton hosts the Old Nassau Run at the West Windsor Fields. Heptagonals are October 31 in Van Cortlandt Park in New York City.
   ”We have a great leader in Michael Maag,” Dolan said. “He’s a great competitor and great leader. There are going to be a lot of new guys that comprise the strength of our team. Five of our top eight were seniors last year. We’ll have to have some new guys contribute. We feel good about our team and our chemistry. It’s unknown what level we’ll run at. It’s a new challenge and the guys are up for it.
   ”Competing for the Heps championship and the regionals has become an annual type of goal. We hope to do it again. It’ll take some new guys to step up to make those things happen. That’s the exciting challenge. That’s the fun of a new season.”
   The Tigers welcome a nationally ranked freshman class to their team. Included among the freshmen is Brian Leung, the West Windsor-Plainsboro South graduate who won the New Jersey Meet of Champions and advanced to the Foot Locker Nationals.
   Following Heptagonals, Princeton’s West Windsor course will host the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals on Nov. 15.
   ”That’s been great,” Dolan said. “This is Year Three of our new cross country course. That’s been a great addition for us. We’re proud to be hosting the regional championship at home on our new course.”
   It’s not the only thing new for Princeton. Steve Dolan is a familiar face with a new title with the Tigers.