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Colorado State's Doug Max Retires from Coaching Will make the move to administration after 19 years at the helm. May 28, 1999 FORT COLLINS, Colo. - Colorado State University track and field coach Doug Max today announced his retirement from coaching. Max, who has been the schools coach for the past 19 seasons, will become the schools assistant athletic director for facilities and game management. Del Hessel, an assistant coach who directed the Rams mens and womens cross country teams and previously was head coach at Colorado State, will replace Max, effective July 1. Max supervised football team travel and coordinated facility issues including completion of the Thurman "Fum" McGraw Center during the past year on a part-time basis. He was also the departments interim athletic director in 1997 prior to the appointment of Tim Weiser as director. "Doug Max has earned the respect of his coaching peers for his success at Colorado State," said Weiser. "For 20 years, he has been a vital part of the athletic program at Colorado State. His contributions to our track and field program are invaluable." Max said the chance to work administratively full-time led to his decision to retire from coaching. "This is a tremendous opportunity for me within our department," said Max of his new role. "This past year was a chance for me to gauge my interest in administration. I know this is something I want to pursue on a full-time basis. "During the past 19 years, our track and field program has grown considerably. Ive had a lot of thrills, and Ive had the chance to deal with great student-athletes and tremendous competitors. I have countless memories of all the things that weve accomplished in our program. "I know that the track and field program will continue to move forward under the guidance of Del Hessel. Im also excited about the future of our entire department because of the success weve had and the direction in which we are moving." Hessel said hes delighted to return as the schools head coach. "I have always had a fondness for this school and the athletic program," said Hessel. "I am excited to have the opportunity to again serve as head coach. Doug Max did an outstanding job throughout the years with the program, and I want to maintain our tradition in the track and field program." Max just completed his 19th season as the head coach of Colorado State's Track and Field program. One of the major accomplishments during his tenure was construction of the Jack Christiansen Memorial Track Facility on the east end of campus which opened in 1989. Max in 1998 guided the womens cross country team to a top 20 national ranking and berth in the NCAA Championships. In 1997, the womens cross country team finished the season ranked No.12 in the USA Today polls and second at the WAC Championships. The mens team placed fifth out of 14 teams at the District VII meet. Max arrived at Colorado State - his alma mater - in time for the 1980-81 academic year and since that point, has helped the program achieve individual and team success. In 1994, Max was named the WACs Womens Cross Country Coach of the Year, marking the fourth time in his collegiate coaching career he had been so honored. In 1992, he made a "clean sweep" of the conferences coaching honors, named as Coach of the Year for womens cross country, indoor and outdoor track. Max competed as a hurdler from 1971-75 at Colorado State, earning four varsity letter awards. In 1972, he narrowly missed qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Trials - by one-tenth of a second. When his competitive days finished, he turned to coaching, first at Estes Park High School from 1975-79. Max then was an assistant coach at Western Kentucky. He returned to Colorado State in the summer of 1980. During his coaching tenure, Colorado States mens track team has been among the top five WAC finishers in the conference outdoor championships nine times. Since the womens program joined the WAC in 1990, the Rams team has finished third or better five times. Twenty-three times, Colorado State individual performers have won mens titles at the WAC meet, and the women have boasted ten individual champions. Colorado States program has produced more than a dozen NCAA All-Americans under Maxs guidance. He helped discus ace, Casey Malone become Colorado State's first junior world and junior national champion as well as NCAA Champion in 1998. Bryan Berryhill is one of the nations top distance runners. Shelly Borrman is a four-time All-American. Hessel returned to Colorado State, his alma mater, three years ago as assistant track coach and cross country coach. Hessel was a distance runner for the Rams from 1959-63, earning four varsity letter awards in track and two more in cross country. In 1962, he won the Skyline Conference 800-meters title and that same year was named the schools most outstanding male athlete. He set the school record in that event in 1963, a mark which stood until 1991. Hessel also competed in the NCAA Championships and two Olympic Trials (1964, 1968).
Following a career as a successful high school coach, Hessel was Colorado States head coach from 1970-76. He then was the head coach at Western Kentucky, where Max served as an assistant coach. Hessel also was head coach at the University of New Mexico. In 1995, Hessel was inducted into the Colorado States sports Hall of Fame.
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