Bryan Fetzer resigns as director of track and field, cross country at UVA

UVA director of track and field and cross country and head coach Bryan Fetzer is resigning his position and retiring from coaching.

Fetzer has led the Virginia program since 2011 and just completed his 25th year as a coach. Jason Dunn, UVA’s head men’s cross country coach and assistant track and field coach, has been named the program’s interim director by Cavalier athletics director Carla Williams.

“After 25 years of coaching (23 in college, two in high school), I am retiring from the profession,” Fetzer said. “I have been so blessed over the years in numerous ways. You never accomplish everything you want but my parents have always instilled in me to leave a place better than when I arrived. I truly believe that has been the case at all seven stops along the way.”

Under Fetzer’s guidance, the Cavaliers have recorded 101 All-America honors, won six individual NCAA titles and 54 individual ACC titles. The men’s team made program history at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships with a program best third-place finish, scoring all 36 points in throwing events, the most by a throwing unit at the outdoor meet since 2002.

The men’s team placed in the top five of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association’s (USTFCCCA) Program of the Year standings, awarded to programs that qualified for all three NCAA Championships (cross country, indoor and outdoor), three consecutive seasons (2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17).

Under Fetzer’s leadership UVA had 17 top-25 NCAA finishes, six in men’s cross country, three in women’s cross country, four in men’s indoor track and field, and four in men’s outdoor track and field.

“I am very appreciative of Coach Fetzer and the tremendous success our program experienced under his leadership.” Williams said. “He led our program with great enthusiasm while helping our student-athletes achieve their goals, collectively and individually. The program has produced ACC and NCAA champions and is poised to continue its upward trajectory. I am excited for Bryan and we wish him the very best.”

Fetzer earned the 2019 Men’s ACC Outdoor Coach of the Year award after leading UVA to a 18th-place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships and a second-place showing at the ACC Championships. The men’s team had six individuals earn All-America honors and five individuals capture ACC titles, including two conference wins from Jordan Scott (Portmore, Jamaica) in the long jump and triple jump.

The women’s team concluded the year with Bridget Guy (Greensburg, Pa.) becoming UVA’s first indoor female All-American pole vaulter. Three Cavaliers won titles at the ACC Outdoor Championships, helping the program to a third-place finish. The team also had three athletes earn All-America honors at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Dunn finished his ninth year of coaching at UVA in 2019 after previously serving as the Virginia head cross country coach from 2004-08 and an assistant from 2000-04. After leaving to coach at Stanford, Kentucky and Oklahoma, he returned to UVA in 2016 as director of operations for the track and field. Dunn was named the Virginia head men’s cross country and assistant track and field coach in 2018.

Virginia will begin a national search immediately for Fetzer’s replacement.