Arkansas Tech University Women's Cross Country

Aspel is the epitome of running at Arkansas Tech. Leaving his home country of Ireland when he was just 18 years old, Aspel attended the University of Arkansas in 1974 where he received his Bachelor of Science degree. From there, he brought his talents to Arkansas Tech University where he received his Masters of Science degree and became the head track coach where he served from 1978-1986. Tech, at the time, had a strong men's track program under coach Aspel. Aspel coached men like Paul White, the most decorated track and field athlete in Arkansas Tech history. White was a three-time individual National Champion and won six All-America honors during his time under Aspel. A few years later, in 1994, Aspel took the reigns of the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns cross country program. In 1995, Arkansas Tech made the move to join the Gulf South Conference and Tech's cross country program would be up against some stiff competition. Aspel worked to make the Arkansas Tech cross country program one of the best in the GSC. In his first five years as the cross country coach, Aspel moved the Golden Suns from 10th in conference up to fifth. In 2000, he saw his first top-3 finish when the Golden Suns finished third in the GSC. A year later, they stayed in the top-3 with another third-place finish. By 2003, the Golden Suns were back to form, as Tech finished third in the GSC meet and had four Tech runners earn all-conference honors. Helpful in that success was one of the Golden Suns top cross country runners of all time, Siobhan Lenihan. Lenihan was recruited by Aspel in 2000 from his native country of Ireland. The only runner to be selected to the all-conference team in each of her four years at Tech (2000-2003), Lenihan posted her name in the record book several times under coach Aspel including the 5-kilometer, 6-kilometer, and 4X400m relay outdoor track event. In 2005, Aspel coached his first individual GSC champion in Aoife Cooke. Cooke was named the South Region Female Athlete of the Year, as well as an All-American. She helped lead Tech to their first NCAA Division II National Championship. In 2007, Lauren Karnitz became the latest All-GSC runner Aspel has coached as she finished 14th at the GSC Championships to earn Second-Team All-GSC honors. The year 2009 proved to be another strong year for the Golden Suns as they finished third in the GSC and fourth at the NCAA South Regional meet. Baile Miller became Tech's first GSC Freshman of the Year. In 2011, Tech joined the Great American Conference. Aspel led the Golden Suns to a third-place finish in his first shot at the GAC. 2012 saw the Golden Suns finished seventh in conference and wrapped up the season with an NCAA Division II Central Region Appearance.  The Golden Suns returned to the regional championships after a fifth-place finish at the GAC meet in 2013, and in 2014, Aspel guided a young squad that was beleaguered by injuries to a seventh-place finish and another berth in the NCAA regionals. Aspel has made a name for himself in the running world as well. He has won five National Championships in the USA Track and Field Master's division and competed in the World Masters Championships. Further proving Aspel's career as a coach, he earned a Level 1 certification from USATF in 2011 and currently serves as an officer for the Arkansas Association of USATF. A native of Waterford, Ireland, Aspel lives in Russellville, Arkansas. He has two children, Sarah and Declan. Tom Aspel is the epitome of running at Arkansas Tech.