Indiana University of Pennsylvania Men's Track

Zins enters his sixth season as the IUP men's and women's cross country head coach in 2014 after leading the womens team to appearances in the 2012 and 2013 NCAA Championships. For the second straight year, the IUP women's team finished third at the Atlantic Regional Championships. 2013 was an impressive year for the women's cross country team. Led by Zins, the team was nationally ranked in every poll of the season, including a 10th place ranking during week one. For three straight weeks the IUP women were ranked first in the Atlantic Region, marking the first time since 2009 that Shippensburg did not top the regional poll. A third place finish for the women at Regionals punched them a ticket to Nationals.  Under Zins, the men also had a historic year in 2013. A fourth place finish at Regionals marked the highest finish for the team in 20 years. Nick Patton earned All-Region Honors and an individual berth in the National Championships, making him the first IUP men's cross country runner to compete in the National Chamionships since 2009. With a 10th place finish at the Regionals, Victor Costello earned All-Region Honors for the second time. Clinton Keller also earned All-Region Honors after finishing 25th. Also the IUP women's cross country team, along with a combined nine individuals on the men's and women's teams, earned All-Academic honors from the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) in February of 2013. In 2012, Zins lead the women's team to a third place finish at the Atlantic Regionals. This finish allowed the team to qualify for their first National Championship since 2003. With a ninth place finish at the Regionals, Steph Beaudette earned All-Region Honors. Zins coached the men's and women's squads to impressive finishes at the NCAA Atlantic Region Championships in 2011. Under Zins, sophomore Victor Costello was named to the All-Region squad and finished in 12th place, while Alyssa Taddie had a strong finish on the women's side. Both the men's and women's teams placed 10th of over 20 competing teams in 2011. IUP's best finish in 2011 came at the Mack Cooper Classic in September, where the women's squad took first place as a team. Costello was the individual champion on the men's side, beating out 69 runners for the victory. During the 2009 cross country season, Zins helped freshman Hillary Mugun become the first IUP men's All-American in that sport since 1990 on the strength of a 33rd place finish at the NCAA championships. Mugun, who also took third at the PSAC meet and fourth at the Atlantic Region meet, was named the PSAC Freshman of the Year. Zins was a part-time member of the coaching staff during his first year at IUP in 2008-09. He worked primarily with the freshmen middle and long distance runners during both track and field seasons that year. Under his tutelage, freshman Ben Hatch was the PSAC outdoor champion in the 800 meters and qualified for the NCAA meet.   Zins came to IUP from Florida State, where he was a volunteer assistant coach beginning in September 2004 before receiving a graduate assistantship position in January 2006. While at Florida State, Zins helped the Seminoles win back-to-back national championships in men's outdoor track and field and earn three consecutive second place finishes at the indoor meet. The women's team placed in the top 15 all three years at outdoor nationals and was sixth in March 2008 despite sending only three athletes to the meet. Zins also helped the Florida State women's cross country team finish third at the 2007 NCAA national meet, a 19-spot improvement from the previous season, while the men were 20th. Zins attended Georgia Tech from 1997-2002 and was a standout runner for the Yellow Jacket cross country team. He was the team's Most Valuable Runner in 2001 and made the All-South Region team. After he finished his competitive career at Georgia Tech, Zins headed to Kennesaw State, where he earned his bachelor's degree in international affairs in 2003. He worked towards a masters of physical education degree while at Florida State. Zins continues to be a competitive runner, including a second place finish at the Pittsburgh Half Marathon in May 2009.