Rogers State University Men's Cross Country

The Matt Kennedy File Hometown: Wichita Falls, Texas Education: Midwestern State (B.S.), '06; East Central (M.Ed.), '18 Coaching Background 2020-Pres. Rogers State, Head Coach 2011-19 Oklahoma Baptist, Head Cross Country Coach Oklahoma Baptist, Assistant Track & Field Coach 2009-11 Friends, Head Women's Coach 2006-09 Oklahoma Baptist, Assistant Coach By The Numbers 3 - NCAA National Cross County Championship Meet Appearances 2 - NCAA Cross Country All-Americans 4 - Top-5 NCAA Regional Cross Country Meet Team Finishes 4 - Cross Country Conference Championships (NCAA era) 14 - USTFCCCA NCAA All-Academic Cross Country Team Recognitions 9 - Conference Coach of the Year Honors 11 - Highest USTFCCCA Top 25 National Ranking 17 - USTFCCCA NCAA All-Region Performers 30 - USTFCCCA NCAA All-Academic Team Individuals 42 - Weeks Ranked in the USTFCCCA NCAA National Top-30 69 - All-Conference Performances Championships/Honors - 2024 MIAA Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year (RSU) - 2019 GAC Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year (OBU) - 2019 GAC Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year (OBU) - 2019 GAC Champions, Men’s Cross Country (OBU) - 2019 GAC Champions, Women’s Cross Country (OBU) - 2018 NCAA Women’s Cross Country Team National Qualifiers (OBU) - 2018 GAC Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year (OBU) - 2018 GAC Champions, Women’s Cross Country (OBU) - 2017 NCAA Women’s Cross Country Team National Qualifiers (OBU) - 2017 GAC Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year (OBU) - 2017 GAC Champions, Women’s Cross Country (OBU) - 2016 NCCAA National Runners-Up, Women’s Cross Country (OBU) - 2015 NCCAA National Runners-Up, Women’s Cross Country (OBU) - 2014 SAC Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year (OBU) - 2014 SAC Champions, Women’s Cross Country (OBU) - 2011 KCAC Women’s Outdoor Track Coach of the Year (Friends) - 2011 KCAC Champions, Women’s Outdoor Track (Friends) - 2010 KCAC Women’s Outdoor Track Coach of the Year (Friends) - 2010 KCAC Champions, Women’s Outdoor Track (Friends) - 2010 KCAC Women’s Indoor Track Coach of the Year (Friends)                     Matt Kennedy completed his fifth season at Rogers State in 2024–25, leading the Hillcat women’s cross country team to a historic top-5 finish at the NCAA Central Region Championships and the program’s first-ever appearance at the NCAA Division II National Championships. He was named MIAA Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year after guiding the team to a runner-up finish at the conference meet. Since his arrival, RSU has become the most improved women’s cross country teams in Division II, climbing from a 30th-place regional finish in 2019 (prior to Kennedy’s tenure) to 22nd in the nation in 2024. Kennedy has now qualified two separate programs from Oklahoma and the Central Region to the NCAA Championships. At Oklahoma Baptist, he led the Bison women to back-to-back national appearances in 2017 and 2018, won four Great American Conference titles, and was named GAC Coach of the Year four times. His teams spent 20 consecutive weeks in the national rankings, peaking at No. 11, and consistently finished among the region’s top five. Kennedy’s coaching career spans nearly two decades and includes prior stops at Oklahoma Baptist, Friends University, and Midwestern State. He holds a B.S. from Midwestern State University and a Master’s in Education from East Central University.

Blaine Phillippi returned to Rogers State in 2025 as an assistant coach for cross country and track & field. A former standout student-athlete for the Hillcats from 2020 to 2024, Phillippi earned multiple academic honors during his collegiate career, including the MIAA Academic Excellence Award, MIAA Academic Honor Roll, DII Athletics Directors Association recognition, and President’s Honor Roll. Following graduation, he served as the assistant cross country and distance track coach at NCAA Division I Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois, gaining experience in both training oversight and recruiting. Phillippi holds a Bachelor of Science in Sport and Fitness Management from RSU and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Sports Administration. A native of Claremore, Oklahoma, Phillippi was a prep standout at Claremore High School and is married to former Hillcat runner Gloria (Butts) Phillippi, RSU’s indoor 5,000-meter school record holder.