University of Providence Women's Track

Cress begins his fourth year as an assistant for the Argo mens and womens track & field teams. Cress works with the Argo throwers. In his first three seasons with the Argos, his athletes set, and reset, every school record in the throwing events. Four Throw athletes have qualified for the NAIA National Track & Field Championships during the past three years. 2013 (1 women) 2014 (1 man), and 2015 (2 women), with the 2014 athlete reaching All-American Honors. Cress was a volunteer assistant track and field coach at Darby High School from 2007-2009.  He then was an assistant track and field coach at Beaverhead County (Dillon, Mont.) High School from 2010-2012. In his coaching career he mentored six state champions and 16 individuals to top-six state finishes. Cress was a three-year letter-winner in track and two-year letter winner in football at Emporia (Kan.) State University.  He is a seven-time All-American as a USA Masters track and field competitor. Cress is also a member of the: National Throws Coaches Association, USA Track and Field - Montana, and the Montana Coaches Association.  He holds certifications with the MHSA Coach Education Program and has also earned a state of Montana Class 2 Teaching License in Health and Human Performance. Cress completed his B.S. in education at Montana Western in 2012, and is pursuing his M.S. in organizational management at UGF.

Brist has achieved numerous accomplishments coaching at the high school collegiate levels.  His efforts are now dedicated towards continuing those levels of success here at the UGF. Brist was hired as the head coach in both cross country and track teams in June 2012. In 2004, Brist became the head cross country coach at Whitefish High School in Whitefish, Mont., where he coached for eight years.  In that time his teams won four state championships in addition to four other trophies.  His teams won a total of eight divisional championships, while 25 individuals earned All-State honors.  As the WHS track distance coach, the program won two team state championships and an additional four other trophies.  He coached a total of five individuals to state titles in the distance events. In 1998, Bill took over the men's cross country program at Flathead Valley Community College.  During that time his team finished in the top 10 at the NJCAA National Championships on three occasions.  He coached four individuals to All-American status, and one individual to the NJCAA National Individual Championship. His first coaching stint was at Flathead High, as an assistant to Paul Jorgensen in the cross country program.  During his five years at FHS, the program earned five state team championships, and won state trophies on five other occasions.  He also coached, as an assistant, with the FHS track and field programs (girls pole vault).  During that period the FHS track teams earned a total of 10 State Team titles and earned trophies at State on four other occasions.  He coached a dozen young ladies over ten feet in the pole vault including 3 over 11-6".  This included a two-time State Champion. In total, Brist has been on the coaching staff of 21 state championship high school cross country and track and field teams during his coaching career.  Eight have been runner-up, while another nine teams placed third at the state Championship.  That's a total of 38 teams to have earned state trophies during his high school coaching career. He was a multi-year letter-winner, captain and record holder as a distance-runner at Flathead High School in Kalispell, Mont.  He then went on to be a captain, record-holder and a several time All-Big Sky Selection in both cross country and track at Montana State University.  While a freshman at MSU, he was the USA National Junior Cross Country 8K champion and went on to represent the United States at the World Cross Country Championships in Gateshead, England, in 1983. The Details Coached at several different levels:  Whitefish High School and Flathead High School track and cross country, Flathead Valley Community College men's cross country.  Director: Northwest Montana Distance Running Camp (www.mtrunningcamp.com).  Certified USATF Track and Field, Level I. Coaching Background   Head Track & Field and Cross Country Coach (University of Great Falls - June 2012 to present: 5 XC National Qualifers (2 men, 3 women),  11 Track & Field National Qualifiers (5 men, 6 women), 18 Academic All-American Teams (3 XC men, 3 XC women, 3 Indoor TF men, 3 Indoor TF women, 3 Outdoor TF men, 3 Outdoor TF women), 30 Academic All-American Individuals (4 XC men, 5 XC women, 8 TF men, 13 TF women), 121 Academic All-Conference Individuals (15 XC men, 12 XC women, 21 Indoor TF men, 24 Indoor TF women, 24 Outdoor TF men, 25 Outdoor TF women) Head Coach Cross Country (Whitefish High School July 2004 to June 2012): Four State Class A championship teams (girls), one state Class A Runner-up Team (boys), three state Class A third-place teams (2 boys, 1 girls), eight Northwest A conference championship teams (five girls, three boys), 25 All-State athletes, 45 All-Conference athletes, two  Class A individual state champions (one boy, on girl).  Coached one individual who earned Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year.  Assistant Coach Track & Field (Whitefish High School Aug 2004 to June 2012):  Two Class A state championship teams (boys),  two Class A state runner-up teams (girls), two Class A third-place Teams (boys),  five Class A individual state champions (boys 800, 1,600, 3,200),  (girls 800, 3,200). Men's Head Coach Cross Country (Flathead Valley Comm. College 1998-2003): Three top 10 NJCAA Div. III finishes, four NJCAA All-American athletes, one NJCAA individual national champion. Assistant Coach Cross Country (Flathead High School 1993-1997): Five Class AA state championship teams (three girls, two boys), three Class AA state runner-up teams (two girls, one boys), two Class AA third-place Teams (boys). Assistant Coach Track & Field (Flathead High School  1995  2004: 10 Class AA state championship teams (six boys, four girls), two Class AA state runner-up teams (girls), Class AA third-place teams (one boys, one girls), two Class AA individual state champions (girls pole vault). Athletic Background Montana State University (B.S. in Secondary Education): Two-time All Big-Sky cross country performer, two-time All Big-Sky track and field performer, former 5,000-meter outdoor record-holder, former two-mile indoor record-holder, USA National Junior 8K cross country champion 1983, competed in the 1983 World Junior cross country championships, participated in 1983 Junior Elite Distance Camp at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.  Flathead High School (1982)       Bill Brist Head Cross Country & Track & Field Coach The University of Great Falls cross country program has been developing the foundation needed to be competitive within the Frontier Conference and the entire NAIA.  The Argo men finished third, and the women finished sixth in the team standings at the Frontier/North Star combined Conference Championships last fall. Men's sophomore Jace Kalbfleisch qualified for the 2014 NAIA National Cross Country Meet in Topeka, Kan. In the past three seasons five individuals (two men, and three women) have qualified for the NAIA National Cross Country Championships. The University of Great Falls track and field program has been developing, as well. In that time 11 individuals (5 men, and 6 women) have qualified for the NAIA National Indoor and Outdoor Championships with one earning All-American honors. Travis Price competed in the 800-meter race at the 2015 NAIA Indoor Championships, while Ashley Thoeny (shot put) and Taylor Statton (javelin) each competed at the 2015 NAIA Outdoor Championships. In the span of 23 years, Bill Brist has achieved numerous accomplishments coaching at the high school collegiate levels.  His efforts are now dedicated towards continuing those levels of success here at the UGF. Brist was hired as the head coach in both cross country and track teams in June 2012. In 2004, Brist became the head cross country coach at Whitefish High School in Whitefish, Mont., where he coached for eight years.  In that time his teams won four state championships in addition to four other trophies.  His teams won a total of eight divisional championships, while 25 individuals earned All-State honors.  As the WHS track distance coach, the program won two team state championships and an additional four other trophies.  He coached a total of five individuals to state titles in the distance events. In 1998, Bill took over the men's cross country program at Flathead Valley Community College.  During that time his team finished in the top 10 at the NJCAA National Championships on three occasions.  He coached four individuals to All-American status, and one individual to the NJCAA National Individual Championship. His first coaching stint was at Flathead High, as an assistant to Paul Jorgensen in the cross country program.  During his five years at FHS, the program earned five state team championships, and won state trophies on five other occasions.  He also coached, as an assistant, with the FHS track and field programs (girls pole vault).  During that period the FHS track teams earned a total of 10 State Team titles and earned trophies at State on four other occasions.  He coached a dozen young ladies over ten feet in the pole vault including 3 over 11-6".  This included a two-time State Champion. In total, Brist has been on the coaching staff of 21 state championship high school cross country and track and field teams during his coaching career.  Eight have been runner-up, while another nine teams placed third at the state Championship.  That's a total of 38 teams to have earned state trophies during his high school coaching career. He was a multi-year letter-winner, captain and record holder as a distance-runner at Flathead High School in Kalispell, Mont.  He then went on to be a captain, record-holder and a several time All-Big Sky Selection in both cross country and track at Montana State University.  While a freshman at MSU, he was the USA National Junior Cross Country 8K champion and went on to represent the United States at the World Cross Country Championships in Gateshead, England, in 1983. The Details Coached at several different levels:  Whitefish High School and Flathead High School track and cross country, Flathead Valley Community College men's cross country.  Director: Northwest Montana Distance Running Camp (www.mtrunningcamp.com).  Certified USATF Track and Field, Level I. Coaching Background   Head Track & Field and Cross Country Coach (University of Great Falls - June 2012 to present: 5 XC National Qualifers (2 men, 3 women),  11 Track & Field National Qualifiers (5 men, 6 women), 18 Academic All-American Teams (3 XC men, 3 XC women, 3 Indoor TF men, 3 Indoor TF women, 3 Outdoor TF men, 3 Outdoor TF women), 30 Academic All-American Individuals (4 XC men, 5 XC women, 8 TF men, 13 TF women), 121 Academic All-Conference Individuals (15 XC men, 12 XC women, 21 Indoor TF men, 24 Indoor TF women, 24 Outdoor TF men, 25 Outdoor TF women) Head Coach Cross Country (Whitefish High School July 2004 to June 2012): Four State Class A championship teams (girls), one state Class A Runner-up Team (boys), three state Class A third-place teams (2 boys, 1 girls), eight Northwest A conference championship teams (five girls, three boys), 25 All-State athletes, 45 All-Conference athletes, two  Class A individual state champions (one boy, on girl).  Coached one individual who earned Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year.  Assistant Coach Track & Field (Whitefish High School Aug 2004 to June 2012):  Two Class A state championship teams (boys),  two Class A state runner-up teams (girls), two Class A third-place Teams (boys),  five Class A individual state champions (boys 800, 1,600, 3,200),  (girls 800, 3,200). Men's Head Coach Cross Country (Flathead Valley Comm. College 1998-2003): Three top 10 NJCAA Div. III finishes, four NJCAA All-American athletes, one NJCAA individual national champion. Assistant Coach Cross Country (Flathead High School 1993-1997): Five Class AA state championship teams (three girls, two boys), three Class AA state runner-up teams (two girls, one boys), two Class AA third-place Teams (boys). Assistant Coach Track & Field (Flathead High School  1995  2004: 10 Class AA state championship teams (six boys, four girls), two Class AA state runner-up teams (girls), Class AA third-place teams (one boys, one girls), two Class AA individual state champions (girls pole vault). Athletic Background Montana State University (B.S. in Secondary Education): Two-time All Big-Sky cross country performer, two-time All Big-Sky track and field performer, former 5,000-meter outdoor record-holder, former two-mile indoor record-holder, USA National Junior 8K cross country champion 1983, competed in the 1983 World Junior cross country championships, participated in 1983 Junior Elite Distance Camp at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.  Flathead High School (1982)