Bio

Brian Walsh completed his 20th season as the head men's cross country coach at Western New England University in 2019.

Last fall, Western New England's season grabbed multiple eighth-place finishes before placing seventh at the CCC Championship race.

In 2018, Western New England's season was highlighted by a first-place performance at the Elms College Blazer Invitational and a seventh-place showing among 14 teams at the Golden Bears' home Invitational. Freshman Anthony Spooner was Western New England's top runner in seven of the team's eight races. 

In 2017, the Golden Bears posted a season-best third place finish at the Elms College Blazer Invitational, before placing eighth at the CCC Championship race.

In 2016, Western New England hosted consecutive meets on campus, finishing 6th of 21 teams at the WNE Invitational on October 15 before turning in a fifth-place effort at the CCC Championship two weeks later.

The Golden Bears placed 5^th of 17 teams at their annual home meet in 2015, and raced to a seventh-place finish at the CCC Championships. Five of Walsh’s student-athletes earned Academic All-CCC recognition.

The 2014 squad had seven runners named Academic All-CCC, while Walsh mentored six Academic All-Conference selections in 2013, including Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year winner Matt Sherry. 

In 2010, Western New England finished first in its own invitational for the second straight year and had its best showing at the CCC Championship after placing third among eight schools.

Walsh directed the Golden Bears to three straight Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) championship titles from 2002 through 2004 and runner-up finishes in 2001, 2005 and 2006.

He was selected the GNAC Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2003.

Walsh is especially proud to have coached three GNAC individual champions: Tom Michaud (2002), Andrew Lutz (2003), and Asif Abdul-Wadud (2004).

Walsh is a 1997 graduate of Springfield College where he was among the top runners on the Pride's men's cross-country and indoor/outdoor track squads. He participated in three NCAA Division III New England Regional Men's Cross-Country Championships and was a two-time Academic All-District selection.

In 2009, Walsh participated in the 113th Boston Marathon that was "the toughest race" of his life. He completed the 26.2 mile course in 3 hours and 1 second, which was 1,343 overall out of 22,849 runners.

A native of Southwick, Mass., Walsh also ranked among the top middle distance runners in the New England region as a collegian. He set a Springfield freshman record in the outdoor 800-meter run (1:53.8) and was the Eastern Championship Rookie of the Year. Walsh also held the varsity outdoor record in the 800 (1:52.8).

Walsh took first place in the 800 at the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships his freshman year and was a four-time national qualifier in the event.

Walsh also serves as the women's cross country coach at Western New England.