NU Track and Field Tabs Grimes as Assistant Coach

LINCOLN?Nebraska Head Track and Field Coach Gary Pepin announced Wednesday that Kris Grimes, formerly of Washington State, has been hired to fill the Huskers’ vacant assistant coaching position. Grimes replaces former NU assistant Rick Attig as the men’s and women’s pole vault and combined events coach.

A native of Jefferson City, Mo., Grimes has helped several athletes flourish on the national level during his 17 years of coaching, as his resume boasts 10 NCAA All-America athletes who have earned 14 individual honors. Included among the group is two-time NCAA champion Sevatheda Fynes, who Grimes coached to national wins in the 100- and 200-meter dash events while at Michigan State.

"Kris has a long and successful history of producing outstanding pole vault and multi-event athletes," Pepin said. "He has had a winning stretch in an outstanding, nationally recognized program at Washington State. Kris also has been able to gain successful experience in several different areas across the country."

Grimes brings a wealth of recruiting and coaching experience on the NCAA Division I level with him to Nebraska. He previously served as an assistant coach responsible for the development of the WSU men’s and women’s jump groups for the past eight seasons. Prior to his post with the Cougars, Grimes served as interim head women’s track and field coach at Michigan State for one season in 1996 before being named the Spartans’ interim Director of Women’s Track and Field and Cross Country. He remained in his interim post with MSU until 1998, when he was hired by Washington State.

A three-time NCAA All-American pole vaulter at Abiline Christian University, Grimes was a key contributor on four Division II national championship teams. After exhausting his eligibility, he served as an assistant coach for the Wildcats in 1989 while completing his bachelor’s degree in education. Grimes later received his master’s degree in education with concentrations in sport psychology and biomechanics while coaching in a graduate assistant role at Missouri from 1990-91. Between his time at Missouri and Michigan State, he spent five years (1992-96) as an assistant in charge of jumps and combined events at Louisiana-Monroe.

Grimes is a United States Track and Field Coaching Education Certified Level II Instructor who earned the 2005 West Region Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year honors from the USTCCA. Kris and his wife, Tami Micham Grimes, who is a former distance runner at Louisiana-Monroe, have two sons, Kristofer James and James Harrison, and one daughter, Anna Kay.

"My primary reason for coming to Nebraska is because it’s exciting to be at a place where they know how to win championships," Grimes said. "My goal is to be a big part of that, to help any way I can to continue that championship tradition."

Grimes inherits one of the deepest groups of athletic talent at Nebraska. NU returns three pole vaulters for the upcoming 2006 season who have combined to earn six NCAA All-America awards in sophomore Jenny Green, junior Gable Baldwin and senior Ray Scotten. Grimes also will mentor reigning NCAA indoor women’s pentathlon champion Ashley Selig during her senior season.

"What a great situation to come into," Grimes said. "This is going to be a great year for us in the multi-events and pole vault. I’m very excited."