Cal State Monterey Bay announced Friday that it has hired renowned running coach Robert Sevene as its new cross country coach.

For the past quarter century, Sevene has been one of the top marathon and track coaches in the world. Highlights of his career include coaching Joan Benoit Samuelson to a gold medal in the 1984 Olympic Marathon, starting the Greater Boston Track Club and being the founding coach of the East Coast squad of Athletics West (Nike's elite team).

In 2003, Sevene moved to Marina to coach Team USA Monterey Bay. He is currently the personal coach to Blake Russell, who is the 2006 U.S. Cross County 8k champion and a two-time U.S. Road Champion in the 15k and 20k. Russell finished fourth in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.

Since coming to Monterey County, Sevene has coached seven post-collegiate distance runners in cross country, track and road races. Three of his runners have qualified for the U.S. Olympic Track and Field trials in their first year.

“We are excited to have a coach with the great experience that Bob has,” said CSUMB Athletic Director Howard Gauthier. “His name within the cross country world will attract recruits from throughout the country."

Sevene's coaching career began in 1974 when he became the coach of the Greater Boston Track Club. In '78 he became the head cross country coach and assistant track coach at Boston University. In '82 he was named head coach and administrator of Nike's Athletic West and he coached more than 75 pro athletes. The team gained worldwide recognition and placed 23 members on the '84 U.S. Olympic team.

Sevene said his goal at CSUMB will be building the program, creating team chemistry and turning Cal State Monterey Bay into a top-notch Division II program. He said he has already studied the runners on his team and will meet them face to face next week.

“I semi-retired last year and I wanted to get back into coaching because I am a teacher. I was going to go to Oregon State, but I have family here and Monterey is a hell of a nice place,” he said. “I've spent my career building programs. So I just look at it as another challenge.”

Sevene has coached at all levels, high school through professional, and said he prefers the college atmosphere.

“I like the pure amateur part of it,” he said. “Watching kids grow — not just as athletes but as human beings,” he said. “I plan on finishing my career here. I'm good for at least four years. If my health is still good after that, then I'll go beyond that.”