Crider promoted to head cross country coach at Wallace State

Hanceville, AL — Wallace State Community College has promoted Tony Crider to head coach of the men’s and women’s cross country teams, President Dr. Vicki Karolewics announced today.

“Tony Crider has proven himself in his role as assistant coach to the Wallace State cross country teams. He has been a vital part of the Wallace State family, and we know he will continue to build upon Wallace State’s outstanding success in cross country as head coach,” Karolewics said.

Crider has served as the assistant coach under retiring head coach Stan Narewski since 2017. He will take over a men’s squad that has eight conference championship and a women’s squad that has five, including a sweep of the Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) meets in 2020. That year, the Lady Lions had a program-best 6th-place finish in the NJCAA Division II national meet and the men were 8th.

“To me, it’s just a great honor to be able to follow a person like Stan and work for such a great administration at Wallace State,” Crider said. “I truly enjoy the students and I look forward to getting up every morning to work with them. They are like my children; they keep me young.”

Crider’s goal is to bring national championship trophies home to Wallace State.

“I’m going to do my best to keep Wallace State winning championships, just like Stan and I have done over years,” he said. “Our goal is to win a national championship.”

Crider has more than 20 years’ experience coaching multiple sports at the high school level, with more than 10 years coaching cross country and track and field at Cold Springs High School. There he was part of four cross country and track and field state championships.

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About Wallace State

Wallace State Community College (Ala.), a member of the Alabama Community College System, is a comprehensive community college in north central Alabama offering more than 200 options in academic, health and technical programs of study leading to an associate degree, certificate or transfer, as well as workforce-credit training and adult education. An Achieving the Dream Leader College, nationally-recognized by the Aspen Institute among the top institutions according to student outcomes, ranked by Southern Business and Development among the Top 3 institutions in the South for workforce development, named a Center of Excellence by the National League for Nursing and the National Security Administration, rated the Top Online Community College in Alabama, a Military Friendly Institution and an All-Steinway School, Wallace State is an outstanding place for students to pursue their education and career goals. Classes are offered online and on campus, day, evening and on weekends, with numerous start dates each year. Visit Wallace State’s beautiful main campus located on 300-acres in Hanceville, Ala., our satellite location in downtown Oneonta, Ala., find us online at www.wallacestate.edu, or call 256.352.8000.