Michael Schmidt, Interim Head Cross-Country and Track Coach

Michael Schmidt, an assistant coach at Tufts for three seasons since 2012, was promoted to interim head coach of the Jumbo men's cross country and track & field program in August 2015. Schmidt has played a key role in many of the Tufts program's successes during the his time at Tufts. As the head coach of cross country in 2014, he lead the team to its 4th consecutive NCAA berth. During the track season, he coached the distance and mid-distance runners to a slew of PRs, academic All-American honors, and worked with double NCAA 800 meters champion Mitchell Black. Perhaps the most impressive achievement was that Tufts scored more points in the distance and mid-distance races (800 meters and above) at the NESCAC championships than any other team. A 2012 graduate of Middlebury College, Schmidt was a six-time All American who set NESCAC records and NCAA top 10 all-time marks in the 5,000m and 10,000m. His 29:23 in the 10K was the nation's best time that season, in indoor he anchored the school's first national-qualifying distance medley relay, and in the fall, Schmidt led Middlebury to its first-ever NESCAC cross country title and to its first two NCAA team berths. Following his senior cross country season, the team's Most Valuable Player award was renamed in his honor. Originally from Wilmette, Illinois, Mike majored in psychology and film & media studies at Middlebury.