UNCG track coach Rachelle Roberts steps down, Linh Nguyen promoted to head coach

GREENSBORO, NC – UNC Greensboro Director of Athletics Nelson Bobb announced Friday the resignation of head track and cross country coach Rachelle Roberts and the elevation of assistant coach Linh Nguyen to head coach effective with the start of the outdoor track season.

Roberts’ resignation is for family reasons. She is engaged to be married to Kirk Miller, who serves as the Director of Information Systems for the University of Alabama’s athletic department. The couple is planning a May 20 wedding in Tuscaloosa.

“Coaching Cross Country and Track at UNCG has been a great experience for me,” said Roberts.  “I will truly miss the athletes and all of the people in the athletic department. 

“I feel very confident I will be leaving the team in good hands with Linh taking over as head coach,” said Roberts. “He has contributed a great deal to the recent success of the program and I look for him to take it to an even greater level. I will continue to be a Spartan fan and look forward to following the teams from Tuscaloosa. I would like to thank Nelson Bobb and Cathy Roberts (UNCG’s Senior Woman Administrator) for this tremendous opportunity as well as the guidance and support they provided during my time at UNCG.”

Roberts has been the head coach of the program for nearly three years, serving as the interim coach during the 2003-04 school year and receiving the full appointment prior to last season. Prior to that, Roberts served for one season as an assistant coach.

“While it is with great sadness that we accept Rachelle’s resignation, we are very happy for her and Kirk,” said Bobb. “She has done a wonderful job with our program. At the same time, we have great belief in Linh's abilities. He has been by Rachelle’s side for the last few years and has complete knowledge of the student-athletes in the program and the level of expectation that we place on them at this university. He is a perfect fit for the situation and has my complete confidence.”

Nguyen was in his fifth season as an assistant with the Spartans before being elevated this week. He served as a volunteer for one season before being promoted in 2002. A native of East Hampton, NY, Nguyen attended Lynchburg, where he was the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Runner of the Year in 1999. During his track and cross country career at Lynchburg, Nguyen earned eight all-conference honors. After his graduation from Lynchburg in 2000 with a sports medicine degree, he spent a year as an assistant athletic trainer and volunteer assistant coach at his alma mater.

“I am very excited about the opportunity to step forward as the head coach of the Cross Country and Track programs at UNCG,” said Nguyen. “Coach Roberts has done a great job of elevating the level of the program over the past three years and I am confident that we can build upon what she has established. Nelson Bobb and the UNCG administration have shown outstanding support of the program and I look forward to working with them.”

Under Roberts, UNCG produced its first-ever NCAA Track and Field Championship qualifier when Charles Jones won the Southern Conference Outdoor title in the triple jump and then qualified for the national meet at the East Regionals.

Prior to coming to UNCG, Roberts served as an assistant at Alabama (1997-2001) and Iowa (1996-97). She graduated from Iowa in 1990 and earned a master’s degree from Alabama in 2001.

The Spartans open the outdoor portion of their schedule March 17 and 18 at the 49er Classic in Charlotte, NC.

TRANSACTIONS:
UNC GREENSBORO: Announced the resignation of Rachelle Roberts as cross country and track and field head coach. Promoted assistant coach Linh Nguyen to head coach.

- UNCG -