Legendary William and Mary mentor Dan Stimson announced his retirement today, effective June 30, after 43 years of coaching including 28 with the Tribe.  Under Stimson's tutelage, W&M has claimed 56 of 106 possible CAA titles, more than all but one other school has earned in every sport in the history of the conference.  A national search to find a full-time replacement will be held immediately.

“Dan Stimson's retirement closes an extraordinary chapter in the history of the Men's and Women's Track & Field and Cross Country teams,” said W&M Athletics Director Terry Driscoll.  “In addition to his tremendous accomplishments as the Director of our programs, Dan's warm, friendly, and incredibly upbeat personality touched everyone. He was the embodiment of our departmental goal of developing 'true' student-athletes, as his many successes never came with compromises.  We will all miss him very much.”

“The Tribe would not be where it is today without the dedication and expertise that Coach Stimson has given over nearly 30 years,” said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Stephen Walsh. “His impact on the lives of both students and coaches has been immeasurable, and key to creating the family environment on the team.  We are so very thankful for all that Dan has done so far, and are excited that he'll be staying a part of family and helping to coach on a volunteer basis moving forward.”

Coach Stimson came to W&M in 1986, taking on the newly created job of Director of Track and Field for both men's and women's programs.  He would continue in that role for the next 25 years, elevating the Tribe to a nationally recognized reputation.  In 2011, he chose to step down to focus on coaching the throwers.  Since the CAA began sponsoring track championships in 1990, Stimson-coached throwers have won 59 of 200 possible championships, almost 20 more than any other school and nearly more than the next two teams combined.

Stimson has coached 11 W&M Hall-of-Famers, including 1996 Olympian Brian Hyde '96 and 11-time All-American Matt Lane '01.  This spring, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame himself, in addition to being named an Honorary Alumnus of W&M in 2011.  Stimson's athletes also included javelin All-American Brandon Heroux '12, and Mike Howell '93, the only man to ever win three throwing titles at a single CAA Championships.  His daughter, Dr. Krista Stimson Crider '96, was a former Tribe record holder in the hammer throw, and Lisa Rayner '96 was W&M's first All-American in the high jump in 1994.

His current athletes have more than carried on the legacy of throwing success at W&M.  Brian Waterfield '16 was the CAA Field Athlete of the Meet in 2013 after winning the shot put and finishing second in the discus, third in the javelin, and fourth in the hammer.  He followed up this winter by becoming the first man in school history to throw over 60-feet in the weight throw.  Katie Johnston '16 has won the CAA javelin each of her first two years, and qualified for the NCAA Championships while also starting at forward for the Tribe soccer team.

Taylor Frenia '16 became just the second man ever to put the shot over 57 feet this winter, and first since 1977, and at the CAA Championships he won both the shot put and discus while taking second in the hammer.  Rochelle Evans '16 won the CAA title in the shot put her freshman year, and broke the school record in the event indoors this winter.  Bob Smutsky '16 was the CAA Champion and just missed All-American honors in the javelin as a freshman last year, before winning the U.S. Junior National Championship on the very last throw and representing Team USA at the Pan-American Junior Championships.

Stimson's legacy includes not only athletes, but also coaches.  In addition to the two CAA Coach of the Year awards Stimson himself won, his coaches have accounted for 48 more.  Tribe hires under Stimson included Walt Drenth, who went on to coach at Arizona State and Michigan State; Andrew Gerard, who was the National Coach of the Year at Stanford and Director of Track and Field at George Mason; Alex Gibby '97, currently head men's cross country coach at Michigan; and current W&M Director of Track and Field Stephen Walsh.