June 18, 2004

Kevin Sullivan was named a volunteer assistant coach for the Illinois women's track and field and cross country and will assist the cross country team and middle distance runners in track. Sullivan, a Brantford, Ontario native, was a 2000 Olympian, a four-time NCAA Champion, 12-time Big Ten Champion.

"Kevin has been helping with this team since the day I stepped on campus," head cross country coach Karen Harvey said. "He loves running and has a passion for coaching. He has a lot to offer the team. His experiences at the Big Ten, NCAA and international level will prove to be invaluable. Kevin's presence on the team, as our official volunteer assistant coach, will not only help Illinois in recruiting, but also help us continue on our path to the top of the Big Ten and NCAA."

A 1998 graduate of Michigan, Sullivan is widely considered one of the top distance runners in Big Ten history as he became just the third runner in Big Ten history to win four consecutive cross country titles, joining former Illinois standout Craig Virgin. On the track, Sullivan was equally impressive, winning NCAA crowns in the indoor and outdoor mile, the Distance Medley Relay and the 1,500 meters. Sullivan also won four straight indoor mile and 1,500-meter crowns at the Big Ten Championships.

Sullivan served as a volunteer distance coach for the Illinois men's track program in 2003 and prior to working at Illinois, Sullivan worked three seasons as a track volunteer assistant at Michigan, where he helped develop six All-Americans and numerous Big Ten champions. He also helped coach Michigan to three consecutive second place finishes at the Big Ten Cross Country Championships.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to be back coaching at the collegiate level," Sullivan said. "The three years of coaching at Michigan and my successful debut of coaching Illinois standouts Aaron King and Tramell Smith two years ago will hopefully only add to the continued success of the Illinois women's program. Coach Winckler's sprinters have been a consistent force on the Big Ten and national scene, and Karen and I would like to see the women's cross country program rise to that level and consistently maintain that same type of success."

Sullivan continued, "Working in an official capacity with Karen will just be an extension of the support and ideas that we share with each other every day. We are constantly bouncing ideas off each other for my own training and racing as well as Karen's recruiting and coaching strategies. I'm looking forward to helping Karen continue the great progress this program has made in the last two years and being a part of the increasing success of Illinois women's cross country."

More recently, Sullivan has taken his success to the world level, winning the silver medal in the mile at the 2001 Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia, and finishing fifth at the 2000 Olympics in the 1,500 meters in Sydney, Australia.

Sullivan is also a Canadian record holder in the 1,500 meters, the mile, indoor mile, indoor two mile and the junior record holder in both the 1,500 meters and the indoor 1,500 meters.

This season, Sullivan has achieved an Olympic "A" standard in the 1,500 meters for Canada (3:35.93) and will be running the Prefontaine Bowerman Mile this weekend. He will run the Canadian Olympic Trials in early July as well.

A Magna Cum Laude graduate in Structural Engineering Concentration, Sullivan is married to Illinois women's cross country coach Karen Harvey.