UNCW track & field coach accepts position at Lynchburg College

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The wear and tear of trying to save the UNCW track and field program was apparently too much for Jim Sprecher. On Thursday Sprecher announced he’s leaving UNCW after 19 years as the track & field and cross country head coach.

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LYNCHBURG, VA (LYNCHBURG COLLEGE RELEASE) -– Jim Sprecher, formerly the head coach at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, was named the Lynchburg College director of cross country and track and field Thursday.

“We are thrilled to welcome coach Sprecher to the Lynchburg Hornet Nation today,” said LC director of athletics Jon Waters. “His proven track record of developing well rounded students that excel both in the classroom and in competition makes him the perfect leader for this next chapter in the storied history of Lynchburg Track and Field/XC. We look forward to his energy and vision for our program and are excited to work with Jim and our extended Lynchburg track family to help our student athletes achieve their goals.”

Sprecher has served at Division I UNC-Wilmington since 2003, and also from 1992-99 as the head cross country and track and field coach. Since 2003, he has been named the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Coach of the Year five times and his teams have won five CAA team titles. Sprecher has mentored three NCAA All-Americans, an NCAA Division I Regional Athlete of the Year, a USATF National Championship qualifier and a USA Team member in international competition. A total of 14 of his student-athletes earned CAA Athlete of the Year awards.

Sprecher’s teams have excelled academically as well. He has coached 32 Academic All-American teams and 29 Academic All-Americans.

“I’m extremely excited about joining the Lynchburg College family,” said Sprecher. “The program’s success both in the ODAC and nationally is a tribute to the commitment and value that I wish to continue. I would like to thank President Ken Garren and Jon Waters for this tremendous opportunity. I’m looking forward to working with the athletes as we chart a new future, while engaging the alumni as we continue to honor this proud tradition that Coach Jack Toms and so many established.”

Sprecher has a wealth of coaching experience, having also led Ball State University and Arkansas College and assisted at Louisiana Tech, Wayland Baptist and Baylor University.

He graduated from Ball State University and earned his master’s degree from Baylor.

“I think Jon Waters and President Garren really hit a home run with the hiring of Jim Sprecher,” said Linh Nguyen ’00, currently the Director of Cross Country/Track and Field at the University of Toledo. “I’ve known Jim for years now as a fellow coach and competitor and I know that he is the perfect person to bring the Lynchburg track and field program back to national prominence. You won’t find a better identifier, recruiter, and developer of talent than Coach Sprecher. In addition, he is a person of high character and somebody current student-athletes and alumni will be proud to have lead the team. I am 100% confident that the program at Lynchburg is in the most capable hands.”