Aug 28, 2023
“CHARLESTON, S.C. – Charleston Southern University Athletic Director Hank Small announced the hiring of Jim Stintzi as Director of Track and Field & Cross Country on Monday. Stintzi comes to Charleston Southern with an extensive resume that includes 30 years worth of head coaching experience at Michigan State University and the University of Wisconsin. He will serve as head coach of the Bucs' men's track and field and cross country teams and will oversee all operations of the men's and women's programs. "I am excited and grateful to be Director of Track here at Charleston Southern," Stintzi said. "I am looking forward to meeting challenges and improving our track program and am also eager to capitalize on the opportunities at CSU. The university's culture and mission, excellent facilities for track and field and location in Charleston give us a good chance to be successful and have a consistent program." Stintzi most recently led Wisconsin's women's track and field and cross country teams from 2004-2014. He piloted the men's cross country program at Michigan State from 1984-2004 and also led the women's cross country team for his final five years with the Spartans. Stintzi assisted the men's track and field program for all 20 years of his tenure at Michigan State and held the same title with the women's team from 1999-2004. Highlights of Stintzi's career include a 2001 Big Ten Conference Women's Cross Country title, a 1999 Big Ten Men's Track championship and a 1998 men's NCAA Regional crown – all achieved at Michigan State. Stintzi has directed 14 teams to the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships and has mentored student-athletes to 76 NCAA Division I All-American honors and 37 Big Ten individual championships. Fourteen times, Stintzi's programs have finished inside the final NCAA Top-25 rankings. At Wisconsin, Stintzi guided women's cross country to four top-three finishes at the NCAA Regional and two runner-up finishes at the Big Ten Championships. Stintzi directed the Badgers to a fourth-place finish at the 2006 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. While at his alma mater, he coached student-athletes that totaled 20 individual Big Ten titles and 43 All-American honors. Stintzi enjoyed a long run of success at Michigan State, collecting eight top-20 NCAA finishes. The men's cross country program had five top-three finishes at the NCAA Regional and eight times earned top-three standings at the Big Ten Championships. In five years at the helm of the women's program, Stintzi's teams finished top-three at the NCAA Regional all but one time. A well-respected figure in the sport, Stintzi served as president of the United States Cross Country Coaches Association from 2001-2004. He was also involved in the community during his time in East Lansing, working as chairman of the Lansing Michigan Young Life Board. Stintzi is a 1981 graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where he completed a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts at the College of Education. He and his wife, Gail, will reside in Summerville.”