Men's Head Coach Darren Schneider

The 2008 season marks the beginning of Darren Schneider’s tenth season as the architect of one of the elite track and field programs in the nation.  Since becoming head coach in 1999, Schneider has built the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Men’s Track and Field program into perennial national title contenders.

While at the helm of the men’s program, Schneider has guided the Warhawks to twelve top twenty national meet finishes in indoor and outdoor competition.  In 2004, UW-Whitewater accomplished its highest ever indoor national finish with a second place performance at the NCAA Championships. In addition, the men’s program has placed third in the nation at the outdoor NCAA Championships in both 2004 and 2006.     

In just seven seasons at UW-Whitewater, Schneider’s athletes have earned All-American honors sixty-eight times.  Seven athletes have been crowned as individual NCAA Division III national champions. Two NCAA Division III national records have been set by UW-Whitewater athletes in national championship competition during his stay.  In addition, UW-Whitewater had two athletes (one current and one former athlete) meet qualifying standards for participation in the 2004 United States Olympic Trials.  In 2002, Coach Schneider was named by his peers, Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) “Coach of the Year”.

During Schneider’s tenure at UW-Whitewater, the men’s track and field program has not only experienced success on the track, but it has also seen improvements in all areas of the program.  In 2001, the $15 million Kachel Fieldhouse was completed.  This “state of the art” facility boasts one of the premier indoor tracks in the country.  In 2004, UW-Whitewater was selected as the host for the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships. In October of 2006, a $7 million outdoor athletic facility transformation began on campus.  Upgrades in this process include a new track and field facility which will include a 1,700 seat stadium structure with a press box, a nine-lane Olympic caliber competition track with lighting, and a scoreboard. Completion of the outdoor track complex is scheduled for the summer of 2007.

In 1989, Schneider began his coaching career at Knox County High School in Edina, Missouri.  A year later he moved to Lafayette High School in St. Louis, Missouri.  During his stint at the school, Lafayette ranked among the top programs in the state of Missouri.  In 1992, Schneider launched his collegiate coaching career as an assistant in the sports of men’s and women’s cross country and track and field at Oklahoma State University.  Coach Schneider returned to his alma mater (Truman State University) to work with the men’s cross country and track and field programs in 1995.   

Schneider held his first head coaching assignment at the collegiate level when he held the reigns of both the men’s and women’s programs at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville from 1996-99.  UW-Platteville established high water marks with its performances in both conference and national competition during his stay at the school.

Schneider’s current professional memberships, licenses, and degrees include: Bachelor of Science-Education with a major in Physical Education from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri (1989)…Masters Degree in Sport Science-Sports Management from the United States Sports Academy in Daphne, Alabama (1997)…Member of the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association…USA Track and Field Level I and II Certification.

Coach Schneider and his wife (Shella) have two children, Reed and Granton.