Chris Schumacher

Chris Schumacher has been the head men's and women's track and field coach at Illinois Wesleyan University for 11 seasons. In May 2008 his women's team tied for the national championship at the NCAA Division III outdoor championships and in March 2008 he led the women's team to the NCAA Division III indoor championship, the first women's national team championship at IWU, and was named Division III "Coach of the Year" by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. In February 2008 the Titans’ women’s team also claimed the school’s first-ever College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin team championship in track, winning the indoor meet.

Schumacher has guided the Titans' men's and women's programs to their first-ever top 25 team finishes at NCAA Division III national meets. Under Schumacher’s direction (through May 2008) the Titans have produced 120 All-Americans including three relay teams and nine individual national champions. His women’s teams have finished in the top 21 nationally a total of 11 times – 2008 (first indoor, first outdoor); 2007 (10th indoor, 19th outdoor); 2006 (fourth indoor, 17th outdoor); 2005 (21st indoor); 2004 (sixth indoor, 11th outdoor); 2003 (13th indoor); and 2000 (eighth indoor).

Schumacher’s men’s teams have also yielded six national finishes – 2008 (14th indoor, 25th outdoor); 2007 (18th outdoor); 2000 (eighth indoor); and 1999 (ninth indoor, 15th outdoor.

Schumacher is a 1991 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, where he was an All-American for three years in track, competing on teams that won three national championships. Schumacher, who earned a master’s degree in physical education in 1992 at Wisconsin-LaCrosse, was promoted to associate professor of physical education at IWU in February 2003. In the fall of 2006 he was inducted into the UW-LaCrosse Wall of Fame, an award that honors those individuals who have displayed exceptional ability while on campus and since graduation. In the fall of 2002 Schumacher earned the UW-LaCrosse Multi-Cultural Alumni Award which is given to multicultural graduates who have achieved distinction  in their field, for his accomplishments while at IWU and his human and ethical qualities.

"It is very important for me to have mutual respect with the student-athlete. My office is always open and I emphasize communication and a stress-free family environment. I have very high expectations for all the athletes and they should expect the same from me. I strive to make the athletes better competitors through understanding and providing for their individual needs. My ultimate goal is to provide an atmosphere where the student-athlete can gain confidence and maturity to attain success far beyond their years as a Titan athlete."

Schumacher and his wife, Amy, have a daughter (Kienna) and a son (Keondre).

last updated May 27, 2008