GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman University Director of Athletics Jason Donnelly announced today that cross country/track and field coach Robert Gary has received a contract extension. Terms of the extension were not disclosed.

"Furman Athletics is excited to announce a contract extension for Robert Gary, one of the most accomplished men's and women's cross country and track and field coaches in the nation," said Donnelly in making the announcement.  "During Robert's nine years at Furman, the program has won eight-straight men's and women's Southern Conference cross country championships, established Furman as a nationally ranked and respected program, consistently developed All-Americans on the track and in the classroom, and set numerous school records. 

"Robert, along with his wife, Rita, and their talented staff, have demonstrated transformational success for both the men's and women's teams," continued Donnelly.  "We appreciate Robert's talent, vision and commitment to growing the program.  We are grateful to Chris '78 and Andrea Borch for their passion, leadership and generosity to push the program forward and to provide Furman with the opportunity to retain coaches of Robert and Rita's caliber." 

Gary, who is in his ninth season at the helm of the Paladin program, was honored as the 2019 Furman Lyles Alley Coach of the Year.  An eight-time SoCon Coach of the Year selection, he led the Paladins to their eighth-consecutive SoCon cross country titles in 2020.  

"Coach Gary has had phenomenal success developing student-athletes who excel at the highest levels in the classroom and in competition," said Furman University President Elizabeth Davis.  "There are few coaches in collegiate track and field and cross country with such a distinguished record of coaching and producing star runners and winning programs as Robert. We look forward to his continued success and all of his accomplishments yet to come."

"We talk often about the unique 'people horsepower' that Furman possesses, and the support our program enjoys is a huge part of the success we have attained," said Gary.  "So I want to thank our senior administration from President Davis, to Jason Donnelly, and Erin Mayes for the stability this contract extension provides.  I would also be remiss if I did not thank Chris and Andrea Borch of the Borch Foundation for their vision, generosity, and friendship in building our endowment toward reaching 100% endowed scholarships in the near future.

"In our first contract, we learned what details were necessary to build a distance running powerhouse inside the unique high-level academic rigors of Furman University," continued Gary.  "This contract keeps those details in place.  Our current and future student-athletes can be assured that their experience at Furman will allow them to pursue an elite academic and athletic experience for the foreseeable future.  I look forward to continuing to watch our graduates become doctors, researchers, and leaders in their industry, but I also look forward to many more SoCon Championships, NCAA representation, Team USA members, and professional runners.

"It is obvious that Jason Donnelly has a competitive vision for the entirety of his athletic department, and our staff takes that responsibility very seriously.  The stability and continuity this contract provides our program will allow us to continue to 'Start small; think big'," concluded Gary. 

Under Gary's tutelage, All-Americans Gabbi Jennings and Cameron Ponder were voted the 2020-21 Edna Hartness Female Athlete of the Year and Male Athlete of the Year, respectively.  Jennings garnered a first-team All-America citation in the 3,000m Steeplechase during the outdoor track season after finishing seventh at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, setting a program record of 9:38.24.  She went on to compete in the Olympic trials in the event, where she placed 22nd.  Jennings, who recorded personal bests in each of the last four Steeplechase races of her collegiate career, qualified for the NCAA East Preliminaries in an unprecedented four events (800m, 1,500m, 5,000m, and 3,000m Steeplechase), but focused her efforts on the Steeplechase.  She set a program record of 15:33.59 in the 5,000m during 2021 outdoor season after winning the 1,500m and placing second in the 800m at the 2021 SoCon Outdoor Championships. 

Ponder earned first team All-American honors in the 3,000m after placing eighth with a personal-best time of 7:54.56 at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.  The SoCon indoor champion in the mile, he tallied two sub-4:00 mile marks during the indoor season.  Ponder placed third and earned first-team All-SoCon honors at the league cross country meet.  Two days after competing at the indoor championships, he ran at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, where he helped the Furman men to a 24th-place finish.

Nine Furman athletes qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field East Preliminaries.  Senior Gabbi Jennings won the 3,000m Steeplechase at the prelims, and senior Ryan Adams placed fourth in the 1,500m to advance to the NCAA Championships.  Freshman Megan Marvin finished 20th and senior Emma Kuntz placed 29th in the 800m, while freshman Bethany Graham turned in a 14th-place finish in the 5,000m.  Senior Daniel Bernal finished 27th in the 10,000m, while Ponder placed 27th and freshman Carson Williams finished 37th in the 3,000m Steeplechase.  Senior Jake Ogden placed 44th in the 5,000m.  

Five former Paladins competed in four events at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Allie Buchalski, a seven-time All-American who finished as runner-up in the 5,000m at the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Championships, placed fourth in the first round of the women's 5,000m, posting a time of 15:32.35 to advance to the finals, where she turned in a time of 15:47.52 to take fifth place.  Jennings, a three-time All-American in the 3,000m Steeplechase who placed seventh at the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships, turned in a time of 9:58.07 to place 22nd at the trials. 

On the men's side, Frank Lara, a three-time All-American in the 10,000m, recorded a time of 28:45.41 to finish 18th in the event at the Olympic trials.  In the 5,000m, All-American Tripp Hurt posted the fifth-best qualifying time of 3:39.18 in the first round to advance to the semifinals, where he placed 23rd with a time of 3:47.38.  A three-time All-American in the event, Ryan Adams finished 28th at 3:46.65 at the trials.

Gary's athletes have had continued success in the classroom, as well.  Eleven Paladins garnered individual All-Academic honors in during the 2020 cross country season, while the Furman women's and men's cross country programs earned 2020 Division I All-Academic Team status as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). 

In 2019, the Paladin women placed second at the NCAA Southeast Region Cross Country Championship, tying the highest regional finish in the history of the Furman women's program, and placed four women on the all-region team.  The Furman women entered the NCAA Championships ranked 15th but went on to score a ninth-place finish, led by Savannah Carnahan, who placed 13th, and Jennings, who finished 20th.  Both Carnahan and Jennings earned their third-career All-American citations at the meet.  The Furman men scored a 14th-place finish at the meet, led by All-American Adams, giving the Paladins a sixth-place national combined finish collectively between the two programs.  

During the 2020 indoor season, Jennings set a Furman record of 4:34.74 in the mile, ranking seventh nationally, while Adams posted a new Paladin record of 3:57.62 in the event to rank eighth nationally.  Adams ranked 12th nationally in the 3,000m after posting a time of 7:49.45, also a Paladin record.  Both athletes qualified for the 2020 NCAA Indoor Championships, which were canceled due to COVID-19, and were honored as All-Americans.

Carnahan was honored as the 2020 Southern Conference Indoor Track and Field Most Outstanding Athlete and Most Outstanding Track Performer after winning her fourth-straight 5,000m league title, and Furman claimed gold in nine events and recorded the highest point totals in the history of both the men's and women's programs at the 2020 SoCon Indoor Track and Field Championship.  

In addition to his numerous successes spanning his nine years at Furman, Gary has also established himself as a one of the nation's elite coaches through his involvement with USA Track and Field.  He has been actively involved in preparing Team USA for international competition and most recently served as the head men's coach for Team USA at the 2019 IAAF World Championship in Doha, Qatar.  Gary coached the USA senior men's team to a runner-up finish and a silver medal at the 2013 World Cross Country Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland (the highest Team USA finish in history).  In 2011, he served as the  men's distance coach for Team USA at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea.  He was the head coach for the USA junior team at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Punta Umbria, Spain., and was also USA's U-23 distance coach at the North America, Central America, and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) meet in Toluca, Mexico.  He also served as the USATF Men's Development Chair (1500-10k) from 2008-16.

A two-time Olympian (1996 Atlanta Games and 2004 Athens Games) in the 3000m steeplechase, Gary concluded his own running career in 2005 after becoming one of only five Ohio State track and field athletes to earn bids to two separate U.S. Olympic teams.  He finished second in the steeplechase at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1996, recording a career-best time of 8:19.46, then posted a third-place finish at the 2004 Trials eight years later.  As a cross country athlete, Gary garnered 11 career appearances on the U.S. cross country team and was chosen Track and Field News Cross Country Runner of the Year in 2004.

A 1996 graduate of Ohio State, Gary completed an illustrious career as a member of the Buckeye track and field program, earning six All-American citations and winning the Big Ten championship in the steeplechase in 1994.  His time of 7:52.63 in the 3,000m still stands as the Ohio State indoor record in the event.  A three-time All-Big Ten selection, he helped the Buckeyes to three league championships and was inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009.  

Gary and his wife, Rita, who serves as an assistant coach in the Paladin track and field/cross country program, are parents of a son, Percy.