SAVANNAH, Ga. - Former Savannnah College of Art and Design men's and women's cross country coach Stephen Gonzalez has been selected the Brooks ID Runner of the Month for July.
The Brooks ID program is a program that sponsors athletes that are not only talented runners, but runners that are doing good things in their communities to help in advance running. The program is made up of over 1,300 members who are active in their running communities and share a passion for the Brooks brand. They are runners who are winners in their own right: Winning their age divisions, accomplishing their personal goals, pushing their own limits, and, by extension, encouraging others to do the same.
Gonzalez served as an assistant coach in 2008-09 before he left SCAD this summer to pursue his doctoral studies degree in sports psychology at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.
"I was delighted to see Coach Gonzalez featured as the Brooks ID Runner of the Month," said head coach Michael Sergi. "Stephen was a fine example for our student-athletes and still continues to be. He showed that you can be an outstanding student and athlete. He still continues to do that as he progresses with his running career and as a doctoral student at the University of Utah. We certainly wish him the best".
Gonzalez is an accomplished runner with over 12 years experience in the sport. While competing at Westmont Hilltop High School, the Johnstown, Pa., native accumulated all-state honors three times earning three state medals - two in cross country and another in track and field. Gonzalez held two school records (1,600 meters and 3,200 meters) as well as the conference and district 3,200-meter record. He was chosen as the 2003 individual excellency award winner at Westmont Hilltop, placing him in their athletics hall of fame.
Upon graduating in 2003, Gonzalez accepted an athletics scholarship to run cross country and track and field at the University of Pittsburgh. He was a four-year letterwinner for the Panthers in each sport. Gonzalez was named captain of the cross country team his senior season and also competed at four BIG EAST Conference championships, finishing in the top half each time. He was also named to the BIG EAST All-Academic team three times and also was on the dean's list for three years at Pitt.
Gonzalez, who earned his master's degree in sports psychology from Georgia Southern University, is still a competitive long-distance runner, competing at the marathon level. He has run the Boston Marathon and runs for the Brooks Inspire Daily Elite team and for Fleet Feet Savannah. He has a personal-best time of 2:48 in the marathon. Gonzalez recently won the Critz Tybee Half Marathon Run.
To read his feature on the Brooks Web site, go to
www.brooksrunning.com/Athletes+%26+Events/Brooks+I.D.+Program/Featured+I.D.+Member/