Sylvia Kamp, formerly the head cross country and track and field coach at Wright State, was named Georgia State’s head men’s and women’s cross country coach in August 2009.
Kamp has spent the last three years at Wright State, directing all aspects of the cross country and track and field programs for men and women, and she previously served as an assistant coach at Florida, Butler and Xavier.
“Sylvia brings 10 years of combined experience as a head coach and an assistant coach at a top national program,” said Georgia State Director of Athletics Cheryl L. Levick. “She knows how to recruit and develop student-athletes as well as manage a successful program in all administrative areas. We look forward to helping her build on the success that our cross country teams have achieved in recent years.”
In three seasons at Wright State, Kamp’s programs produced four Horizon League individual champions, two NCAA regional qualifiers and one USA Junior Championship qualifier. In addition, her men’s and women’s cross country squads were each honored twice with All-Academic Team distinction from the U.S. Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association.
“The enthusiasm and administrative support for distance running are truly unique at Georgia State University,” said Kamp. “I cannot wait to join during a period of dynamic academic and athletic growth. I am looking forward to continuing the traditions of two successful teams.”
Kamp took over at Wright State in 2006-07 after three seasons as assistant coach for cross country and track and field at Florida. During her stint with the Gators, the men’s cross country team earned a Top 10 national ranking, while the men’s track program finished as high as second four times and no lower than ninth at the NCAA Championships and the women’s team posted four Top 10 NCAA finishes.
Before going to Florida, Kamp spent two years at Butler (2001-03), serving as assistant coach and then interim head coach for cross country and track and field from January through August 2003. During her stay at Butler, she helped develop two NCAA qualifying cross country teams, two All-Americans, eight NCAA individual qualifiers in track, and 30 Horizon League individual champions.
Kamp began her coaching career as assistant cross country coach at Xavier from 1999-01.
She holds USATF certification in Level I and II and now serves on the USATF Coaches Education Committee.
A native of Fort Wayne, Ind., Kamp lettered in track and cross country at Centre College, where she was team captain and Most Valuable Performer while setting several school records and earning all-conference and all-region honors in NCAA Division III.
Kamp earned bachelor’s degrees in biology and history from Centre in 1999, and she added a master’s in sports administration from Xavier in 2001.
