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Warren Bye Hometown: English, Ind. Last College: Indiana '00 Position: Head Coach Birthdate: 09/15/1969 Experience: 3rd Year

Warren Bye is in his third season as the University of Louisville head women's track and field and cross country coach after a three-year stint as an assistant coach for both the Cardinal men's and women's teams before the programs were divided in the summer of 2001.

"We are really excited for Warren and our women's track and cross country programs," said Tom Jurich, U of L Director of Athletics. "Under his direction, coupled with our new facility at Cardinal Park, our women's teams will continue to make a splash on the national scene."

In just two years, Bye has already made an impressive mark on the program. He guided the Cardinals to their highest point totals ever at both the indoor and outdoor Conference USA Championships in 2002. U of L's fifth-place showing at the outdoor meet equalled the highest finish by the Cards in 12 years.

Individually, the Cardinals have won five events and have had 14 athletes finish among the top three at the indoor and outdoor conference meets over the past two years. Last year, four Cardinals qualified for the NCAA Mid-East Regionals. In the summer of 2002, Bye coached current Cardinal Kelley Bowman to USATF Junior All-America honors in the high jump.

"My goal is for this team to be in a position to compete for the conference title every year and qualify as many student-athletes for nationals and beyond as possible," said Bye.

In the classroom, the women's track and field program placed an astounding 25 of 30 student-athletes on the Spring Athletic Director's Honor Roll for maintaining a 3.0 grade point average for the semester. The program has maintained its highest two-year team gpa (3.24 in 2001-02; 3.29 in 2002-03) since the record was kept beginning in 1988-89.

In just five short years at U of L, Bye has been involved in developing 20 of the school's current record holders, including Jen Carlsen, the 2000 Conference USA heptathlon runner-up.

Bye has 13 years of coaching experience, including eight at the NCAA Division I level. He is well-versed in the technical events, having shared coaching and training duties with both former NCAA Decathlon Champion Kerry Zimmerman (Indiana, '83) and 2000 Heptathlon Olympian De De Nathan (Indiana, '91).

"Warren has done a super job for several years organizing and implementing a plan for the student-athletes under his care," said Gene Weis, who served as the head coach for both the U of L men and women for five years before turning his focus to only the men's program in 2001. "He has a great rapport with the student-athletes and the utmost respect of everyone associated with the program. It was time for us to take another step forward with the women's program, and Warren has provided the enthusiasm and motivation for that to happen."

Prior to coming to Louisville, Bye was an assistant coach with the Indiana University track program for three years. While at IU, he worked with legendary coach Sam Bell, who developed numerous Olympic athletes and is an inspiration to Bye.

"Warren is perceptive, cares about kids and is very knowledgeable about the sport," said Bell, who is now retired. "His mind is like a sponge when it comes to absorbing information on how to make improvements. He is an exceptional coaching talent who has a bright future in the sport of track and field."

In addition to his coaching duties at Indiana, Bye took over and supervised the day-to-day operations of the Indiana Track Club. Under his guidance, the club's membership increased from 70 to 250 members in just one season. Bye has recently instituted the Louisville Track and Field Club and is hoping for similar success.

"It is important to get as many people involved in and excited about the sport of track and field as possible," said Bye. "Working with the youth in this community is very important to me."

Bye, a former decathlete who specialized in the jumps and hurdles at Indiana, earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from IU in 2000. He is married to the former Marcia Stevens and resides in Corydon, Ind.