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Contributed by Dave Beyer, Director of Athletics Communications and Operations
McMurry University's former track and field coach Barbara Crousen will add another recognition to her already-impressive cadre of honors. It has been announced that the Texas Track & Field Hall of Fame has selected Crousen for induction with its eighth class of honorees this coming January.
Crousen will be inducted with seven others track field legends: 1996 Olympics gold medal (and record setting) high jumper Charles Austin; 11-time UIL champion prep coach (Lancaster H.S.) Beverly Humphrey; former University of Texas head coach Stan Huntsman; legendary prep and college coach David Noble; two-time Olympic gold medalist Bob Richards, and; five-time Olympian and distance phenomenon Francie Larrieu Smith. Additionally, 11 others will be honored posthumously.
Crousen led the War Hawks' men's team to the 2012 NCAA III Outdoor National Championship, the second in school history and both under her guidance. She was the first coach in McMurry history - since it began intercollegiate athletics competition in 1923 - to lead a team to a national championship, after also guiding McM's men to the NCAA III Outdoor National Championship in 2008.
After taking over the program in the summer of 1998, Crousen quickly helped McMurry become a consistent track power in the region and nation.
Since her first season of competition in 1999, Crousen led the men's team to 14-consecutive American Southwest Conference titles (1999-2012), exiting the conference in 2012 having never surrendered the men's championship trophy. The McM women's team won 10 ASC championships (1999-2004, 2006-2009) under Crousen's guidance.
Her teams had a total of 10 top-four national finishes.
During that time, Crousen was named the ASC's Men's Coach of the Year all 14 seasons and was named the women's ASC Coach of the Year 10 times.
In 2012, Crousen received the nation's highest honor for the second time when she was named as the Men's National Coach of the Year for NCAA Division III. She was also named the men's NCAA III South/Southeast Region Coach of the Year, marking the ninth time she had earned that honor.
Crousen earned NCAA Division III Women's National Coach of the Year in 2001, as well. The women's program finished fourth overall at the national outdoor meet in 2001 and followed in 2002 as the national runner up.
244 all-America honors were passed out to McMurry athletes during Crousen's tenure. 24 McM student-athletes earned national academic honors and she coached 61 national champions between indoor and outdoor competitions. She also coached the South Region Athlete of the Year 15 times including four-time winner Hann Ollison (2006-09) and two-time recipient Kevin Cunningham (2011 & 2012).
Among Crousen's impressive career accomplishments are more than 200 conference champions, better than 200 additional all-conference finishers and 100-plus academic all-conference honorees.
She was published in the Texas High School Coaches Association Magazine and produced four track-related videos detailing tips on coaching and improving athletes' performance. She had five athletes attend the USA Junior Elite Olympics Training Camp in Colorado Springs, Colo., and San Diego, Calif.
Before coming to McMurry, Crousen worked in the Texas public school system for 32 years including a stint as Cooper High School's head track and cross country coach in Abilene. She also worked in the El Paso, Deer Park and Pasadena districts.
While working in the public school system, Crousen rolled up some impressive accolades, as well. She was the 1990 TGCA All-Star Coach and served as the TGCA's president in 1993. In 1995, she was the Abilene ISD Physical Educator of the Year and the TGCA Track Coach of the Year.
Crousen was the National Federation State Director in 1996-97 and National Federation Track Coach of the Year in 1998. In 2005, she was named a TGCA Honor Coach.
Crousen was recognized for a lifetime of achievements and contributions at both the high school and collegiate levels, when she was inducted into the Texas Girls Coaches Association Hall of Fame as a part of its Class of 2012.
She was also elected to the Big Country Hall of Fame in 2013. Her late husband Joe was a 2012 Big Country HOF selection, making them the first husband-wife combo to be enshrined.
She was put into the Sul Ross State University (her Alma Mater) Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013, as well. In 2015, McM's trail-blazing coach had her distinguished career recognized with induction into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Coaches Hall of Fame.
The Texas Track & Field Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on January 6, 2017 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Addison at 7 p.m. For ticket information, please call (214) 732-8073 or via e-mail at ttfca@hotmail.com.
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McMurry University's former track and field coach Barbara Crousen will add another recognition to her already-impressive cadre of honors. It has been announced that the Texas Track & Field Hall of Fame has selected Crousen for induction with its eighth class of honorees this coming January.
Crousen will be inducted with seven others track field legends: 1996 Olympics gold medal (and record setting) high jumper Charles Austin; 11-time UIL champion prep coach (Lancaster H.S.) Beverly Humphrey; former University of Texas head coach Stan Huntsman; legendary prep and college coach David Noble; two-time Olympic gold medalist Bob Richards, and; five-time Olympian and distance phenomenon Francie Larrieu Smith. Additionally, 11 others will be honored posthumously.
Crousen led the War Hawks' men's team to the 2012 NCAA III Outdoor National Championship, the second in school history and both under her guidance. She was the first coach in McMurry history - since it began intercollegiate athletics competition in 1923 - to lead a team to a national championship, after also guiding McM's men to the NCAA III Outdoor National Championship in 2008.
After taking over the program in the summer of 1998, Crousen quickly helped McMurry become a consistent track power in the region and nation.
Since her first season of competition in 1999, Crousen led the men's team to 14-consecutive American Southwest Conference titles (1999-2012), exiting the conference in 2012 having never surrendered the men's championship trophy. The McM women's team won 10 ASC championships (1999-2004, 2006-2009) under Crousen's guidance.
Her teams had a total of 10 top-four national finishes.
During that time, Crousen was named the ASC's Men's Coach of the Year all 14 seasons and was named the women's ASC Coach of the Year 10 times.
In 2012, Crousen received the nation's highest honor for the second time when she was named as the Men's National Coach of the Year for NCAA Division III. She was also named the men's NCAA III South/Southeast Region Coach of the Year, marking the ninth time she had earned that honor.
Crousen earned NCAA Division III Women's National Coach of the Year in 2001, as well. The women's program finished fourth overall at the national outdoor meet in 2001 and followed in 2002 as the national runner up.
244 all-America honors were passed out to McMurry athletes during Crousen's tenure. 24 McM student-athletes earned national academic honors and she coached 61 national champions between indoor and outdoor competitions. She also coached the South Region Athlete of the Year 15 times including four-time winner Hann Ollison (2006-09) and two-time recipient Kevin Cunningham (2011 & 2012).
Among Crousen's impressive career accomplishments are more than 200 conference champions, better than 200 additional all-conference finishers and 100-plus academic all-conference honorees.
She was published in the Texas High School Coaches Association Magazine and produced four track-related videos detailing tips on coaching and improving athletes' performance. She had five athletes attend the USA Junior Elite Olympics Training Camp in Colorado Springs, Colo., and San Diego, Calif.
Before coming to McMurry, Crousen worked in the Texas public school system for 32 years including a stint as Cooper High School's head track and cross country coach in Abilene. She also worked in the El Paso, Deer Park and Pasadena districts.
While working in the public school system, Crousen rolled up some impressive accolades, as well. She was the 1990 TGCA All-Star Coach and served as the TGCA's president in 1993. In 1995, she was the Abilene ISD Physical Educator of the Year and the TGCA Track Coach of the Year.
Crousen was the National Federation State Director in 1996-97 and National Federation Track Coach of the Year in 1998. In 2005, she was named a TGCA Honor Coach.
Crousen was recognized for a lifetime of achievements and contributions at both the high school and collegiate levels, when she was inducted into the Texas Girls Coaches Association Hall of Fame as a part of its Class of 2012.
She was also elected to the Big Country Hall of Fame in 2013. Her late husband Joe was a 2012 Big Country HOF selection, making them the first husband-wife combo to be enshrined.
She was put into the Sul Ross State University (her Alma Mater) Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013, as well. In 2015, McM's trail-blazing coach had her distinguished career recognized with induction into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Coaches Hall of Fame.
The Texas Track & Field Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on January 6, 2017 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Addison at 7 p.m. For ticket information, please call (214) 732-8073 or via e-mail at ttfca@hotmail.com.
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