Men's Cross Country

Coaching Staff

Matthew J.. Manfred
Co-Head Coach, Men's and Women's Cross Country
Athletics

Office: 103 Adler Athletic Complex
Phone: 814-949-5234
Email: @psu.edu

Heidi T.. Manfred
Co-Head Coach, Men's and Women's Cross Country
Athletics

Office: 103 Adler Athletic Complex
Phone: 814-949-5234
Email: @psu.edu

Matt Manfred has been involved with Penn State Altoona cross country for all but three of the teams’ first ten years. Joining the programs as they entered just their third season in the fall of 2004 under Penn State Altoona’s founding coach, Doug Hoover, Matt served as an assistant coach for three seasons, helping the women’s team win their first AMCC team and individual titles in 2005. Along with his wife Heidi, Matt took up head coaching duties of both teams in 2007. In 2009, Matt and Heidi took a hiatus as they moved from the area, but reentered as head coaches for the 2010 season.

Matt has an extensive history of competing and coaching cross country and track & field. As a student, he ran track & field and cross country at both Hampton High School (Allison Park, PA) and Geneva College (Beaver Falls, PA), competing in the PIAA cross country meet, as well as the NCCAA and NAIA national track meets. Upon graduation, Matt held the Geneva College school records in the indoor 5,000m, and the outdoor 10,000m, half marathon and marathon.

Before and during his career at Penn State Altoona, Matt has coached cross country or track and field at Blackhawk High School, Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High School, and State College Area High School, amassing school records and PIAA medals.

Under the guidance of Matt and Heidi Manfred, the Penn State Altoona men's and women's runners have never finished the AMCC championship lower than fourth. In the Manfreds’ final season as assistant coaches in 2006, sophomore Jonathan Barthelemy finished the NCAA Mideast Regional Meet in 22nd place, narrowly missing a berth to the NCAA championship. The next year, freshman Wes Brubaker set the school record in 5K of 16:24. In this tenth season for the Lions, the coaches aim to improve upon their already strong record of recent years.

Heidi Manfred has been leading the Penn State Altoona women’s and men’s runners for most of the past decade. She first became an assistant coach to the programs in 2005. That season saw the women’s squad win their first Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference team and individual titles, and the Lions have maintained a place near the top of the AMCC throughout the first nine years of the teams’ existence. Heidi served for two years as an official assistant coach before becoming head coach alongside her husband Matt in 2007.

As an athlete, Heidi competed in cross country and track & field before graduating from Altoona Area High School and going on to study and run at Geneva College. While at Geneva, she qualified for the NAIA and NCCAA meets in both track and cross country, earning an NCCAA All-American plaque for 13th place in the national cross country championship in 2002, and setting the school record in the 10,000m on the track. Heidi went on to compete in one final season of cross country as she earned her master’s degree from Mount Aloysius College, even competing against Penn State Altoona and breaking the 6K course record at the 2003 Lion Invitational.

In addition to coaching the Penn State Altoona squads, Heidi brings experience from coaching at the scholastic level as three-year head coach of girls track at Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High School.

The women’s cross country team at Penn State Altoona has never finished lower than third in the AMCC Championship race. In 2005, freshman Meagan Crossett won the individual title and led the Lions to the team championship while being named Conference Runner of the Year. Kirsten Luzik set a school record in 2007 with a 19:58 clocking for 5K, adding a solid performance to the Manfreds’ first year as head coaches.

Heidi and Matt live in Altoona with their three children, Edith, Abraham, and Reuben. Heidi is a clinical coordinator for the Meadows Psychiatric Center, and Matt is an instructor with the PA Distance Learning Project.