June 27, 2002

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - UAB head cross country/track and field coach Brian Funk is stepping down to pursue other opportunities, it was announced Thursday.

Funk has served as UAB'S head cross country/track and field coach since 1997 and has led the teams to many distinguished accomplishments during that time.

"I am very, very proud of the five years that I have been here at UAB and what my athletes have been able to accomplish," said Funk. "We have been able to do some wonderful, wonderful things at UAB and I'm moving on with tremendous memories.

"I feel the time is right to pursue other opportunities. This was a very difficult decision for me to make because there is never a good time for a coach to leave his athletes. I'm leaving behind some wonderful kids who are going to have a tremendous future here at UAB. One of the many things that has given me great joy about my position here at UAB is developing young athletes into better people and I have been lucky enough to do that for five years at UAB."

During Funk's tenure, Blazer athletes set 41 school records, breaking nearly 50 percent of all school records set in the 15-year history of the program. Under his direction, Nakeshia Jackson qualified for the Olympic trials in 2000. Additionally, Funk coached 10 NCAA qualifiers and has led UAB to 25 top three individual finishes at the Conference USA Championships. He also coached four conference champions and two freshman athletes of the year in C-USA. In addition, Funk coached Melissa Hopkins to a NCAA Cross Country berth in 1998, making her the first individual cross country qualifier in school history.

Funk's teams consistently carried a grade point average of about 3.0 and his team received Academic All-American honors in 1999 and 2000.

"UAB is a place where a quality athlete can get a great education, go to the best meets available and have a wonderful career," Funk added. "I'm very proud of everybody that has come through. For us to have 10 NCAA qualifiers in the past five years that I've been here, an Olympic trials qualifier and a coaching staff that included an Olympic gold medalist really shows that this is a place where a UAB cross country/track and field athlete can be proud to say that they wore the green and gold. I'm proud to say that I coached here."