In one of a series of changes designed to strengthen the men’s and women’s cross country and track & field programs at Lewis & Clark College, assistant coach Keith Woodard has been named the new Head Cross Country coach and the position has been elevated to full-time status. Woodard has served as a part-time assistant to the cross country and track & field programs since returning to the College in 2002. David Fix, who has served as the Head Cross Country and Track & Field Coach at Lewis & Clark since 1981, will still serve as an assistant coach for cross country and the Head Track & Field Coach.

The changes in titles and responsibilities for David Fix and Keith Woodard have been instituted by first year Director of Athletics, Clark Yeager to help strengthen all four programs and enhance the Pioneers ranking in both the Northwest Conference All Sports Trophy and in Division III of the NCAA nationally. David Fix will continue to run many of the operational elements of the cross country program, including the planning and execution of the Pioneers’ acclaimed cross country meets. David will be responsible for the running of the 2007 NCAA III West Regionals to be held at McIver State Park in Estacada, Ore. on November 10 of this year. David will also have increased recruiting duties. He will be placing a greater emphasis on the recruitment of multi-sport athletes, particularly students who wish to play football as well as participate in track & field on Palatine Hill as part of the Athletic Department’s strategic plans to increase the number of student-athletes at Lewis & Clark College.

Keith Woodard returned to the Lewis & Clark campus in the spring of 2002 as an assistant coach for track and field with over 30 years coaching experience at the high school, club, and college levels. His collegiate student-athletes have earned over 50 All-American awards and have included a two time national Heptathlon champion, four Olympic Trials competitors, numerous Academic All-Americans, and three All-Academic All-American teams.

Keith became a student of the sport at Beaverton High School where he captained both the cross country and track teams while winning the Metro League cross country title and setting school records on the track. He assisted the coaching staff with younger team members and coached then non sanctioned events like the triple jump.

He continued his study of the sport at Lewis & Clark under the tutelage of Eldon Fix and as a teammate of current Head Coach David Fix. In his first career as a Pioneer, Keith ran on several conference and district championship teams and earned several all star awards while serving as cross country team captain his senior year.

Keith left school to continue his running career. In 1974, he co founded the Spur of the Moment Track Club based in Portland. For the next 5 years the club was one of the top clubs in the Northwest and competed at the US National Championships. During this time, he coached other club members including sprinters, jumpers, and a decathlete. In 1977, he became Head Boys and Girls cross country and track coach at Beaverton High School where he had cross country teams and individuals in cross country and track advance to the state meet.

The end of 1978 saw a move to Colorado where Keith managed the Frank Shorter Fitness Wear stores. He continued coaching and competing and ran for the nationally competitive clubs of the Frank Shorter Racing Team, Nike's 4 Corner's Track Club, and the ASIC Racing Team.

Late 1986 saw a return to Portland where he joined his brother Ken's staff at Portland State University. As an assistant for cross country and track and field for 10 years and the Women's Head cross country and track and field coach for 5 years his student-athletes broke school records in 17 women's events and 15 men's events as well as accounting for over 50 All-American awards.

In 1988 and 1989, Keith stepped back on the track to compete for the Pioneers and his former teammate David Fix. In this second career on Palatine Hill he won conference and district titles on the track and competed at the national meet both years in the 10,000 meters earning All-American honors in his last year.

Coach Fix added Keith to the Pioneer staff in 2002 as assistant for sprints, hurdles, and jumps. In the fall of 2003, Keith was added to the cross country staff and his track assignment was changed to sprints, hurdles, and distances. He has helped guide four Pioneers to the national track meet and brought back one All-American. Fix and Woodard will be joined by assistant track and field coaches Eric Olson in the sprints and relays and Chas Huff who will be coaching the horizontal jumps.