ULAA Board of Directors Approve Contract Extension for Dale Cowper

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville Athletic Association Board of Directors approved a contract extension for track and field/cross country head coach Dale Cowper through the 2023 season.

"I'm honored to have the support of Vince Tyra and our administration along with the ULAA Board as we continue building upon the tradition of success our program has established," said Cowper. "I'm grateful for the efforts our current students, coaching staff and previous alumni have displayed as they strive for excellence on and off the track. Our family has grown to love this community, university and athletic department and we look forward to being a part of many more highlights in the future."

Cowper, who is in his ninth season at the helm, has helped the Cardinals tally 54 NCAA All-Americans and 45 conference champions spanning three conferences – the Atlantic Coast Conference (2015 – present), the American Athletic Conference (2014) and the BIG EAST (2013).

In the 2020-21 campaign, the Cardinals achieved several milestones including a top-20 finish for the women in the indoor season keyed by Makenli Forrest's NCAA Indoor Weight Throw title. Forrest also won the ACC Indoor Championship and was the ACC Indoor Track and Field Scholar Athlete of the Year. In addition to Forrest's success, Halee Hudson, Aliyah Welter and Sterling Warner-Savage also collected NCAA All-American honors and the program produced 12 All-ACC performers.

With the outdoor season still in progress, the Cardinals have already produced notable results. Gabriela Leon won the 2021 ACC Outdoor Pole Vault title to lead 13 All-ACC performers. Four student-athletes advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Championships which are currently underway at Heyward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

In the last five years, UofL track and field has produced two national champions with Forrest's title in 2021 and Edwin Kibichiy winning the 2017 Outdoor Steeplechase. Louisville has also had a pair NCAA runner-up finishers with Forrest earning the silver medal in the 2019 NCAA Weight Throw and Dorcas Wasike placing second in 2018 NCAA 10,000m. Wasike was also the USTFCCCA Regional Athlete of the Year, the ACC Cross Country Champion and the ACC Scholar Athlete of the Year.

The UofL men's cross country team won its first-ever NCAA Southeast Regional Championship in 2016.

In addition to program's athletic success, the men's and women's cross country team and women's track team achieved a perfect score in the most recent APR release with the cross country team appearing in the top 10 percent of the sport.

Cowper joined UofL as an assistant coach from 2006-10 and served as the program's associate head coach from 2011-13, working primarily with throwers and as the recruiting coordinator. Under his tutelage, UofL All-American D'Ana McCarty won the NCAA Weight Throw titles in 2009 and 2010.
The 2011 USTFCCCA Southeast Region Women's Assistant Coach of the Year was also part of five BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year awards garnered after the Cardinals won five straight women's outdoor track and field titles. The men's track and field team captured its first conference title in 2007.

University of Louisville Athletics

ULAA Board of Directors Approve Contract Extension for Dale Cowper

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Players Mentioned

Makenli Forrest

Halee Hudson

Gabriela Leon

Sterling Warner-Savage

Dorcas Wasike

Aliyah Welter

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