Case added men's track staff completed

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas Razorback men’s cross country and track and field head coach, Chris Bucknam, announced the addition of assistant coach Doug Case to the staff on Monday. Bucknam has now completed his staff with assistant coach Dick Booth and director of operations Danny Green staying on board.

"I’ve known Doug (Case) for many years, starting when I recruited him to the University of Northern Iowa," Bucknam said. "He competed for me and then went on to have great coaching stints at Arkansas State and Drake University. His record and experience speaks for itself and he has had great success with his student-athletes. He is a very talented coach and recruiter. I’m very excited Doug and his family have decided to come to Fayetteville."

Case comes to the University of Arkansas after spending nine seasons at Northern Iowa where he served on Bucknam’s staff, coaching the pole vault and sprints groups. A 1987 graduate of Northern Iowa, Case has also spent time coaching at Drake University (1997-99) and Arkansas State University (1990-97).

"I am really looking forward to working at the University of Arkansas," Case said. "The Razorbacks have a great track and field tradition that was started by Coach John McDonnell and I’m thrilled my family and I can be a part of it. I am excited to move my family to Fayetteville because it is a great town to live in. I’m ready to get started and get to work."

Under Case’s guidance, UNI sprinters and pole vaulters have earned 35 All-America honors, including a national championship in the pole vault and 64 NCAA Division I national meet qualifiers. UNI sprinters and vaulters have dominated the Missouri Valley Conference over the last nine years, crowning 80 individual and relay conference champions.

In the past four seasons alone, Case’s sprinters have racked up 24 MVC titles and 25 All-America honors. Six school sprint records fell in 2007.

When it comes to the pole vault, Case built UNI into a national leader in the event. He developed three of the greatest vaulters in MVC history in Jacob Pauli, Andre Poljanec and Jarno Kivioja, a trio that claimed 12 MVC championships and eight All-America honors from 1999 to 2007.

Under Case’s guidance, UNI vaulters claimed six of the last nine (indoor) and five of the last nine (outdoor) MVC titles. In 2008, the Panthers finished 1-2-3 at indoor championships and then claimed two of the top three spots at the outdoor conference meet.

Case’s sprinters set school records in 10 events since 2001, including the 7.81-second effort by Jarrel Anderson in the 60-meter hurdles in 2007. He also guided Dirk Homewood to a career that included four All-America honors and school records in the 200 and 400 meters, both indoors and outdoors.

In total, Case has coached three NCAA Champions, including 2008 NCAA Indoor 800-meter winner Tyler Mulder, 55 All-Americans, 84 NCAA qualifiers, 167 conference champions and three Olympians.

A former Panther standout as a sprinter, Case established eight school records between 1982 and 1986 and was an all-conference performer in the Mid-Continent Conference. He was a member of the school record-setting 4×100, 4×200 and 4×400 outdoor relay teams, as well as the 4×400 indoor relay. Individually, he twice placed second at the AMCU meet in the 100 meters.

A native of Marshalltown, Iowa, Case received his bachelor’s degree from UNI in 1987 and then served as a graduate assistant with the Panthers in 1988 and 1989. He and his wife, Chris, have four children: Kelsey, Lauren, Cameron and Regan.

Case joins an assistant coaching staff already rich in experience and success. Booth will begin his 28th season with the Razorbacks and has amassed an impressive resume. During his time at Arkansas, he has worked with athletes to help them claim 45 individual national championships and 133 All-America honors. Additionally he has coached 11 Olympians.

Green will begin his 13th season as the director of cross country and track and field operations. His duties include coordinating the team’s travel arrangements, acting as the meet director for Arkansas’ home meets and managing the team’s equipment needs.