William Peace University Names Rod Williams Head Cross Country Coach

RALEIGH, NC, October 26, 2012 (Press-News.org) William Peace University (http://www.peace.edu), a private four-year university located in downtown Raleigh, has announced the hiring of Rod Williams as the head coach for the university's men and women's cross country teams. In his position, Williams is responsible for recruiting prospective cross country student athletes and monitoring the running techniques of both male and female teams as well as overseeing the development of competitive schedules in preparation for race day training.

Marking the first male cross country team for the university, the men's team has already begun training for this year's competition. Williams expects the women's team to be a contender in the USA South Athletic Conference in the near future, as it is younger and larger than in previous years. Each runner on the women's team has set new personal bests this season in 5K training, and some have improved their times more than two minutes.

Bringing more than 10 years of cross country experience, Williams has previously served as a distance coach for the Carolina Elite Track Club, where he assisted in the training of high school athletes, a volunteer track coach for South Carolina State University as well as a track coach for St. David's High School in Raleigh.

QUOTES:
"Having the opportunity to serve as William Peace University's head cross country coach and contribute to the athletic foundation of this institution is truly an honor, as this sport has been an integral part of my life for many years," said Williams. "It is my goal to develop a platform and environment for our runners that will assist them in achieving their own objectives while encouraging their love of the sport."

"We are proud to announce Rod as the head cross country coach for William Peace University," Debra M. Townsley, Ph.D., president of William Peace University."More than merely appreciating the sport or having the athletic background, Rod has an undeniable passion for furthering the talent of young athletes. We look forward to the growth and opportunities that lie ahead of our cross country students under Rod's leadership."

DETAILS:
- Prior to joining William Peace University, Williams worked in the telecommunications industry for 10 years, where he served as an IT instructor.

- Williams earned his degree in business administration from South Carolina State University.

- He resides in Durham, N.C., with his wife and two children.

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ABOUT WILLIAM PEACE UNIVERSITY:
William Peace University is located in the heart of Raleigh, North Carolina. It was founded in 1857 as Peace Institute, offering education for boys and girls in primary grades and to women from high school to college. Peace, an all women's college, became a four-year baccalaureate college and graduated its first bachelor's students in August of 1996. Exclusively an all-women's institution for its first 152 years, Peace began offering coeducational evening courses through the William Peace School of Professional Studies in 2009. In 2011, Peace College transitioned to William Peace University and welcomed its first coeducational class to its day program in fall 2012. Its mission is to prepare students for careers in the organizations of tomorrow. On average, more than 90 percent of the university's graduates are placed in jobs or graduate school within one year of graduation. For more information, please visit http://www.peace.edu.

Jennifer Fair
MMI Public Relations
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