Carl Runk

Carl Runk
Sport(s) Football
Playing career
1961–1962 Arizona
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1969–1971 Towson State
Head coaching record
Overall 11–14–1
Statistics
College Football Data Warehouse

Carl Runk was a college football and college lacrosse coach at Towson University in Towson, Maryland, with over 30 years of combined coaching experience. He was the Tigers' first-ever head football coach, which he coached from 1969–1971. He is perhaps best known for his coaching success with Towson's lacrosse program, however.

Runk now lives with his wife in Parkton, Maryland, and teaches kinesiology courses at Towson University.

Contents

Early life

Runk graduated from the University of Arizona where he played on the Arizona Wildcats football team. He then began coaching the men's lacrosse team at Arizona throughout the 1960s. After bringing the Arizona program to consistent success, Runk went to Towson University (then Towson State) in 1968.

Football

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs Rank#
Towson State Tigers (Division III Independent) (1969–1971)
1969 Towson State 4–4–1
1970 Towson State 6–2–0
1971 Towson State 1–8–0
Total: 11–14–1
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title
Indicates BCS bowl game. #Rankings from final Coaches' Poll.

Lacrosse

Towson University

Runk coached Towson men's lacrosse for 31 years. He compiled a overall record of 261–161–0. In 1974 he led the Tigers to the National Championship by defeating Hobart 18–17, making them the College Division National Lacrosse Champions. Towson moved to Division I in 1980 and had continued success with five conference titles in the East Coast Conference. In 1989 they reached their first NCAA Division I Tournament bid. During 1990's Runk led his team to four tournament bids along with an appearance in the national championship in 1991. Throughout his time at Towson, Runk coached a "Player of the Year" in every position, as well as 67 All-Americans.

Hereford High School

After leaving Towson, Runk took over coaching the boy's lacrosse team at Hereford High School in Baltimore County, near his home. In his time at Hereford, the school won the Maryland State Championship in 2003 and 2008 as well as county and division championships in 2008. They qualified for the regional tournament in every year he coached at the school.

Later years

Runk Retired from formal coaching after the championship season with Hereford in 2008. Runk, however, still stays involved with the game as he helps developing programs in Naples, Florida, as well as an annual recruiting camp named Top Star that he hosts for prospective college lacrosse athletes. It is held at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania.

Runk wrote a book in 2008 entitled "Carl Runk's Coaching Lacrosse: Strategies, Drills & Plays from an NCAA Tournament Winning Coach's Playbook".

References

  1. "Hereford High School State Championships". Hereford High School. 2009. http://herefordhs.bcps.org/athletics/championships.html. Retrieved 7 January 2010. 
  2. Baker, Kent (November 2008). "Sports GPS: Carl Runk". pressboxonline.com. http://www.pressboxonline.com/story.cfm?id=4413. Retrieved 7 January 2010.