Embry-Riddle Adds Women's Tennis, Men's and Women's Cross-Country

Dr. Eric Hill, professor of aerospace engineering at Embry-Riddle, has been hired as part-time men's and women's cross-country head coach. Hill won eight medals at the 1998 USA Track and Field Florida Masters Championships, including three gold, three silver, and two bronze.

"We're very pleased to have Coach Hill heading up this new program," said Embry-Riddle Director of Athletics Steve Ridder. "In addition to the sports experience he brings to the position, he is one of our most respected faculty members. He's a great fit for our program because he understands and believes in our philosophy of recruiting and competing with talented athletes who are also top-notch students."

Coach Hill will be assisted by his wife, Susan, a 1998 Masters National Champion, and Jerry Grahn, an Embry-Riddle financial aid adviser. Grahn has local roots as a graduate of Seabreeze High School and Daytona Beach Community College.

Coach Hill has already begun the process of recruiting student-athletes for the program. "There are currently 60 athletes in the Embry-Riddle track and field club and I believe we probably have a handful who may qualify," said Coach Hill. "That will give us a good starting base. Then we're looking to the Northeast and Southeast high school regional tournaments for freshmen recruits, since those areas traditionally have very strong cross-country programs."

A national search is under way for a full-time head coach for the combined men's and women's tennis programs. Men's tennis was one of the original five sports introduced when Embry-Riddle's intercollegiate athletic program was established in 1988. The program has competed successfully for the past decade under the direction of Head Coach Rudolf Knabe, an economics professor in the Embry-Riddle business administration department.

"Our men's team has a great history, including three NAIA National Tournament appearances," Ridder said. "Coach Knabe has been instrumental in building a great foundation for our program and we look forward to his continued involvement with the program. We are excited about the opportunity to bring on a full-time coach to lead the men's and women's teams."

The addition of these three teams will bring Embry-Riddle's total number of varsity sports to 10 (six men's and four women's). Most recently, Embry-Riddle added women's soccer in the fall of 1998.

"The University is interested in expanding the athletic program over the next several years," Ridder said. "We've developed a long-term strategic plan that will address four major issues. Primarily, we are looking to improve our current sports programs, and to add additional sports that will position our University to meet minimum requirements for possible NCAA membership. We have to address some capital investment issues and, finally, we need to continue to build our infrastructure to support the growth of the program. It's a very exciting time for the Embry-Riddle athletic program and we're looking forward to the challenges that come with growth."

Embry-Riddle, the world's largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, meets the needs of students and industry through its educational, training, research, and consulting activities. Degree programs through the master's level are offered in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Prescott, Ariz., at more than 100 teaching sites in the U.S. and Europe, and through independent study and distance education.