Bill Schnier
	Position: Head Men's Coach Alma Mater: Capital '66

Phone: 513-556-0562 | Email: schniewk@uc.edu

For 31 years, Hall of Fame track and field head coach Bill Schnier has directed the Bearcats to considerable success in four separate conferences - the Metro, Great Midwest, Conference USA and now the BIG EAST.

In the past three seasons Schnier's teams have placed fourth, fourth and sixth at the highly competitive BIG EAST Championships. With one of their best recruiting classes in recent years, Schnier anticipates an opportunity to place in the top three in 2011. The Conference USA Coach of the Decade for both cross country and track, Schnier has led the men's team to 12 conference titles and did not finish lower than third at a conference championship meet from 1986 until 2006 when the Bearcats joined the BIG EAST.

In 30 years Schnier's teams have a composite record of 712-252 (.739) against Division I opponents and a record of 986-258 (.793) against all divisions.

UC added women's track in 1996 and in just three years, Schnier led the Bearcats to a best-ever fourth place finish at the C-USA indoor championship in 1999. He also garnered two third-place finishes in cross country in 1998 and 1999. He turned over the reigns of the women's program in 2001.

Since arriving in 1980, Schnier has seen 132 of his athletes earn individual conference championships. He has qualified 20 athletes for the NCAA Championships and mentored six All-Americans. A 14-time conference coach of the year, Schnier was also named Ohio Cross Country Coach of the Year in 1995.

Among the most important of Schnier's accomplishments have come in the form of special UC awards. In 30 years 15 of his students have won the Jimmy Nippert Award, honoring the most outstanding graduating male student-athlete. He also coached three winners of the Helen Norman Smith award, honoring the University's top female student-athlete as well as three Jean Stephens Award winners.

A 1966 graduate of Capital University in Bexley, Ohio, Schnier played baseball for two years before switching to track and eventually setting the school's half-mile record which still stands 45 years later.

As a result of his collegiate running he was inducted into the Capital University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011. He was also honored by his alma mater in 1995 with the Hugo Wenzel Award for long-time service in the field of athletics and education. In 2011 he was inducted into the Ohio Track & Field Hall of Fame due to his coaching record at Trotwood-Madison High School (7 years), Indiana University (5 years) and the University of Cincinnati (30 years).

In addition to his bachelor's degree from Capital University in history, Schnier earned master's degrees from Wright State University in guidance and counseling in 1977 and from Indiana University in physical education, also in 1977. He finally completed his formal education with a Ph.D. from Indiana University in human performance in 1987.

Schnier is married to the former Kathy Henn whom he met while teaching at Trotwood-Madison High School. The couple has three adult children: Lorraine (31), Ellen (28) and Keller (26), who was a decathlete for the UC track and field team.