Atherton, CA-After two seasons at the helm of Menlo College Cross Country, Head Coach Kevin Mangan will be stepping down, effective January 19th, 2024. In his place, Assistant Coach Kevin Handshoe has been named the interim head coach. He will look to lead the program into the future.

In just two years, Mangan made an impact while at the helm of both the men's and women's teams. In his first season, Mangan helped lead Menlo's Men's Cross Country team to its first-ever meet victory at the Jessup Warrior Invitational in 2022. Mangan's 2022 Cross Country season was capped off when Emmanuel De Leon was named Freshman of the Year by the Golden State Athletic College (GSAC). Under Mangan's guidance, De Leon qualified for the NAIA National Meet and ran the fastest time at nationals in Menlo College history. 

In his second year, Mangan oversaw the both teams as they competed in a variety of meets across California, including races against NCAA Division I opponents. At the GSAC Championship meet, Mangan coached the men's team to a fifth-place finish, with two runners placed in the top 25 of the conference. Away from the course, five of his athletes were named both GSAC and NAIA Scholar Athletes for their success in the classroom. 

When asked about his decision to step away from coaching, Mangan said: "It is with mixed emotions that I announce my decision to move on from Menlo College to pursue a PhD. I am grateful to our runners for being excited and motivated student-athletes. To Keith Spataro, Steven Weiner and the whole Menlo community, thank you for the opportunity and your unwavering support. Menlo truly meets the definition of the word collegial in a way no other institution I've ever worked at has and I will miss working with our students and fellow coaches, staff and faculty. I'll miss running with our team and having lunch every day with fellow coaches and staff the most." 

With Mangan's departure, Assistant Coach Kevin Handshoe has been named the interim head coach for the Oaks. Handshoe brings a top tier resume as both a coach and athlete to Menlo College, and is well equipped to lead both the men's and women's programs through this transition. 

As an athlete, Handshoe competed in the highly competitive Big 10 conference while attending Purdue University. With the Boilermakers, he majored in Movement & Sports Science, while also receiving a minor in Human Development & Family Studies. He stood out as an athlete, with accomplishments that included:

• Eight-time Big Ten Championships qualifier (2012-2016)

• NCAA Cross Country Regional Championships qualifier (2013) 

• Set the 7th fastest time in school history in the 1000 meter run (2014) 

• Set the school record in the 4 x Mile Relay (2015)

Upon concluding his collegiate career, Handshoe took to coaching at both the high school and collegiate level. He first spent time as the head cross country coach for Sahuaro High School in Arizona, where he grew program participation by 100%, and he coached multiple state meet qualifiers for both the men's and women's teams. In 2022, Handshoe returned to his alma mater,  Purdue University, as an assistant coach, and once again made his presence felt across the program. While coaching at Purdue, he helped oversee the creation and maintenance of the team's social media presence, while serving as an active member in the program's recruiting efforts.

Handshoe has spent the last season working closely with Mangan, and is ready to step into the head coaching role. He expressed his excitement for the opportunity, saying: "Looking at the opportunity, it is really exciting. I never figured I would transition to this type of a position so quickly, but I'm ready for the challenge. After my collegiate career, high school coaching, and now my college coaching, I have the confidence and the knowledge to help push Menlo into a better position. I give great thanks to Kevin for his mentoring while I've been here with the Oaks, and I look to prove myself to the wonderful athletic staff at Menlo College."

When asked about this upcoming transition Vice President & Director of Athletics Keith Spataro spoke highly of both Mangan and Handshoe: "I would first like to express my gratitude to Kevin Mangan for his work and dedication as the leader of our Cross Country programs over these past two seasons. Under his watch we secured our first ever meet victory and sent athletes to represent Menlo on the national stage. I wish him nothing but the best as he embarks on this next chapter. As we welcome Keivn Handshoe into the role of head coach he will have the full confidence of myself and all of our staff. His experience and enthusiasm for the athletes and sport will serve him well as he leads Menlo Cross Country through this transition!"

While it is always bittersweet to bid farewell to a member of the Oaks athletic family, we wish Kevin Mangan all the best in his future endeavors both athletically and personally. As for the future, fans of Menlo Athletics can trust that under the leadership and guidance of Kevin Handshoe, Menlo Cross Country has a bright future ahead!