AUSTIN, Texas - The Concordia Texas men's and women's cross country and track programs are officially under new leadership. Ronda Seagraves, Vice President for Student Experience and Athletics, announced Stephen Register will bring with him nearly a decade of prior coaching and professional expertise. He will begin his duties as head coach on August 1.

Register was a dual-sport athlete (track & field and rugby) in college and is a current member of the Philadelphia Masters Track and Field Association. He earned a BA in Religion at Belmont University and a Master of Divinity at Yale. Alongside earning his degrees, Register was a Personal Administrative Sergeant of the Tennessee Army National Guard. He was granted 16 honors and awards over the course of his career and was honorably discharged in 2009.
 
He began his coaching career as a volunteer and adjunct professor at his alma mater of Belmont from 2012-2014. He then became an associate head coach at Cumberland University in 2015 where he helped build a new track and field program with 46 student-athletes in the inaugural season.
 
Register would go on to become the owner of Register Fitness as a strength and conditioning coach in 2020. This allowed him to tailor training programs for clients of all ages and abilities to assist in reaching the potential. He would then find his way to Muhlenberg College in 2021 as an assistant track and field coach for sprints and hurdles.
 
Upon his arrival to campus, Register states, "It's an honor to be receiving the handoff of the Concordia Cross Country and Track and Field teams from Coach Wagenaar. She's done an amazing job building Concordia to the levels of excellence it has reached so far. We're looking to capitalize on that immediately, and further help the Concordia student-athletes to develop athletically, academically, professionally, and spiritually. Given the recruiting opportunities in Texas, as well as a new facility on the horizon, we foresee great things in the near future. Within three years we aim to be Conference Championship contenders, and within five years National Championship contenders. The competitive spirit is alive and well at Concordia, and I will give everything I have to help it thrive in these coming seasons."

On the hiring of Register, CTX Vice President for Student Experiences and Athletics, Seagraves, said, "After a national search and many qualified coaching candidates Coach Register emerged as a natural leader and fit for Concordia University Texas.  The addition of a new on-campus track facility will take our teams to the next level.  Coach Register's recruitment plan and expertise in several areas will continue to move our teams up the performance ladder for individuals and team performances.  We are excited to welcome Coach Register and his wife to the Tornado family."

Courtesy of Concordia Texas