The Best ๐
Congratulations to Head Coach Vin Lananna on being named the ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐จ๐ฆ๐ง๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ผ๐๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ ๐ฒ๐ป'๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ โคต๏ธ
๐๏ธ: https://t.co/tAdf0zedNW#GoHoos pic.twitter.com/1aiMq4lpMK— Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) November 25, 2025
Lananna Named USTFCCCA Southeast Region Men's Coach of the Year for Cross Country
NEW ORLEANS – Virginia Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Vin Lananna was named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Southeast Region Men’s Coach of the Year for the 2025 cross country season, the organization announced Tuesday (Nov. 25).
Lananna, in his seventh year as Director of Track and Field and Cross Country/Associate Athletics Director at Virginia, led the Cavaliers to a seventh-place finish at the 2025 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships, the second-best finish on the men’s side in program history. The highest finish by a Virginia men’s team at the NCAA meet was back in 1984 when the Cavaliers finished fifth overall. The weekend was highlighted by Gary Martin’s seventh place individual finish, the highest finishing by a Virginia man in program history. Martin earned his second consecutive All-America honors in cross country after a 13thย place finish a year ago.
For just the fifth time in program history, and first time under Lananna, the Virginia men won the ACC Cross Country Championship team title scoring a total of 61 points to narrowly beat Syracuse with 65 points. Martin was the front runner with a second-place individual finish to earn his third consecutive All-ACC cross country honors. The Cavaliers placed four men in the top 21 to earn All-ACC accolades including Brett Gardner, Nate Mountain, Justin Wachtel and Martin.
The Cavaliers finished third at the NCAA Southeast Regional at Panorama Farms in Charlottesville, Va. and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Cross Country Championships in Columbia. Mo. Three men earned All-Region honors including Gardner, Martin and Wachtel.
This marks Lananna’s second time being named the USTFCCCA Southeast Region Men’s Coach of the Year for cross country while at Virginia as he earned the honor back in his first season in 2019.
The Cavaliers will kickstart the indoor track & field season at the Liberty Kickoff on Thursday and Friday, Dec. 4-5ย in Lynchburg, Va.