Steve Kruse is entering his 15th season as men’s and women’s cross country coach at Northern Kentucky University.

Kruse has built NKU into a solid program, not just in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, but on the regional and national levels, as well. Kruse has sent his men’s team to the NCAA National Championships in each of the last two years, and in 2007, Julianne Hoekzema became the first woman in NKU history to compete at the NCAA nationals, as well as the first six-time All-GLVC performer (between cross country and track & field performances).

Last season, Kruse’s squad produced NKU’s first cross country All-American in 28 years in Zach Koehler, repeating the feat that John Lott accomplished in 1979. The Norse finished second at the GLVC Championships and ran 102 points better at the national championships than their 2006 attempt.

In 2006, Kruse’s women’s team produced its third-straight All-GLVC performer in Julianne Hoekzema. In addition, men’s standout Keith Knapp became the first NKU performer in history to receive the GLVC Runner of the Week honor.

Three years ago, Kruse guided both programs to successful campaigns. The NKU men posted a fifth-place finish at the GLVC Championships, and the Norse featured the GLVC Freshman of the Year in Knapp. The fifth-place finish was NKU's best since the 2000 season.

The NKU women also finished fifth at the GLVC Championships, and Norse runner Tracy Carskadon earned All-GLVC honors for the second straight year by setting an NKU record in the six-kilometer run with a time of 22:45.

In 2004, Kruse’s women’s cross country team produced NKU's first-ever All-GLVC selection for that program when Carskadon posted an eighth-place finish at the GLVC Championships. The NKU women also finished fifth as a team, the best performance for the Norse since 1991.

Kruse, a 1984 graduate of the University of Cincinnati, attended NKU from 1979-81 and ran cross country for the Norse before transferring. He then competed for both the track and cross country teams at UC while earning degree in Communication Arts.

A 1979 graduate of Oak Hills High School in Cincinnati, Kruse earned Most Valuable Runner honors for the Highlanders and second team All-City accolades.