Michael Mendez
Head Coach
Coach Mendez enters his fourth year at the helm of the cross country and track and field programs for both the men’s and women’s teams. Over the last three years, the program has set and broken ten school records, garnered 39 GLVC All-Conference athletes, 22 GLVC Champions, 10 MidWest All-Region recipients, 10 NCAA National Qualifiers, and 2 NCAA All-Americans. Throughout this time they also accumlated three GLVC Athletes of the week and two GLVC Athletes of the Year.
Each of the programs have also accumulated many academic accolades. His teams have garnered four GLVC All-Academic Team Awards, 92 GLVC Academic All-Conference Individual selections, four GLVC Council of Presidents Academic Excellence Award recipients, and six All-Academic awarded individuals.
In the fall of 2012, Mendez set out to establish a premier Division II program as McKendree became full active members of the NCAA in 2013. In just three years, the programs have grown to almost 90 athletes targeting both local and out of state recruits. The cross country and track and field programs look to establish themselves in the 2015-2016 season amongst the top programs in the GLVC and begin the quest to become a reputable program amongst the Division II national ranks.
A native of Plainfield, Illinois, Mendez was an accomplished Track and Cross Country athlete in both high school and as a McKendree student athlete. In his four years at McKendree, he helped the Bearcats establish two school records, a 4th-place team finish at the 2007 Track and Field Outdoor NAIA National Championships, 8th-place team finish at the 2009 Cross Country NAIA National Championships, and the conference triple-crown in 2010 (Cross Country, Indoor Track, Outdoor Track). Mendez was a 4-time All-Conference performer in Cross Country, 2-time NAIA Academic All-American, a 5-time NAIA All-American, and 2-time NAIA National Champion.
He coaches events from the 400m through the 10k, the High Jump, and several of the throwing events for the Bearcats.
Mendez currently resides in Lebanon, Illinois and still competes in both running and triathlon events.
