Head Coach - Track & Field, Cross Country
Peter Slovenski
Head Coach Peter Slovenski leads one of the best track and cross-country programs in New England. Bowdoin regularly finishes among the top 5 teams in New England Division III championships, and in nine seasons placed among the top 20 teams in NCAA Division III.
"One of our great strengths as a track and cross-country program is the outstanding academic tradition at Bowdoin," notes Coach Slovenski. "We attract motivated and talented students who have a wonderful interest in the educational value of participating on our track and cross-country teams. Top students make great athletes in our sports. We're proud of how well we've done in athletic competition, and we believe our athletic success is closely connected to how well we've done in the classroom."
Bowdoin track and cross-country teams have won seven NESCAC titles, three ECAC championships, and one New England Division III crown since Slovenski arrived in the fall of 1987. Slovenski's first team championship at Bowdoin came in 1991 when the men's cross country team captured first place at the NESCAC Championship. "Bill Callahan '92, Andrew Yim '93, and Dave Wood '93 were not highly recruited high school runners," recalls Slovenski, "but they had a lot of determination and intelligence that made them terrific college runners. College track & field rewards teams with the best work ethic. That group had an incredible love for running. We try to recruit high school champions, and also athletes who I think are going to blossom in college." The men's cross-country team, featuring many athletes who were not highly recruited high school stars, repeated as conference champions in 2001 and 2002.
Slovenski was voted by his peers as New England Division III Coach of the Year for Men's Cross-country in 1991 and for Indoor Track in 2000. He was voted Coach of the Year for New England III Women's cross-country in 1991 and 1992. He has also won NESCAC Coach of the Year for men's cross-country in 2000, 2001, and 2002.
Fifty-two Bowdoin cross-country, and track & field athletes have earned All-American status since Slovenski arrived at Bowdoin in 1987.
8 All-Americans Women's Cross-Country
7 All-Americans Men's Cross-Country
10 All-Americans Women's Indoor Track
11 All-Americans Men's Indoor Track
10 All-Americans Women's Outdoor Track
6 All-Americans Men's Outdoor Track
Included among Bowdoin's recent All-Americans are 2-time NCAA champion Darcy Storin '96 (1995 3000 meter run, and 1996 5000 meter run), Academic All-American Eileen Hunt '93, and women's and women's Distance Medley Relay teams in 2003 and 2005.
"Bowdoin has a long and distinguished track & field tradition that includes two Olympic Gold Medal winners," said Slovenski referring to 1924 Olympic Hammer Throw Champion Fred Tootell '23, and 1984 Olympic Marathon Champion Joan Benoit Samuelson '79. "If a motivated athlete chooses to attend Bowdoin, then this college, community, and coaching staff will nurture their abilities to reach a very high level of accomplishment. We take a lot of pride in helping students achieve regional and national honors."
Slovenski is a 1979 graduate of Dartmouth College, and a 1980 graduate of Stanford University's School of Education. Slovenski received a B.A. in English from Dartmouth, and an M.A. in educational administration from Stanford. At Dartmouth he was a 4-year letter winner in winter and spring track. He set freshman records in the decathlon and pole vault in 1976. He made the All-Ivy League track team as a pole vaulter in 1977 and 1978. Slovenski was a 15 foot pole vaulter, but he says the decathlon was the best preparation for coaching. "Decathletes learn how to train at a high level in all event areas," notes Slovenski. "I received great coaching in all the jumps, throws, and running events while practicing for the Decathlon. I think it has helped our program at Bowdoin that the head coach competed at the college level in just about all the events. Our program includes emphasis on the dynamic athleticism I learned from the field events, and we also have a great appreciation fo
r the discipline and consistency I learned from the running events."
Slovenski has twice served as NCAA Championship Meet Director when Bowdoin hosted the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships in 1989 and 1993. "We love to have meets on our beautiful tracks and cross-country course," he noted. "We are privileged to have such state-of-the-art facilities, and they are especially wonderful settings for our daily practices."
Contact Coach Slovenski
pslovens@bowdoin.edu
or write to:
Peter Slovenski
Athletic Department
Bowdoin College
Brunswick, ME 04011
Coach Slovenski is also available to talk at (207) 725-3010, but email is the best method of contact.