A 1997 Aquinas College graduate, Mike Wojciakowski begins his 12th year as the Cross Country Coach and Assistant Track Coach at Aquinas College.  “Woj’s” success with the middle distance and distance runners has been exceptional.  He has directed the men’s and women’s Cross Country teams to nine WHAC Championships, six Region VIII championships and 11 top 20 finishes at the NAIA National Championships, including a second place finish in 2004 (the highest national finish for any team in Aquinas College history) and a third place finish in 2008.

A nine time WHAC coach of the year, Woj’s success on the track has been just as spectacular.  The Saints have dominated the middle distance and distance events in the WHAC for the past eleven years under Woj’s direction.  He has sent numerous athletes to the indoor and outdoor national championships, 22 of them receiving All American recognition and has guided many runners to the Saints top five all time performance list.

A USA Track and Field Level II certified coach in the distance events, Woj’s knowledge, personal approach and work ethic has been responsible for developing the Saints distance  program into one of the best small college programs in the nation.

A four year varsity letter winner in both cross country and track for the Saints, Wojciakowski captained both teams during his senior year.  An outstanding student as well as a runner, Wojciakowski earned Academic All American honors in cross country his senior year.

Mike and his wife, Amorena, reside in the northwest side of Grand Rapids.

DAVE WOOD

Cross Country Coordinator
Dave Wood begins his 14th season as the Coordinator of the Cross Country Team and Head Track & Field Coach. Wood's tenure has been nothing short of phenomenal. Wood has directed the men's and women's programs from the basement in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) to the head of the pack. The Saints' dominated in 2003 as they completed a clean sweep of the men's and women's WHAC indoor titles and captured the WHAC women's outdoor title. Success under Wood's direction hasn't been limited to the conference level. Competing at the NAIA National Championships both indoors and outdoors, Saints' athletes earned All-American honors 81 times including four NAIA National Champions and four runner-up finishes during Wood's tenure. The Saints' success under Wood comes as no surprise. The 1972 Michigan Class A mile champion and a middle distance standout at Central Michigan University, Wood has been developing team and individual champions at the high school, junior college and collegiate level since his first coaching assignment at Grand Rapids Union High School, his alma mater, in 1976. A USATF Level II certified coach in the sprints and hurdles, Wood came to Aquinas after an outstanding twelve-year stint as Head Cross Country and Track & Field Coach at Ferris State University. Wood was honored with a total of 10 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) "Coach of the Year" awards while guiding the Bulldogs to 11 GLIAC Championships in cross country and track & field. In addition to having his teams consistently ranked in the NCAA Division II top 20, Wood was recognized four times as NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region "Coach of the Year." His succes at the national level was highlighted by 35 All-Americans, three National Champions and a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships during his tenure as Ferris State's coach.