Clinchoc Elevated to Head Cross Country Coach

JJ Clinchoc promoted Head Cross Country Coach

SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Susquehanna University Coordinator of Cross Country and Track & Field Ethan Senecal announced Thursday afternoon the promotion of Jeremiah "JJ" Clinchoc to the newly formed position of head men's and women's cross country coach while remaining an assistant coach with the men's and women's indoor and outdoor track & field programs.

Clinchoc joined Susquehanna in August 2019 as an assistant coach for both the cross country and track & field programs following a two-year stint at Division III Chatham University in Pittsburgh.

"First off, I would like to thank President Green, Sharief, and Ethan for their belief in me to lead our men's and women's cross country programs. With this opportunity, we will be able to improve our current athletes' championship experiences while also helping them to succeed in the classroom, professionally, and out on the course," Clinchoc said.

Clinchoc also stated that Susquehanna will be more competitive within the Landmark Conference as this position affords the coaching staff the opportunity to recruit more athletes and to compete for championships on a yearly basis in both cross country and track & field.

"I would like to congratulate Jeremiah on this well-deserved promotion. His hard work and dedication to this program has been remarkable over the past two years," Senecal said. "I am extremely excited to see the continued growth of our program with him leading the way for our cross country teams."

Senecal echoed Clinchoc in thanking Director of Athletics Sharief Hashim and the SU administration for showing such great support for the program and student-athletes.

Since Clinchoc's arrival in Selinsgrove, the cross country teams have experienced improvement and enjoyed much success. He has coached an NCAA Division III All-Mideast Region performer, an NCAA Division III Mideast Region All-Freshmen Team member, and the 2019 Landmark Women's Rookie of the Year plus four All-Landmark Conference selections.

Additionally, Clinchoc was part of the 2021 Landmark Conference Coaching Staff of the Year after helping the men's outdoor track & field team to the Landmark Conference Championship title. Under his guidance, the mid-distance and distance runners claimed Top 5 finishes, including a bronze medal finish in the 10,000m. Clinchoc has also mentored one USTFCCCA All-Mideast Region pick and one All-Landmark selection in indoor track.

During his tenure at Chatham, he served as the graduate assistant (Aug. 2017 - Apr. 2019) and interim head coach (Apr. 2019 - June 2019) of the men's and women's cross country and track & field programs. The DuBois, Pa., native, who holds a USATF Level 1 certification, was instrumental in leading the Cougars to their highest team finishes in school history in outdoor track at both the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) and regional levels.

Clinchoc coached Chatham's first-ever NCAA qualifier in cross country, one USTFCCCA All-Midwest Region selection in outdoor track, 16 top-3 PAC performers, and seven PAC champions. In his two years, 111 school records were broken.

He was a four-year member of the indoor and outdoor track & field teams at Alvernia University in Reading, Pa., earning four All-PAC First Team awards in the heptathlon (twice) and the decathlon (twice).

The Clinchoc era officially begins on September 1 when the men's and women's cross country teams take the course at the Letterkenny Fields for the Misericordia University Invitational at 4:00 p.m. This will be the River Hawks' first intercollegiate competition in 655 days.

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