Geoff Brunger returns for his sixth season as the head coach of the men and women's cross country teams in August 2016 and takes on a new challenge of building an outdoor track program in the spring.
The Hawks have shown great growth in ability and depth since Brunger took over the cross country program in 2011. Brunger surrounded Kylie Reinholz, a 3x All-Conference runner and the 2013 AMCC Newcomer of the Year as well as the 2014 AMCC Women's Runner of the Year, with steady and strong runners as they lifted the women's program to a historical all-time high in 2015. At the same time, Brunger molded his men's cross country runners into mentally tough guys who have elevated the 2015 team to another all-time AMCC highlight season.
Since his first championship meet in 2011, where the women's team amassed a 351 points (9 of 9 teams), Brunger has transformed the women's program and led them to a 5th place finish (123 points), cutting over 200 points off, in 2014. The men's team has also shown improvement each season under Brunger's leadership. His 2011 harriers earned 301 points but a fast forward jump to 2014's, and the Hawks raced to 227 points in the AMCC championship.
Then in 2015, things got serious. The women's team claimed a 4th place AMCC finish collecting 130 points and the men sprung to a 5th place finish with an impressive 167-point session.
Brunger is a committed coach with a long-standing record of success. He maintains a tremendous connection within the running community and provides the positive, never-quit attitude the program requires.
With over thirty years of coaching in the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda school district, Brunger feels the hallmark to his career has been his dependability and dedication to the student-athletes. "If a coach expects student-athletes to attend practice and give their full effort each day, then that coach must model those characteristics for team members," said Brunger. "I won't ask any thing from my athletes that I personally haven't done myself. I look forward to challenging the Hawks and giving them the mental tools they need to push to the next level".
In 1977 he assumed his first head coaching position at Kenmore East high school as the outdoor Track and Field coach. He retained that title until 2008, just before he retired from his Social Studies teaching position, then served as the assistant coach for the next two seasons. During his tenure, the Bulldogs secured three divisional championships and took home one NFL championship crown. Over the years, several runners qualified for the NYSPHSAA championships meet multiple times with four co-eds earning medals.
Brunger's active cross country leadership role is rooted back to 1981 when he coached the Kenmore Middle school modified team for three seasons. In 2000 he assumed the assistant role only to become the head coach one year later. Beginning in 2001, Brunger held the head coaching position for both cross country and track and field squads simultaneously. During the 2004, 2005 and 2006 seasons, the harriers were NFL champions twice, Section VI Class A champions twice, NYSPHAA Class A runner up, and were Team State Qualifiers twice.
Brunger is an educator for life. In addition to his successful teaching career (New York State Social Studies Supervisor of the Year, Who's Who Among America's Teachers, Who's Who in America, Who's Who Among Executives, Professionals and Entrepreneurs) he served as the K-12 Social Studies Coordinator for the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda Public Schools. Outside the classroom he was selected as Kenmore East Coach of the Year for his dedication to the student-athletes.
Having earned his bachelor's degree in history from Alfred University and masters from Canisius College, Brunger taught for 39 years before retiring in 2010.
