March 7, 2005
Release courtesy of Dave Blanchard, Luther College sports information director

DECORAH, IOWA . . . Betsy Emerson, head coach of the women’s cross-country and women’s track and field programs at Luther College, has announced her resignation from the college’s athletic department.

Emerson, who has directed the women’s cross-country and track programs 17 years, will leave her Luther position in June. She said she plans to take a year off from coaching and teaching to explore some postgraduate education and professional career opportunities.

“My coaching career at Luther has been such an incredible experience,” Emerson said, “and it has been a great privilege to work with all of the cross country and track and field athletes and the Luther College faculty and staff. It has been a difficult decision to leave the college and community that have been so supporting and encouraging, but now I am ready to explore new career options – both in and out of academia and athletics.”

“I also want to take time to pursue another lifelong goal: to travel to Europe, South Asia, Australia and New Zealand and other places around the world,” she said.

“I know I speak on behalf of the entire Luther community when I say that we were saddened to learn Betsy Emerson will be leaving,” said Luther President Richard Torgerson. “She has had a remarkable career in the Luther athletic department over the past 17 years, and her cross-country and track and field programs have been a model for what NCAA Division III sports should be.

“At the same time, we support her decision to go on to new and exciting opportunities, and we wish her well in her new career search,” he said.

Under Emerson, Luther women’s cross-country teams have earned recognition as one of the outstanding college programs in the country. Her teams have won six Iowa Conference championships and two NCAA Division III Regional Championships, and six of her teams and four individual runners have qualified for the NCAA Division III National Championship Meet. Her 2000 team was third in the National meet, and in the fall of 2004 her women placed seventh in the nation.

Two Luther runners, Turena Johnson and Johanna Olson, won the individual NCAA III National Champion title under Emerson’s guidance, and six of her student-athletes have been named NCAA III All-Americans.

Emerson’s track and field teams have continually been one of the top teams in the Iowa Conference and finished as high as fourth in the nation in 1997. She has coached numerous all-conference performers and conference champions and 40 NCAA All-Americans in her career. She has coached one four-time national champion runner and one national champion relay team.

Emerson is a past president of the NCAA III United States Track Coaches Association.

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