Men's Cross Country

This will be Matt Musiel’s first season as the assistant cross country and distance track coach at Bellevue University. Musiel will be joining his former assistant coach, Craig Christians, who is the current head coach of the cross country and distance track programs at BU. 

This past year, Musiel entered his 35th year of coaching cross country/track and field at the high school level. He is a 1985 graduate of North Bend Central High School, where he was a three-sport athlete in cross country, basketball, and track, earning multiple Nebraska State Meet medals. He is a 1989 graduate of Augustana University in Sioux Falls, S.D., where he ran cross country and track for the Vikings. Musiel was a middle-distance runner during his years at Augustana University. He was inducted into the Augustana University Coaching Hall of Fame in 2015.

Musiel began his teaching/coaching career at Bellevue West High School in Bellevue, Neb., in 1989 and stayed for 14 years before moving on to continue his career at Lincoln North Star High School in Lincoln, Neb. He recently retired from Lincoln Public Schools, where he was a physical education teacher and coach for 21 years.

While coaching at Bellevue West and Lincoln North Star, Musiel helped produce numerous individual and relay Nebraska State Track and Field Meet medalists and champions. In 2005, the boys' 3200-meter relay team set the Nebraska State Record of 7:44.1 and later competed at the Nike Outdoor National Track and Field Championships in Greensboro, North Carolina, finishing 3rd in 7:40.1.

A few of Musiel's coaching highlights at Bellevue West High School included:

• 2002 Class A Girls Track and Field State Championship team
• 2003 Class A Girls Track and Field State Runner-up squad
• 1995 Class A Boys Cross Country State Runner-Up team 1999 Class A Boys State Runner-up team

Having had many talented athletes in his programs over the years, most recently, he has had the opportunity to coach four-time Nebraska All-Class Cross Country Girls State Champion Jeralyn Poe, who went on to have a decorated All-American career at Michigan State University. She is currently a professional runner who has qualified for the Olympic Marathon Trials. Additionally, Musiel has coached three-time Nebraska State Cross Country Boys Champion Liem Chot, who went on to compete at Temple University.

A few Track and Field highlights in Musiel’s coaching career at Lincoln North Star High School over his 21 years included:

• LNS Girls accumulated 42 individual and 12 relay Nebraska State Track and Field Meet medals.
• LNS Boys accumulated 64 individual and 16 relay Nebraska State Track and Field Meet medals.
• Girls State Champions included Ashley Schnell, 800 meters (2007), and Jeralyn Poe, 1600/3200 meters (2013, 2014).
• Boys State Champions included Chris Clymer, 800 meters (2005), Moujstaba Mohammed, 800 meters (2014), Chris Clymer, 1,600 meters (2005), Mo Hamdan,  three-time 1600 meters (2011, 2012, 2013) and 3200 meters (2013), Trey Williams, long jump (2015), Sam Housch, 110 Hurdles (2009).
• 3200-meter relay, two-time State Champions and All-Class winners (2005, 2006).
• Musiel’s 3200-meter relays qualified for the Nebraska State Track Meet 18 out of 20 years. 
• 2005 Lincoln North Star boys teams finished third at both the Nebraska State Track and Field and State Cross Country meets.
• Boys 800-meter runners qualified for the Nebraska State Track Meet 18 out of his 20 years.
• LNS Girls produced four Nebraska State District plaques.
• LNS Boys produced four Nebraska State District plaques.
• 13 Track and Field Gator Boys and Girls All-Time Greats on the Lincoln North Star Wall of Fame

A few Cross Country highlights in Musiel’s coaching career at Lincoln North Star High School over his 21 years included:

• Girls teams accumulated 11 Nebraska State Cross Country medals (4 All Class medals)
• Boys teams accumulated 16 Nebraska State Cross Country medals (2 All Class medals)
• Jeralyn Poe, four-time Nebraska Gatorade Runner of the Year (2012-2015)
• Liem Chot, two-time Nebraska Gatorade Runner of the Year (2018, 2020
• Boys finished in the Top 2 of the Lincoln Public Schools Championship Meet 14 out of 21 years.
• Girls finished in the Top 3 6 times.
• Girls earned two Nebraska State District Plaques.
• Boys earned 10 Nebraska State District Plaques.
• At the Nebraska State Cross Country Championship Meet, the Boys qualified as a team 12 times, and an Individual qualified for eight years.
• The Girls qualified three teams, and had 13 Individuals qualify for the Nebraska State Cross Country Championship Meet.
• 22 Cross Country Boys and Girls Gator All-Time Greats on the Lincoln North Star High School Wall of Fame

Musiel is still an active runner himself and continues to be a race organizer for his hometown, North Bend Old Settlers Road Race.

In 2020, Musiel was presented the Lincoln KFOR Ralph Beechner Coach of the Year Award.

Musiel is USATF Level 1 Track and Field certified. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he enjoys teaching Track and Field Theory.

Musiel’s wife of 34 years, Candi, is currently an English teacher at Lincoln North Star High School. They have three children: son Kiefer, 29, a manager at the Lincoln Scheels and married to Amanda; son Connor, 27, a sales representative for Sandhills Global in Lincoln and married to Whitney; and daughter Keatyn, 18, who is a senior at Lincoln East High School. Keatyn will be attending the University of Sioux Falls in the fall to continue her education and be a member of the Cougars Track and Field team.

Interested recruits can contact Musiel via email at mmusiel@bellevue.edu, by phone at 402-730-2478, X @CoachMusiel, or by filling out a prospective athlete questionnaire (men) or prospective athlete questionnaire (women).