Charles Torpey returns to La Salle University for his 16th season, guiding both the men's and women's cross country teams, as well as the indoor and outdoor track and field teams. During his 33 year coaching career, Torpey has molded numerous nationally ranked athletes and three Olympians. At La Salle, Torpey has coached thirteen teams to Atlantic 10 titles in cross country, which includes the men capturing their seventh title in the last nine years (1999,2000-04, 2006-07). The women won their fourth straight championship (led by senior Rachel Papin who finished in the runner-up position after three consecutive titles) and sixth title in the last seven years. (2001-02, 2004-07). Torpey was honored in 2007 as both the men's and women's A-10 Coach of the Year giving him 13 Coach of the Year honors in cross country. In 2006 he was named the Mid-Atlantic Women's District 2 Coach of the Year and in 2004 his men and women captured the IC4A and ECAC cross country titles. On the track Torpey's squads have earned equal respect. He has been named Atlantic 10 Coach of the year three times, guiding the men's team to victories in 1996 and 2004 and five runner-up finishes. The women have also finished as runner-up three times at hte A-10 Indoor Championships. In 1995, Torpey was named the Midwestern Collegiate Conference (MCC) Women's Indoor Coach of the Year. In 2008 distance runners Rachel Papin and Sean Quigley were named Atlantic 10 Performers of the Year, the 10th and 11th such honors for Explorer runners. Quigley-a two-time All-American at the NCAA Indoor Championships (3k, 5k) also set school records in the 3K (7:52.47) and ran the second fastest mile (4:01) in school history. The 4 x 800 team also set a school record with a time of 7:31. The 2008 outdoor season was no different as the Explorers contined Torpey's tradition of excellence. At the A-10 Championships the men had six individual winners (110 hurdles,400 hurdles,800,1500,5000,decathlon and the 4x800 and 4x400 relays) finishing third overall. Hurdler Steve Rendall was named the A-10 outdoor male Performer of the Year- becoming the seventh male or female Explorer to win the award. The women were led by conference record-holder Rachel Papin's win in the 5000 and the victorious 4x800 squad. School records were set by Sean Quigley outdoors in the 3000 (7:50.02)and 5000 (13:30.25) and 10000 (28:03.72). Quigley's winning time at the Stanford Invitational (28.03.72) was the fastest Division I time in the country. He also anchored the distance medley relay (DMR) team at the Penn Relays who ran 9:37.15 for fifth-place in the Championship of America race. He finished sixth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships claiming his seventh All-American award and also qualified for the US Olympic Trials in the 5,000 and the 10,000-finishing ninth in the 10,000 at the Olympic Trials on July 4th, 2008. In the past ten years, Explorer squads have been nationally ranked in the men's 4 x 800 relay, 4 x 1500 relay, 4 x mile and DMR. The women have also been ranked in the 4 x 800 and 4 x 1500 relays. Besides Quigley, Coach Torpey has had other outstanding athletes at La Salle including: Theresa Carroll who was the first La Salle All-American in track and field (1500), Brian Gallagher- an All-American in the 1500 and broke 4:00 in the mile with his school record of 3:59.91, Rachel Papin-who besides her three Atlantic 10 cross country titles was a three-time NCAA Qualifier in cross country and also qualified for the outdoor 10,000 (twice) with a personal best of 33:15.18. Jenna Darcy was another A-10 Performer of the Year, and recently competed in the 2008 U.S. Women's Marathon Trials. Striving for excellence academically as well as athletically, Coach Torpey's teams have been just as outstanding in the classroom. In 2008 Rachel Papin and William Rhea were both named A-10 track Student-Athletes of the Year. Torpey's runners have earned United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coach's Association (USTFCCCA) Academic All-American status 33 times. The women's cross country team has earned team All-America status for the past 11 years and the women's track team earned such honors in 2008. Before La Salle, Torpey served as head track coach at Springbrook High School in Silver Spring, Maryland. While there he coached his boy's team to the 1992 Maryland 4 A State track title. During his tenure at the University of Maryland (1981-88), the Terrapins had one of the finer programs in the East. The indoor and outdoor track teams finished in the top five at the IC4A eight times and the cross country team was nationally ranked three times. While there Torpey had 17 track and cross country All-Americans, as well as 20 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) All-Conference cross country runners and 13 ACC track champions. Besides his team accomplishments, Torpey has also coached a U.S. Junior Cross Country champion and runner-up, a USTAF women's champion in the 5000, medalists at the Pan-American games and members of U.S. World Championship squads in cross country and track. In 1990 Torpey was the head coach of the U.S. Women's team at the Ekiden World Championships in China, Japan. Torpey- a New Milford, Connecticut native, is a graduate of Keene State College. He resides in Schwenksville, PA with his wife Janice and sons Christopher and Brian and daughter Jenna. |
||||||||||||||||
