Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Dave Cianelli, the director of the track and field and cross country programs at Virginia Tech, elected to promote from within to fill the vacancy on his staff, announcing Thursday the naming of assistant coach Eric Johannigmeier as the head of the track and field distance running programs and the head men's and women's cross country coach.
Johannigmeier replaces longtime distance coach Ben Thomas, who left in mid-July to become the head men's cross country and distance coach at the University of Oregon. Johannigmeier had spent the past four seasons as an assistant distance/cross country coach at Tech following a two-year stint as a volunteer coach with the Hokies.
"First, I want to thank Ben Thomas for the 17 fantastic years here at Virginia Tech," Cianelli said. "He built our distance area into one of the elite programs in the nation, and the great contributions his runners made to all the championships we have won during his tenure have been so amazing to witness. I wish him and his family the best as they prepare to take on this great opportunity at the University of Oregon.
"Eric Johannigmeier was the natural choice for me to lead our cross country and distance teams. He has been coaching with our program for six of the past seven years. He knows Virginia Tech, he knows our current students, and he knows the type of student-athlete who will be successful here at Tech. He has played a large role in the successes of our distance program, especially over the past four years. Eric has a tremendous work ethic and outstanding skills as a recruiter and day-to-day coach. I have no doubt that Eric will continue to build onto the successes we have established with our distance program."
Johannigmeier has worked extensively with Tech's runners in preparation for the Hokies' events over the past four years, while also overseeing Tech's recruiting efforts and handling the day-to-day administrative duties within the men's and women's distance programs. While on the staff, he played an instrumental role in guiding the men's cross country program NCAA Championships berths in 2015 and 2017 and the women's team to a berth in 2014. The Tech men's team finished 20th nationally at the NCAA meet this past fall.
"I want to thank Coach Cianelli, Athletics Director Whit Babcock, and Senior Associate Athletics Director Chris Helms for the opportunity, as well as the support they have provided for cross country and track and field at Virginia Tech," Johannigmeier said. "I am very excited to continue to build on the successes we have had at Virginia Tech in the middle distance and distance areas. We have the best student-athletes to work with here at Virginia Tech, and I look forward to helping them achieve their goals and dreams as Hokies."
In addition, Johannigmeier has worked individually with some of the best runners in Tech history. This past season, the men's distance medley relay team – which included distance runners Vincent Ciattei, Patrick Joseph and Neil Gourley – won the national championship at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships, and Ciattei won two individual NCAA silver medals this past season (one during the indoor season, one in the outdoor season). Also, Rachel Pocratsky earned All-America honors during both the indoor and outdoor seasons.
Other notable runners with whom Johannigmeier has worked include Tommy Curtin and Hanna Green. Curtin was a six-time All-American and a six-time ACC champion, while Green also won six ACC titles and earned All-America honors on six occasions, and she won individual NCAA silver medals three times. Both are currently running professionally, along with Drew Piazza, a two-time All-American who won the silver medal in the 800-meter run at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in 2017.
Prior to his time with the Hokies, Johannigmeier was an undergraduate assistant for the University of Illinois track and field program. During his year there, he helped the Illini outdoor track and field team to an 11th-place finish at the NCAA Championships, and the cross country team came in fifth at the Midwest Regional.
Before serving as an undergraduate assistant at the University of Illinois, Johannigmeier participated in both cross country and track and field for the Fighting Illini.
Johannigmeier holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois and a master's degree in civil engineering from Virginia Tech.