Commerce, Texas

Texas A&M University-Commerce athletic director Jim Johnson announced today the appointment of Rich Lawrence as the interim head track and field-cross country coach/instructor to replace Pat Ponder, who recently resigned.

Lawrence comes back to Texas A&M-Commerce after spending the last two years at nearby Como-Pickton High School. At Como-Pickton, he was the head golf coach and assistant football and track and field coach. Lawrence coached the 17-2A district high school and junior high pole vault champions in 2004 and 2005.

He served as an assistant football coach for the Lions from 1993 to 2003. As the offensive coordinator, he coached the Lions to a berth in the 1995 NCAA Division II playoffs. He was the head football coach at Wisconsin-Stout from 1986 to 1992 and Panhandle State from 1981-82. Before becoming the head coach at Panhandle State, he served as an assistant football coach and head track coach at Panhandle State from 1979 to 1980, where he coached three national track qualifiers. From 1983 to 1985, he served as the recruiting coordinator and outside linebackers coach at Wyoming.

He also was the head football and head track coach at Hartley High School in Hartley, Iowa from 1974-78. He coached the 1974 state champions in the 400-meter relay.

Lawrence was a three-sport letterwinner at Johnson County High School, where he was a state long jump champion as a senior, a two-time all-conference selection in football and basketball. He played two seasons at Chadron State before transferring to Upper Iowa, where he was team captain in football and a letterwinner in track. As a member of the track and field team at Upper Iowa, Lawrence participated in the sprints, long jump and pole vault.

Lawrence is married to the former Joan Washut of Buffalo, Wyoming and they have three children, Michael, Jamie Sue and Matthew.