Kluckhohn assumes Benedictine track and field coaching duties
LISLE, Ill. -- James Kluckhohn has been named as the new head coach for Benedictine University's track and field programs, for both men and women, replacing Jon Wolcott who recently retired after 18 seasons. Kluckhohn will also assist with the Eagles' cross country teams.

Prior to joining the Benedictine staff, Kluckhohn spent five seasons as the founding coach of both cross country and track and field at Aurora University. His numbers at Aurora included a total of five league championships in cross country and track and field.

During his tenure as a coach in the Northern Athletics Conference (NAC), Kluckhohn has produced athletes which garnered 41 individual titles in track and field. His track and field athletes have six NCAA Division III provisional qualifying marks to their credit and made four appearances at the NCAA III championships. Likewise, his success with cross country helped his charges win three NAC women's titles. He is a four-time "Coach of the Year" award winner, earning the honor for both men's and women's track and field in the final season of the Northern Illinois Intercollegiate Conference in the spring of 2006, as well as the men's and women's cross country awards the following fall for the inaugural NAC campaign.

Kluckhohn was also on staff at North Park University for three seasons. He was the assistant track and field coach all three years. From 2000-2002, he was the cross country assistant, before taking the Vikings' cross country reins for the 2002-03 season. His other experience includes stops as a track and field assistant coach/interim head coach at Texas Lutheran University and as an assistant cross country coach at his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (where he was a part of their national championship program in 1996).

Kluckhohn earned both of his degrees from UW-La Crosse. He was conferred a Bachelor of Science in physical education in 1995, followed by his Master of Science in Human Performance in 1997. As a student-athlete at UW-La Crosse, Kluckhohn was a team co-captain for the cross country team and a seven-time UW-La Crosse Scholar Athlete.

Kluckhohn is an active member of the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country coaches Association. He currently serves as the NCAA Division III chairman of the organization's Hall of Fame Committee.

Kluckhohn and his wife Kari – along with sons Jacob and Nathaniel – reside in Warrenville. His wife is the women's track and field coach at nearby North Central College.

Courtesy of Benedictine University, Sports Information Department, August 9, 2008.