ROLLA, Mo. – Mary Duerbeck, who has spent the last seven years on the Missouri S&T track & field coaching staff and last three as the head coach of the men's and women's cross country programs, is stepping down from that role to pursue other professional interests.

Duerbeck joined the S&T staff prior to the 2017 cross country season and worked with the distance runners during the track season.  She was part of a coaching staff that helped the men's track & field team win seven Great Lakes Valley Conference championships during that span – five outdoor titles and two indoor championships – including each of the last four outdoor titles.

"We are forever grateful to Mary for her leadership and dedication to the cross country and distance track student-athletes at S&T," said Missouri S&T Director of Athletics Melissa Ringhausen.  "Under her tireless efforts, she has elevated the competitiveness and performance of our teams, while holding high standards in the classroom.  Mary embodies every positive characteristic of coach, role model and co-worker one could ask for, and we were lucky to have her.  Although we are sad to see her go, we wish Mary the best of luck in her next chapter in life."

Miner runners have won five conference championships in distance events during Duerbeck's tenure, with Hayes Pateidl (Overland Park, KS/Blue Valley West) winning three consecutive 3,000-meter steeplechase titles and Lucas Rackers (Florissant, MO/St. Louis University HS) captured the 1,500-meter title during the GLVC Championships in May on the men's side, while Megan Schulte became S&T's first-ever women's steeplechase champion in 2018.  S&T also had a second place finish from Henry Born (Lake Quivira, KS/Shawnee Mission Northwest) in the 5,000-meters in 2023 and top-three finishes from Grace Giesler (Owasso, OK/Owasso) in the steeplechase in each of the last two seasons to earn All-GLVC honors in those events.

As the head coach of the cross country team, Duerbeck led S&T to finishes of fifth in the men's competition and seventh in the women's meet at the 2023 GLVC Championships.  The Miners finished in third place in 2022 and had three All-GLVC performers in Pateidl, Andrew Lofgren (Chesterfield, MO/Parkway West) and Rackers, who also earned All-GLVC honors in 2023 and would also land Academic All-America honors from the College Sports Communicators.

The women's team had an All-GLVC and all-region performer in the past season in Emma Puetz (Rolla, MO/Rolla), who finished second at the GLVC Championships and 13^th at the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional; she would also be named as the conference's Scholar-Athlete of the Year in women's cross country and was named to the CSC's Academic All-America team.

A nationwide search is underway to fill the position; S&T's head track & field coach Shaun Meinecke will handle the head coaching duties in the interim.