ROLLA, Mo. – Cameron Knudsen, who spent the last year as the assistant cross country and track & field coach at Lenoir-Rhyne University, has been named as the new head cross country and assistant coach for track & field at Missouri S&T.

A native of Channahon, Ill., in the Chicago suburbs, Knudsen is taking over the position previously held by Mary Duerbeck, who stepped down from those roles earlier this month to pursue other professional interests.

"We are thrilled to welcome Coach Knudson to our coaching staff," said Missouri S&T Director of Athletics Melissa Ringhausen. "With a strong background as an experienced runner and a passion for coaching, Cameron steps into this dual role poised to continue the success of our cross country and track and field programs.  His firsthand knowledge of the sport will be instrumental in developing and guiding our student-athletes to their fullest potential."

During the 2023 season, Lenoir-Rhyne's women's cross country team finished among the top three teams in three meets during the season, including a third place finish at the South Atlantic Conference Championships, while the men's team finished fourth at the SAC Championships among its three top-four finishes at meets.  Both of Lenoir-Rhyne's track & field teams had second place finishes at the SAC Championships during both the indoor and outdoor seasons.

Knudsen's duties at Lenoir-Rhyne included designing and leading practice sessions for the middle distance and distance runners, as well as being the decision-making process for those runners on the team.

Prior to his one season at Lenoir-Rhyne, Knudsen was the head cross country and track & field coach at Judson University from April 2020 until July of last year.  In that role, he oversaw the program's coaching, training and program management, as well as organizing practice plans, travel logistics and recruiting operations.

During his coaching career, he has been the primary coach for nine All-America performers at the NCAA Division II and NAIA levels, two Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Freshmen of the Year while at Judson and 10 national qualifiers (five men and five women) for national competition.

Knudsen graduated from the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Ill., earning his Bachelor's degree in business administration in 2017 and his Master's in that field in 2019.  He was a member of the Delta Mu Delta business honor society at the institution and graduated among the top 10 percent of the business students.

As a student-athlete, Knudsen set program records in the indoor 3,000- and outdoor 5,000-meter runs – records that still stand -- and earned All-America honors in the 1,500- and 3,000-meter events as well as the distance medley relay.