Release courtesy of Haverford College Athletic Communications 

HAVERFORD, Pa. - After an illustrious 32-year career at the helm of the Haverford College women's cross country and track & field programs, Fran Rizzo announced his retirement from collegiate coaching earlier this summer.

The reigning Metro Region Coach of the Year for Cross Country, Rizzo led the Fords to 14 Centennial Conference titles in cross country and track & field during his storied career at "The Ford". He is a seven-time Centennial Conference Coach of the Year and has been honored as a Regional Coach of the Year on three occasions. 

"Although my time working with Fran has been short, I have observed him for many years as a coaching peer. His immeasurable positive impact is abundantly clear that on decades of student-athletes here at Haverford. The College is forever grateful for his unwavering dedication to the academic and athletic success of his student-athletes over 32 seasons." stated Haverford College Director of Athletics Danielle Lynch. 

Rizzo has coached a whopping 49 All-Americans, adding a pair in his final cross country season last fall as Angie Petrichenko and Izzy Miller were each named to that award following impressive campaigns in 2021. At the helm of the cross country program, Haverford turned itself into a perennial national contender, qualifying for the national meet on 18 different occasions and sending individuals on an additional seven occasions, marking 25 total seasons in which Haverford was represented at the NCAA Championships for cross country. Rizzo received the highest of praise for the sustained positive impact he has made on the program for decades, a point driven home by his coaching peers within the Centennial Conference.

"Ideally, a track coach is known not just for their recruiting or the team's win-loss record but for the profound impact they have on the athletes within their program. When you look at the Haverford women's program over the past decades, you see a team that consistently looks better in November than they did in August and generations of athletes that graduate at a completely different level than they were when they arrived at Haverford." said Bryn Mawr Head Coach Jason Hewitt.  He continued, "By this measure Coach Rizzo has had as much success as any. His career is something many of us aspire to and his enthusiasm for a race well run will be truly missed on the oval."

Another theme that came to light in conversation with fellow coaches of the Centennial was the high standard of excellence that the program was held to in Rizzo's tenure, as well as the blueprint that he has set within the coaching community. 

"I have truly admired Coach Rizzo for the last 20 years while working alongside him. He set the bar high in our conference from my first day back in 1999 as we have always tried to emulate the commitment to success that was demonstrated by the Haverford Women's Cross country team under Fran's leadership." noted Johns Hopkins Head Coach Bobby Van Allen. "He has always coached with class and developed athletes at every level. He will be sorely missed." 

Swarthmore Head Coach Pete Carroll added, "Fran is a mentor, a colleague, and a dear friend. He was there from the start regarding the Centennial Conference championships.  He is humble, a Marine (Semper Fi!), and a worthy adversary. Haverford College was fortunate to have Fran as the Women's Cross Country and Track & Field coach all this time. He has empowered so many Haverford Alumnae over the years. All the best in your next adventure, Fran!" 

Rizzo's cross country squads posted six different top 15 finishes, including a program-best 10th place showing during the 1993 campaign. 

Women's cross country has earned 15 All-American certificates in Rizzo's coaching tenure. This list includes five individuals who have been two-time cross country All-Americans. The most recent addition to that All-America list came with Fiona Hendry '16. Jane Steinemann '04, Rachel Mosher '99, Meredith Unger '97, and Jen Maranzano '94 were two-time All-Americans under Rizzo, while Annick Lamar '08 and Emily Lipman '12 have also earned All-America status. Maranzano was a three-time Centennial Conference Champion in cross country, recording a pair of top 10 finishes at the NCAA meet.

Rizzo has led Haverford to 34 All-America honors between the indoor and outdoor campaigns. Headlining this list of indoor All-Americans is four-time All-American Aislinn Sowash '07. Sowash earned each of her All-American honors in the 55-meter hurdles. Maranzano and Mosher were each two-time All-Americans in the 5,000 meters during their careers.  

Katie Sullivan '18 was the latest individual to add her name to that list. Sullivan was a part of Haverford's first-ever All-America relay team (DMR) which placed third overall in 2016 and followed that up with All-American status in the mile during her junior season. The Fords have also had two runners, Emily Dorean '97 and Unger, earn All-America status in the 1,500 meters. More recently, Jessie Belden '09 (Pentathlon) and Lamar (Mile) have gone on to become All-Americans.

Sowash also added four All-American honors in the 100-meter hurdles to graduate from Haverford College as an eight-time All-American. The most recent All-American performance on the track came from Nora Weathers '16 in the 1,500 meters during the 2015 season. Jessie Belden '09 (heptathlon) and Lamar, a two-time All-American in the 800 meters, have also climbed the national podium in recent memory. Four All-America performances have come from the 3,000 meters between Unger, Westfall (twice), and Steinemann. Unger also added an All-America run in the 1,500 meters, joining Danielle Wolfrom '94 as All-Americans in that event. Tamara Love '90 and Mosher round out the All-American recipients with their honors in the 10,000 meters.

Prior to leading Haverford, Rizzo gained extensive teaching and coaching experience throughout the Philadelphia area. He guided the cross country and track teams at Devon Prep and coached at the Main Line Day School and for the Philadelphia Department of Recreation. 

A larger retirement celebration is planned during this fall's cross-country season, and more information about that event will be announced in the coming weeks.