Aug 19, 2013
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The 2013-14 Kentucky track and field and cross country coaching staff is now complete. Sean Graham has been named an assistant coach, who will work primarily with the men’s distance and cross country athletes, head coach Edrick Floreal announced on Monday.
“Sean has a clear understanding of what it takes to train and compete at the highest level, having done so himself,” Floreal said. “More importantly for our team, Sean has coached athletes to that same level. He is a great addition to our staff, our team and the Big Blue Nation.”
Graham has experienced success across multiple levels of track and field both as a coach and as an elite-level distance runner.
“I am truly honored to accept this opportunity at Kentucky and I am very excited to continue to build upon the University’s legacy,” Graham said. “Coach Floreal’s vision for our team going forward along with the remarkable support of the Athletics Department is something very special and exciting for me to be a part of.
“I very much look forward to working with this remarkable team of athletes and coaches at UK.”
In his year as an assistant coach at American University, Graham helped the first Eagle student-athlete qualify for the NCAA Cross Country Championship since 2010, and the first member of the AU men’s team to compete at Nationals since 2007.
Graham’s success continued on the track as American sent two men’s distance competitors to NCAA East Regionals for the first time since 2011. Graham also coached the Patriot League Outdoor 5,000 Meters Champion as well as the second-place performer in the event last season.
Graham worked under head coach Matt Centrowitz – father of Mathew Centrowitz, who won the Silver Medal in the 1,500 meters at the IAAF World Championships on Sunday, and Lauren Centrowitz, who was an eight-time All-American at Stanford under Floreal’s direction – at American.
Graham spent the previous year as a volunteer assistant to Andrew Gerard at George Mason University, and the two years prior to that as an assistant at American while training and working toward his Master of Business Administration degree.
As a competitive runner, Graham trained with both the Nike Farm team based in Palo Alto, Calif., and the Oregon Track Club Elite based out of Eugene, Ore. He qualified to compete in the 5000m and 1500m at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials but was sidelined only weeks before with an injury.
In 2006, Graham placed fifth at the U.S. National Outdoor Championships, and was chosen to represent the U.S. in the 3000m with two-time Olympic Medalist Bernard Lagat at the USA vs. Great Britian vs. China meet, placing fourth. In 2007, he placed third at the U.S. Indoor National Championships in the 3000m and eighth at the U.S. Outdoor National Championships in the 5000m. Graham was an Olympic Trials finalist in the 5000m in 2004, placing 11th. Graham is a sub-four minute miler who boasts personal bests of 3:40.3 in the 1500m, 3:58.4 in the mile, 7:46.5 in the 3000m and 13:23.27 in the 5000m.
He competed at the collegiate level for the College of William and Mary. Graham placed sixth in the 5000m at the 2003 NCAA Outdoor National Championships to earn All-America honors and was a member of the school record-setting indoor DMR and outdoor 4xmile relay teams. He was also very successful on the cross country course achieving CAA Athlete of the Year, NCAA Southeast Regional Athlete of the Year and NCAA Southeast Regional Champion in his final cross country season.
Graham graduated from the College of William and Mary in 2003 with a Bachelors of Business Administration in Information Technology and Marketing. He has a MBA from American University.
