2008 Women's Cross Country
Coach Rydze was named head coach for the women's cross country team in 1994. Rydze, who joined the physical education faculty in the fall of 1994, is also an assistant professor of physical education and serves as the head coach for the Kohawk men's cross country team as well.
Under Rydze's leadership, the cross country program has continued to improve, with several meet wins and numerous all-Iowa Conference runners. In recent years, Coe has had national qualifiers, all-region runners and Academic All-Americans. Rydze holds Level I and Level II (endurance) certifications from USA Track and Field.
A 1977 graduate of Michigan State University, Rydze was a member of the intercollegiate track team and a team captain. She was the 1976 Big Ten 440-yard hurdle champion and runner-up in 1977, as well as a member of the mile relay championship team. Rydze competed in AIAW Nationals three times, placing fifth as a member of the mile relay in 1977, and AAU Nationals twice.
Prior to joining Coe, Rydze had a successful coaching career at Iowa City Regina High School for nine years, producing two state runner-up teams. She coached state champions in the 100-meter dash and 100-meter hurdles.
Rydze's husband, Bob, is the diving coach at the University of Iowa. They have three children.
As a Lynchburg College Hornet, Brian Flynn played a prominent role on both the track and the cross country teams.Flynn was a 2003 National Qualifier on top of being a two-time All-Region performer and a four-time All-Conference runner in Cross Country. Flynn was also an impressive distance runner on the Hornets track team, earning five Old Dominion Athletic Conference individual championships and 12 All-Conference titles.
By the time Flynn graduated from Lynchburg College in 2005, he had been a member of eight conference championship track teams and two conference championship cross country teams.
A lifelong runner, Jim Cottingham was a cross country and track and field captain at the University of Chicago, where he still ranks among the all-time top 10 performers at 800 meters.
Following graduation, he continued competition for nine years as a middle distance runner for the University of Chicago Track Club. During this time he also worked as the assistant coach of the University of Chicago varsity team and the University of Chicago Track Club. In this capacity he worked with track and cross country athletes at all levels, including beginners, collegiate cross country All-Americans, elite post-collegiate athletics, and a few world record holders.
Cottingham began coaching cross country at Coe in 1995, where he is also a professor of physics and a world-recognized researcher in the field of acoustics. Coach Cottingham is also a former assistant track coach at Coe and is the head boys' track and field coach at West Branch High School.
