Jeff Helsel
Jeff Helsel
Jeff Helsel

Daniel Caulfield

  • Title
    Head Track & Field/Cross Country Coach
  • Year at California (PA)
    20th (13th as T&F Head Coach)
  • Alma Mater
    Adams State (Colo.) - 1995
  • Phone
    724.938.5684
  • E-Mail
    caulfield@pennwest.edu
Daniel Caulfield enters his fifth season as the head coach for the men’s and women’s cross country programs at California University of Pennsylvania. In addition to his work with the cross country teams, he serves as an assistant coach with the men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track & field teams.

Last season, Caulfield coached two of the top freshmen in the conference in Erin Kling and Christopher Werner. Kling became the first Cal U women’s runner to earn All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) honors since 1984 and was named the PSAC Freshman of the Year.

In his short time with the Vulcans, he has coached athletes to five combined conference titles in cross country and track & field. He also mentored NCAA All-American and Olympic-Trials qualifier Christopher Clark. In 2008, Clark posted one of the most impressive seasons by a runner in program history, earning U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Atlantic Region and PSAC Men’s Athlete of the Year laurels.

In addition to their improvement on the course, Caulfield’s teams are also excelling in the classroom. Last year, both the men’s and women’s team were named a USTFCCCA All-Academic Team. Individually, Clark became the program’s first-ever Academic All-American in 2008.

Caulfield joined Cal U after serving as the head men’s and women’s track & field and cross country coach at PSAC-rival Clarion.

A native of Roscommon, Ireland, he started coaching at his alma mater and Division II perennial powerhouse Adams State in Alamosa, Colo. While serving as a coach with the Grizzlies, Adams State won four NCAA women’s cross country national championships (1998, 1999, 2003 and 2004) and two NCAA men’s titles (1998 and 2003).

During his collegiate career, he was a 10-time All-American and two-time NAIA National Champion. He helped lead the Grizzlies’ cross country program to National Championships in 1993 and 1994 after placing in the top five during both championship races. Caulfield also was the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) record holder in the 800 and 1500-meter runs. He was named to the RMAC All-Time Men’s Cross Country Team.

Caulfield earned his bachelor’s degree from ASC in Exercise Physiology and in late 1996 returned to Ireland to work in the exercise physiology department of the Blackrock Clinic, one of the country’s most established healthcare facilities. He returned to ASC in 1998 to complete his master’s degree and coached there until December 2004.

The Irish native also holds the national indoor record in the 800 meters. Caulfield was a two-time European Cup champion in the 800-meter run and 1500-meter run. In 2001, he was among the top 50 in the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World rankings.

Caulfield was a two-time runner-up at the Millrose Games, which is an annual indoor track & field meet held at Madison Square Garden. He also placed eighth in the 2001 World Indoor Championships in Lisbon, Portugal.

CAULFIELD YEAR-BY-YEAR COACHING RECORD

Year Men's
PSAC Championship
Finish
Men's
NCAA Regional
Finish
Women's
PSAC Championship
Finish
Women's
NCAA Regional
Finish
2006 13th --- --- ---
2007 8th 10th 13th Individuals
2008 8th 9th
15th
20th
2009 8th 9th
13th
13th

updated as of Aug. 27, 2010