Dr. Daniel Kuebler has served as head coach of the Franciscan University men’s and women’s cross-country teams since the programs began in 2002. The Dean of the School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Kuebler has been with the university since 2001.
The 2024 season brought Coach Kuebler another conference championship, as the men's team was able to secure the title in a closely contested race. Andrew Madigan was named First Team All-PAC, and Miguel Daez was named All-Great Lakes Region. The women's team had great success throughout the season as well with Claire Walters earning First Team All-PAC honors.
During the 2023 season, he helped develop Lauren Dosch over the season in the PAC Newcomer of the Year. Dosch and Jessica Campbell earned All-PAC recognition on the Women's team with Conal Delaney being the lone member of the Men's team to earn All-PAC recognition.
In 2022, the Men's Cross Country team made it three straight PAC Championships with their outstanding performance led by Miguel Daez who was named PAC Runner of the the Year. On the Women's side, Claire Walters earned PAC Runner of the Year honors at the Conferene Championship. She then earned All-American Honors at the National Championship in Lansing, Michigan in snowy conditions. She became the second women's cross country runner to earn All-American status, as she joined Grace Galligan from the 2018 season.
In 2021, Kuebler helped lead the Barons to back to back PAC Championships. The men had five runners named First Team All-PAC and one runner earn Second Team All-PAC. Liam Galligan ran his way to All-American Honors at the national Championship in Louisville to become the the first Baron All-American in program history. On the women's side, Alison Bryant ran to PAC Runner of the Year honors, while also making the National Championship and placing 75th.
For the 2020-21 season Kuebler helped lead the cross country teams into the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC), and both teams had instant success. The men won the PAC Championship in the shortened spring 2021 season, the first PAC Championship in school history. The women placed second in their championship. Kuebler helped lead Liam Galligan and Alison Bryant to individual titles this season, as they were both named PAC runners of the Year. Kuebler was also named PAC Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year.
While in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) from 2008-19, Kuebler has guided the women’s team to six team championship and five individual championships. 58 Lady Barons have been named to the all-conference team since 2008. Six runners have earned Rookie of the Year honors and four have earned Runner of the Year honors. Kuebler has been named the AMCC Coach of the Year four times for his guidance of the women’s team. Kuebler guided the program’ first All-American as senior Grace Galligan took 24th overall with the team’s fastest time at the NCAA Championship meet in 2018.
On the men’s side, the Barons won the AMCC championship in 2010, 2018 & 2019. 54 runners earned all-AMCC accolades while five earned AMCC Rookie of the Years honors and seven times Runner of the Year honors. Bill Jones was named Runner of the Year four times, with Liam Galligan going three times by the AMCC and twice by the PAC. Kuebler is a four-time AMCC Coach of the Year, and PAC Coach of the Year in 2020-21. His assistant Carlo Fabian was named PAC Coach of the Year in the 2021 season. While in the PAC as well he helped Conal Delaney be named Newcomer of the Year in 2021.
During his tenure, the program has added a new home course and had the honor of hosting the 2014 and 2018 AMCC championships. In 2014, the women won while the men came in second and in 2018, Franciscan swept both titles.
Kuebler has over 20 years of coaching experience, beginning in 1995 when he served as an assistant coach of cross-country and track at St. Mary’s High School in Berkeley, California before eventually taking over the head coaching position In 2000, he moved to Hyatsville, Maryland, where he coached track at DeMatha High School before accepting his current position at the university.
Kuebler received a bachelor’s degree in English in 1993 and a master’s in biology in 1995, both from Catholic University of America. He went on to receive his doctorate in molecular and cell biology in 1999 from the University of California at Berkeley.
Kuebler competed in cross-country and track at CUA where he garnered NCAA All-American honors after finishing fifth in the 800-meter at the Division III indoor track and field championships in 1994. He was also a GTE Academic All-American in both cross-country and track and field during the 1993-1994 season.
Kuebler and his wife, Nellie, reside in nearby Wintersville with their three children: Joseph, Patrick, and Carolyn.
Updated 12/3/24
