WASHINGTON –– For the second year in a row former assistant coach and current beloved professor Kevin Boyle is lacing up for the Marine Corps Marathon on October 25. Once again, he's running every mile to support American's track and cross-country program, and he wants the AU community to show their support by making a donation here.

"Kevin's unrelenting commitment to this athletic department, it's Student Athletes and our program specifically is phenomenal," said Cross Country and Track Head Coach Sean Graham. "From teaching to advising to being a great mentor to our young men and women, he cares deeply about their success academically and on the track, as well as after their collegiate experience."
 
"The funds that Kevin is working so hard to earn in his training and thus this marathon are an absolute necessity for the success that we've seen and continue to strive for going forward. Unfortunately, the raising costs of everything effects what we can do, from apparel and equipment, to travel and accommodations, to even meet entry fees," Graham continued. "The cost of running our program have made it incredibly difficult to continue to compete at the highest levels that our athletes have earned.
 
"All that to say, Kevin is working incredibly hard in the Marathon build and race, the Student Athletes are working incredibly hard in their studies, training and competition. Please join me in showing him and the Student Athletes we support them by donating to this impressive challenge Kevin is undertaking! Together we can continue the great momentum we've all built and success the team has achieved and continues to strive for more!"
 
Boyle, now a professor, served as an assistant coach for AU's track and cross-country program from 2015 to 2020. Having run track and cross country at St. John's University, he started coaching while in law school, acting as a track coach and gym teacher for Great Neck South High School and attending law classes in the evenings.

After retiring from a 26-year career in the U.S. Army, including participating on the Army's World Class Athlete Program, he returned to coaching at the recommendation of his own college coach: former AU head coach Matt Centrowitz.

"I can't thank Matt enough for bringing me on at AU, as coaching here led to so many opportunities at our great university," Boyle said on Centrowitz. "Matt, like all our current AU coaches, demonstrated the desire to keep helping athletes after graduation, even if it was 40 years after graduation in my case."

Though Boyle turned his focus to teaching full-time at AU in 2020, he continues to support the program and student athletes through his friendship, mentorship and guidance. On October 25, he will run the 51st anniversary edition of the Marine Corps Marathon, with the goal of raising money for AU's track and cross-country program. Having earned many of his own opportunities through running, he aims to do the same for the next generation of student-athletes.

"I was very fortunate to attend St Johns on a track scholarship in the 1980s," commented Boyle. "The landscape in college athletics is changing by the day allowing both revenue sharing and NIL. Although we couldn't receive that back in the 1980s, our track program was fully funded–meaning the school provided the maximum number of scholarships allowed by the NCAA–and not once did we ever want for opportunities such as travel and equipment. Today fiscal constraints are affecting college athletic budgets across the country. I want to do everything I can so that this generation of runners can receive the same benefits I was offered."

The added cause of supporting the team he used to coach, he said, was inspired by AU President David Marchick.

"First, we are incredibly fortunate at AU to have him as our President and there is no one I respect more," said Boyle. "He constantly inspires people and I can already feel an upward trajectory for AU under his leadership. With him and JM at the helm the sky is the limit for AU Athletics. Secondly, as we have seen the past few summers, he is out on his bike crossing the Rockies or climbing The Alps for AU students. I figure if he can bike uphill for so many miles, I should run the marathon to support our great student-athletes."

Boyle offered to match every dollar donated up to $2,600 — $100 for each of the 26 miles he'll complete on October 25. In the two weeks since the fundraiser began, supporters have given more than $8,000 to the program. With three weeks to go in the challenge, the program aims to reach $1,000 donated for each mile he races, or $26,000 total.

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