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George Watts                  Position: Assoc. Head Track & Field Coach/Men's XC Coach

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George Watts enters his 25th season with the Tennessee cross country program and his 15th as head coach.

During his tenure, the Vol program has made five trips to the NCAA Championship and earned runner-up finishes at three SEC Championships.

A number of individuals have also enjoyed great success under the long-time coach. Watts can take credit for 23 All-SEC or All-America performers in his 15 seasons at the helm for the Vols.

In the last three seasons alone, Watts has directed seven different athletes to a total of 11 All-SEC or All-Region honors. The 2009 team's top returner, Michael Spooner, was an All-Region performer in 2008, and a total of four Vols earned All-Region honors in 2006, more than any other team in the meet that season.

Watts' last team to earn an NCAA Championship bid was the 2005 squad. Zach Sabatino earned All-America honors with his 23rd-place finish and Watts earned Mideast Region Distance Assistant Coach of the Year honors from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association for his efforts. Four runners were named All-Region that season as well.

In 2001, the Tennessee harriers reached the NCAA Championship for the first time since 1998 despite a lack of experience on the roster. The Vols improved again the next year as Watts led the Vols to the NCAA Championship for the second time in as many years, marking it the first time Tennessee ran in the NCAAs as a team in consecutive years since 1994-95.

Tennessee's NCAA team highlight under Watts came in 1995 when the Vols captured a 12th-place finish and the District III team championship, earning Watts District Coach of the Year honors for leading his charges. He directed Tony Cosey to a second district title and a seventh-place, All-America finish at the NCAA Championships that season.

As an assistant from 1985-94, Watts proved an integral part of leading Tennessee to SEC titles in 1985, 1989 and 1990. Ten Vols earned individual All-America honors during his time as an assistant and Todd Williams was crowned SEC Champion twice. Eleven runners placed in the top five at the conference race during this time frame as well.

Watts' success has also spilled over to the track, where his athletes have combined to win 33 All-America certificates. As an assistant coach, he helped lead UT to the 2007 SEC Outdoor Championship. Watts also played a crucial role on coaching staffs that directed the Vols to NCAA Outdoor Championships in 1991 and 2001, in addition to the NCAA indoor title in 2002. Along with the 2001 and 2002 SEC outdoor titles, Watts' athletes played a significant role in helping the Vols capture the 1996 SEC indoor championship.

The number of Watts-coached athletes who have excelled beyond Tennessee is worth noting as well. Most recently, steeplechaser Anthony Famiglietti competed in the 2008 Olympics. He also participated in the 2004 Games after winning gold medals at the 2001 World University Games and 2002 USA Outdoor Championships.

Cosey competed in the steeplechase at the 2000 Olympics, and Jose Parrilla, who owns the school record in the 800, ran in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics. Williams, after completing a stellar collegiate career under Watts and former Vol coach Doug Brown, qualified for the 1992 and 1996 Olympics.

A native of Alexandria, Va., Watts graduated from Tennessee in 1983. During his days on Rocky Top, he earned All-America honors for cross country in 1977 and indoor track in 1978 (three-mile run). Watts captured four SEC crowns as a Vol: the 1976 outdoor three-mile and six-mile championships, the 1977 outdoor 10,000 crown and the 1978 indoor three-mile title. Watts remains the SEC record holder in the three-mile run, clocking a 13:32.6 in 1978. He also holds three Tennessee freshman records in the indoor two-mile (8:42.6), three-mile (13:44.4) and outdoor 10,000 (29:04.05).

He and his wife, Karen, have a daughter, Katie.