| Title: | Head Coach |
| Email: | bfranz@willamette.edu |
| Year: | 3rd |
| Degree: | BS, Business Marketing, Western Oregon University '03 |
| Degree: | MA, Education - Athletic Administration, Lindenwood University '06 |
| Office: | Sparks 220 |
Coaching Philosophy
Athletically, I want to push our student-athletes to set goals bigger than what they thought was possible. Understanding that the change it takes to achieve these new goals will set them up to take on challenges in the day to day of life.
Academically, I want to push our student-athletes to explore learning and take on new challenges. I want to help them discover new ways to learn and figure out how to utilize their strengths to be successful.
At the end of a student-athlete's career at Willamette University, I want them to walk away knowing that they have a support system that they will have throughout their life. My greatest coaching moments come years later when our former student-athletes are successfully tackling careers, relationships, life with a passion and confidence that they learned here!
Brett Franz is the first head coach of the Willamette women's triathlon team, which began competing in the fall of 2021. He is in his third season leading the Bearcats in 2023-24. Franz previously served as the assistant head coach of cross country and track and field at Willamette. He is in his 15th year on the coaching staff.
Franz has worked to develop Willamette's triathlon team in cooperation within the NCAA and with other levels of the sport.
"I'm looking forward to bringing the program into the local triathlon community while becoming a part of the NCAA women's triathlon community as it grows from an emerging sport into a full-fledged NCAA championship sport," Franz said.
The fall triathlon season is highlighted by regional qualifiers and a national championship. In most races, athletes cover a 750-meter open-water swim, a draft-legal 20-kilometer bike and a 5-kilometer run. The addition of women's triathlon gives Willamette a total of 20 intercollegiate sports teams.
"Our triathlon program is a great opportunity for student-athletes to get the top-level academic experience that Willamette is known for, as well as the opportunity to compete at the NCAA level in triathlon," Franz added.
As a cross country coach, Franz helped the Bearcats win nine Northwest Conference men's team titles and six NWC women's team championships, along with three NCAA West Regional men's championships and four NCAA West Regional women's titles. Franz helped the Bearcat women's team place ninth at the NCAA Championships in 2007, 12th in 2013 and 15th in 2014 and 10th in 2015.
Franz coached sprinters, jumpers, hurdlers, and multi-event athletes during the track and field season. He helped sprinters and jumpers win 28 NWC individual championships and six NWC relay titles on their way to 87 All-NWC performances. Franz has coached 10 athletes at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, including several All-America performances. During his time at Willamette, he has coached athletes to two school records, plus numerous individual and relay top 10 all-time marks. He helped the Bearcats win one NWC men's track and field team title and four NWC women's team championships.
Prior to joining the Willamette coaching staff, Franz was the head men's and women's cross country and distance coach at Lindenwood University (Mo.) and was the head assistant coach for the track and field teams. At Lindenwood, Franz worked with a squad that had 50 NAIA track and field All-Americans, including 11 NAIA national champions. The Lindenwood men won the NAIA Indoor National Track and Field Championship and a runner-up finish in outdoor track. In cross country, Franz led the Lindenwood men to a third place finish at the NAIA national meet and coached the NAIA individual national champion and runner-up.
He was named the Heart of America Athletic Conference and NAIA Region V Coach of the Year in cross country. He was chosen as the NAIA National Assistant Coach of the Year for indoor track.
Franz earned a bachelor's degree in Business Marketing from Western Oregon University in 2003. He received a master's degree in Athletic Administration at Lindenwood in 2006.
