UConn Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Beth Alford-Sullivan announced that Austin Whitelaw will be joining the coaching staff as the assistant distance coach and recruiting coordinator.

"I am grateful to join the UConn family," stated Whitelaw. "The excitement around UConn Track & Field speaks to their culture and standard of excellence, and I can't wait to be a part of it."

"It is exciting to round out my staff with the addition of Coach Whitelaw," commented Sullivan. "He is a young, up and coming coach that will bring a daily dose of positive energy to practices, recruiting and of course, competitions.  Austin is a great communicator and a proven recruiter, and he will continue in this role for the Huskies.  I am thrilled to have our full-time coaching staff complete to begin the 2022-23 year."

Whitelaw, a 2016 graduate from the University of Tennessee, comes to Storrs after serving on Coach Sullivan's staff as the assistant distance coach at his alma mater last season.  He was part of coaching staff that helped guide the Vols to third place team finishes at the 2022 NCAA men's indoor and outdoor championships. 

He worked with Coach Sullivan in coaching seven individual distance athletes to scoring positions at the SEC Championships as well as the women's distance medley relay team.  In addition, six athletes qualified for the NCAA East Preliminary Championship and one men's and one women's cross country runner qualify for the 2021 NCAA Championship.  In addition, Whitelaw was responsible for all recruiting logistics.

The Monroe, Michigan, native ran cross country and distance for the Vols from 2011-16 and still holds the men's indoor freshman record in the 5,000-meter run at 14:18.11. Under the guidance of Alford-Sullivan in 2014, Whitelaw qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships.
 
A four-time points scorer at the SEC Championships, Whitelaw placed fourth at the 2016 indoor meet in the 5,000m. His time of 14:02.87 is the fifth-fastest time in program history.
 
As a freshman cross country runner in 2011, he was named to the SEC Cross Country All-Freshman Team and in 2013 was tabbed for the indoor SEC All-Freshman Team in the 3,000m. In 2014, Whitelaw earned All-SEC Second Team honors in cross country.
 
After graduating from Tennessee, he earned a Master's of Science in Sport Management from East Tennessee State University. While there, he worked in the academic advising office helping mentor student-athletes from track & field and cross country as well as the men's tennis team.
 
Since 2018, Whitelaw has worked at Florida State in its academic services office, directly advising the FSU track & field and cross country programs.