After nearly three decades of having one coach, it might seem hard to replace that when the time comes. However, the transition for the Penn Boys Cross Country team will be seamless.
Chad Wetzel, who has been the Kingsmen Boys Track head coach since 2021, and the Boys Cross Country assistant coach for the same amount of time, has now taken the next step in his career to be the head coach of the Penn Boys Cross Country team pending school board approval. He will remain the Boys Track and Field head coach.
“I’m truly honored to be the next Penn Boys Cross Country coach and continue to pursue the high standards that this program has had for many years,” Wetzel said.
Taking over one of Indiana’s elite cross country teams, Wetzel replaces Tom Miller, who has retired after nearly three decades of coaching Kingsmen runners. In the 2024 season, Penn won the NIC Championship, the Sectional Championship, finished 2nd in the Regional Championship, and finished 13th at the IHSAA State Finals.
“I appreciate that Coach Wetzel will be our new head coach, as he knows how we operate as a team and I think he will continue some aspects of our current training,” Kingsmen runner Gavin Belzowski said. “He is a great coach who only wants the best for us and will help our program become even better than what it is now.”
Wetzel began his coaching career at South Bend Riley, where he was the head coach of both the boys and girls cross country teams from 2003-2020, while also holding coaching positions in both boys and girls track and field. He led Riley to 12 South Bend City Boys Cross Country championships and four NIC championships. Two of his Boys Cross Country Teams at Riley were State Finalists.
Wetzel then joined Penn High School as the head boys track coach and assistant boys cross country coach. After Wetzel’s appointment, the Kingsmen track program enjoyed heavy success, winning the conference, sectional, and regional championships three years in a row.
“We are thrilled and fortunate to have Coach Wetzel step into this role, continuing the legacy of excellence established by Coach Miller,” Penn Athletic Director Jeff Hart said. “As the Boys Track and Field Head Coach, Coach Wetzel has already demonstrated his ability to build a strong program rooted in positive relationships and a commitment to consistent growth. His student-athletes know he genuinely cares about them, fostering a culture that inspires success both in competition and in the classroom. I am confident that his leadership will greatly benefit our Boys Cross Country program, and I look forward to seeing the team thrive under his guidance.”
Wetzel also teaches health and is a co-strength and conditioning coach in Penn’s weights class, helping athletes of all sports in lifting.
