BUTTE, Mont. – Montana Tech Director of Athletics Matt Stepan announced the university's first full-time head cross country coach in Zach Kughn. Kughn was the previous head coach at NCAA Division II Winona State and Dakota Wesleyan which also competes in the NAIA.

"I want to thank Matt Stepan and the selection committee for believing in me and giving me this opportunity," said Kughn. "The excitement they have about Butte, Montana Tech, and this position is what excites me."

Kughn is familiar with the Treasure State and the local area as a four-year letterman for Montana State running cross country and track. Kughn was a consistent Big Sky Conference Championship qualifier including winning a Big Sky Championship part of the Distance Medley Relay. Kughn ran prep for coach Mike Scannell at Grand Blanc High School in Michigan who has coached numerous state and national champion distance runners.

"I'm incredibly grateful to have the chance to return to Montana and be able to do what I love. I'm extremely optimistic about what can be accomplished by a cross country program in Butte. Starting a program from scratch is a unique opportunity that very few coaches get to do in their careers. It's a challenge that I look forward to taking on and I fully believe the ceiling for potential at Montana Tech is very high."

As a graduate assistant at Dakota Wesleyan, Kughn coached cross country and distance as a graduate assistant.  

Winona State named Kughn the head cross country coach prior to the 2018 season and he also served as an assistant coach for the track and field program. Kughn produced the first national qualifiers for NCAA Division II in school history for the Warriors in Distance Medley Relay and the Indoor Mile. The women's cross country team finished one spot from making nationals with a 4^th place finish at the Central Region Cross Country Championship last season. Kughn was a finalist for the Women's Coach of the Year for the Central Region.

"We are very excited to have Zach joining our Oredigger family," said Director of Athletics Matt Stepan.

"Zach checks all the boxes we are looking for to get our cross country program moving: experience coaching at the college level, the tenacity and energy to be a dynamic recruiter to our campus, and a high set of standards for himself and the program. I look forward to working with Zach and to seeing many bright young runners on campus this fall."

Kughn is an academic achievement award recipient graduating from Montana State with a degree in health and human performance in 2016. Kughn received his master's degree in Educational Policy and Administration at Dakota Wesleyan.