Longwood Cross Country Assistant Coach Daniel Wooten has been elevated to head coach of the Lancer men’s and women’s programs, Longwood Athletics Director Troy Austin announced last week.

A 2013 graduate of Longwood, Wooten has served as interim head coach of the Lancer cross country program during the team’s offseason track meets this spring and earned full-time appointment in early May. He previously served as assistant coach for the 2017-18 season.

“Throughout the interview process the things that stood out about Daniel were his detailed vision for Longwood cross country, his understanding of the priorities we place on the program and his unwavering desire to take the reins,” Austin said. “Daniel has many intangibles that can’t be taught, including an intrinsic drive to become better at all he does. I know he is excited to take over the cross country program at his alma mater, and I’m excited to see where he will lead the team.”

Wooten joined Longwood’s cross country staff as an assistant coach prior to the 2017 season and immediately contributed to all aspects of the program. Among his duties, Wooten aided in practice planning and execution, designed development programs, provided academic oversight and organized team competition and travel. Additionally, he played an integral role in recruiting and helped assemble one of the largest classes in team history.

That group will feature 14 newcomers — seven men and seven women — who will join Wooten’s first official team for the upcoming 2018 season.

“First I would like to say thank you to everyone at Longwood University and Longwood Athletics who gave me this opportunity,” said Wooten, who also ran track and cross country at Prince Edward County High School in Farmville. “I would like to also thank those in the local community who have impacted me along the way. To have the chance to become a head coach at the Division I level in my own hometown and at the university I graduated from is an amazing feeling. I am extremely grateful for the chance to lead the cross country programs at Longwood.

“In addition, I am looking forward to impacting the young men and women of Longwood cross country not only on the course, but in the classroom and most importantly continuing the Lancer way of building leaders in the community. Keep an eye out for our Lancers as we trek across campus and the historic Town of Farmville.”

Wooten’s appointment as Longwood’s head coach is the continuation of a coaching career that began when he was a high school runner on the Prince Edward track team. While a prep standout, he also spent time as a volunteer coach for the Prince Edward County Middle School team and, after graduating, returned to become head coach of the boys’ and girls’ middle school track teams at his alma mater. Wooten held that post from 2011-14, during which he led the girls’ squad to a second-place finish at the conference meet and the boys’ team to a third-place showing.

Wooten earned his Bachelor of Science in criminology and criminal justice from Longwood in 2013 and went on to earn a Master of Science in sports management from Liberty University in 2015.