Bio

Nick Schneigert wrapped up his fifth season with the University of Dallas cross country teams. Schneigert is the 10th coach to lead the men’s and women’s programs.

Schneigert's first season at the helm for cross country saw a historic result by sophomore Anna Wilgenbusch. The St. Paul, Minnesota, native, became the first NCAA Division III All-American for the Crusaders and first female cross country runner to race at the NCAA Division III Championships in the fall of 2019. Wilgenbusch set other amazing milestones with records in the 2 miles, 3.1 miles, 5,000 meters, and 6,000 meters. She tied the career record for meet wins at nine and easily shattered the season record by five. Her first year under Schneigert resulted in capturing the first-ever SCAC Women's Cross Country Individual Title. Wilgenbusch would also pace herself to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) USCAA Championship, and grinded out a record-finishing time at the South/Southeast Regional. Wilgenbusch was Runner-of-the-Year for the region and SCAC, and also made All-Region and All-Conference squads. She added USCAA All-American First Team based on her impressive finish and was on the USCAA All-Academic Team. Wilgenbusch was a four-time recipient of SCAC Runner-of-the-Week and gained USCAA Runner-of-the-Week on three occassions. 

Under the guidance of Schneigert, Wilgenbusch once again had a very successful season in fall of 2021. At the SCAC Women's XC Championships, Wilgenbusch placed 2nd place. At the very competitive NCAA West Regional Championships, Wilgenbusch placed 10th to qualify for her for the NCAA Division III National Championships. At the national championships, Anna had a course record on the same course she competed on at the 2019 national championships shattering the record by 25 seconds.She received several runner of the week awards from both the USCAA and the SCAC. She also received NCAA All Academic American as an individual during this year. 

Beyond Wilgenbusch's success, Schneigert guided the women's cross country team to a third place result at the 2019 SCAC Championship and fourth at the USCAA Championship. Emma Kate Callahan would also capture an accolade with the USCAA All-American Second Team by running a 12th place finish at the USCAA Championship. Five players on the women's team were named to the USCAA National All-Academic Team including: Callahan, Isabella Childs, Elizabeth Regnerus, Ana Wilhelm, and Wilgenbusch.

The men's team was a young squad under Schneigert; the team finished seventh at the SCAC Championship and eighth at the USCAA Championship. Thomas Lagarde headlined the year on the men's side for Schneigert as the freshman notched 12th at the USCAA Championship for an All-American Second Team honor. Peter Hedlesky, John James, Gabe Vazquez, and Nick Wallisch formed a quartet on the USCAA National All-Academic Team. 

Both the men's and women's programs have earned consecutive NCAA All-Academic Honors: the women since 2019, and the men since 2020.

Schneigert arrives to DFW after spending the past year and a half working in a position as the Program and Events Manager with Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA). Hired in spring of 2018, Schneigert was the 'Go Run Program Manager responsible for the hiring and supervision of three site coordinators. He also managed certifications of road races in the Chicago area under the CARA guidelines and coached distance runners.

Schneigert brings a wealth of coaching experience that includes: collegiate, high school, youth club, and adult levels for cross country and track and field. He has held several part time positions where he has found much success. Schneigert instructed in 2018 at Barrington High School as an assistant jumps coach where the team won the indoor conference championships and outdoor conference championships and placed ninth at the IHSA Class 3A State Championships (highest classification).

In 2017, as an assistant coach at Harper College, Schneigert helped guide the Hawks women's track and field team to a second place finish at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Women's Track & Field Championships and landed the men's team in sixth. Under his tutelage, Ashley Proksa won the NJCAA Division III National Title in Long Jump and a school record.

In the years prior to that, Schneigert was involved in leading cross country to success with Rockford College and Illinois Tech, both NCAA Division III institutions, that included coaching several athletes to all-conference selections. At Illinois Tech in 2016, Schneigert also helped the track and field team break five sprints and jumps record. In two years at Rockford, Schneigert coached two All-Conference athletes and three conference honorable mention athletes. The women's cross country team garnered U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic Team status, and the 2012 incoming recruiting class was the program's largest in history.

Schneigert headlines his success from 2013-15 as a head men's and women's track and field coach at Triton College. After starting the program at the school, Schneigert boasted several USTFCCCA All-Americans in his tenure.

Overall, Schneigert has coached 25 USTFCCCA All-Americans, nine NJCAA All-Americans, and two Northern Athletics Conference (NAC) All-Conference athletes.  

Schneigert also has given involvement with Lifetime Fitness, Ursuline College (NCAA Division II), United States Track and Field, Vikings Track Club, Geneva High School, Northern Illinois Athletics, Huskie Youth Track Club, Barrington School District 220, Naperville Yard, Chicago Area Runners Association, Dick Pond Athletics, and Geneva Running Outfitters.

Schneigert is a Military Veteran with high honors. He was with the United States Navy Reserves, serving as Naval Coordination and Guidance Support from 2006 to 2010. From 2000-2002, Schneigert was Naval Security Force. He sterved in the Navy from 1995 to 1999 on the USS Kitty Hawk. 

As an athlete, Schneigert competed for the All-Navy track and field team in the west coast while he was stationed on the USS Kitty Hawk in the Navy. As a sprinter/mid-distance athlete, Schneigert competed at various NCAA college meets and open meets while he was not on duty. He graduated from Streamwood High School in 1995 where he was also a versatile athlete and found success in sprints, mid-distance, and jumps.

Schneigert has competed in over 100 road races including nine marathons and one ultramarathon.

Schneigert holds several certifications that include: United States Track and Field Association Level II Coaching Certificates in Endurance, Jumps, Youth, and a Level I Basic Coaching Certificate. 

In 2019, Scheigert was selected as an associate board member for the Polish American Sports Hall of Fame.

Schneigert earned his Bachelor of Science in Radio and Television with a Minor in Public Relations in May 2004 at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Schneigert is married to El Paso, Texas, native Patty and the two have a daughter Izabella Maria, and a son, Jakob Piotr.