Riverdale, NY – Lou Vazquez, one of the most accomplished and influential figures in NYC cross country, track & field, has been named Meet Director of the Manhattan College Cross Country Invitational Presented by HOKA. The announcement was made by Kerri Gallagher, Director of Cross Country, Track at Field at Manhattan College that owns and operates the Invitational.  

The Manhattan College Cross Country Invitational Presented by HOKA will be contested on Saturday, October 9 at Van Cortlandt Park over the nation’s most storied cross country course. The New York City event also includes both the prestigious Boys and Girls Eastern States Championship elite-level races.

 

Founded in 1972 by renowned Brooklyn high school coach and Manhattan College Hall of Fame runner Ed Bowes, the Manhattan College Cross Country Invitational quickly grew into the nation’s largest, single-day, scholastic cross country meet with 10,000 runners competing in over 40-races at Van Cortlandt Park.

 

Vazquez, who also serves as Director of Icahn Stadium on Randall's Island for the Randall’s Island Park Alliance, has been a long-time meet director, coach and athlete for cross country, track & field and is well-respected both locally as well as nationally within the cross country, track & field and road racing communities.

 

“Lou shares the passion and vision of meet founder Ed Bowes, and we are delighted to have Lou become our Meet Director, as we look to continue to provide opportunities for high school runners of all levels to visit New York City and compete on the legendary Van Cortlandt Park cross country course,” said Gallagher.  

 

“It is an honor to follow in Ed’s footsteps and be named meet director for the Manhattan College Cross Country Invitational. I am excited to join the Manhattan College team and help keep Ed’s dream of making the meet the “Biggest and the Best”, said Vazquez.

 

 

Vazquez began his athletic career at Brooklyn’s Xaverian High School and continued at Brooklyn College, where he competed in cross country, indoor and outdoor track. While at Brooklyn College, he was the CUNY Cross Country Champion in 1979 and 1981, runner-up in 1980 and qualified for the Division III National Championship in both Cross Country and Outdoor track.

 

After college, Vazquez became the head cross country and track coach for Long Island University, where his teams won multiple Northeast Conference Championships. In addition, he was also the head coach at Brooklyn’s Bishop Ford High School, where he developed many CHSAA and New York State Champions. At the 1992, National Scholastic High School Championship, his Bishop Ford distance medley and 3200-meter relay teams captured gold medals.

 

While at Icahn Stadium, Vazquez was instrumental in resurrecting the New York Relays, one of the most historical meets in the Northeast which welcomes athletes from all over the United States to the historic grounds of Randall’s Island Park. In addition to the New York Relays, Icahn Stadium plays host to an abundant event schedule boosting over eighty meets per season. During the winter months Vazquez turns his talents to indoor track serving as the meet director for the Ocean Breeze Holiday Festival, Freedom Games and Invitational which has become the largest indoor meet in the United Stated. Vazquez has a well-earned reputation as a committed and motivational team leader with exceptional knowledge of cross country, track & field rules, equipment and facility management. 

 

Prior to his current Icahn Stadium position, Vazquez was Director of Special Events and Operations at the NYC Armory track & field center where he created, developed and directed some of the largest indoor high school track & field meets in the country including the New York Hispanic Games that attracted over 7,000 athletes making it the largest indoor track and field meet in the nation at that time.  

 

Vazquez also created and developed two, city-wide youth programs – The City Parks Foundation track & field program and the New York Road Runners Jamboree - that introduces NYC children to the sport of track & field.