Al Petz - Blue Dragon Cross Country

Bio

Veteran coach Al Petz is in his 10th overall season as the Blue Dragons’ assistant cross country and assistant track and field coach.

Petz served for six seasons in his first tenure from 2015-20. Then after two years away from the program, he returned before the 2023-24 campaign.

Since his return to the Blue Dragons, HutchCC has won four Region 6 titles in cross country – three men’s and one women’s regional title – and five more in men’s track and field.

Petz returned to the Blue Dragons at a great time as the Hutchinson women’s program had its best season as a Division I program by winning the Region 6 and Jayhawk West championships and finishing fourth at the NJCAA Division I Championship – the program’s highest Division I finish in its history. The team produced one NJCAA All-American (Serenity Larson) and two coaches All-Americans (Gracie Lambert and Taylor Hokinson).

In 2023, the Blue Dragon women placed 10th overall and Larson (32nd place) was an NJCAA Coaches All-American.

In 2024, the Blue Dragon men’s cross country team swept the Region 6 and Jayhawk West team championships. Dennis Cheruiyot won Region 6 with a school-record time of 23:46.77. The 2024 Blue Dragon men then went onto tie for the best national finish in team history, with a third-place performance at the NJCAA National Championships in Richmond, Virginia. Five Blue Dragons overall earned All-America honors.

The 2024 Blue Dragon women won the Jayhawk West, finished second in Region 6 and sixth at the NJCAA Championships. Faith Jepchirchir was the Region 6 individual champion and NJCAA national runner-up.

The 2025 cross country season had a championship flair to it. The 2025 Blue Dragon men repeated as Region 6 champion and was the NJCAA National Runner-up with Cornelius Kogo capturing the individual NJCAA national championship and Titus Kiprotich was the national runner-up. The women’s team won its first Division I Region 6 title and placed third at the national meet, the program’s highest Division I finish. Mildred Rono was the women’s individual national champion.

During the 2025 track and field seasons, the Blue Dragon men won their first Region 6 indoor title in program history and followed that with a Region 6 outdoor team championships.

The 2026 Blue Dragon men’s track team released as both indoor and outdoor Region 6 champion and the women’s program won the Region 6 indoor title for the first time in program history.

During his first six seasons with the Blue Dragons, Petz was part of a huge upsurge with the Hutchinson cross country programs.

The 2019 Blue Dragon cross country season proved an impressive one as the men’s team finished as both Region 6 and Jayhawk West runners-up and a seventh-place finish at the NJCAA championships. Andrew Kibet and Silvestre Kibarar both earned first-team All-America honors, finishing fourth and fifth in nationals, respectively. The women’s team was the 2019 Jayhawk West runner-up.

The 2018 season marked the most successful season since joining the Blue Dragons.

The Hutchinson men won the Jayhawk West and Region 6 team championships and Kibet won the NJCAA individual national championship. Also, the Blue Dragon women were nationally ranked throughout the season. Combined, both the men’s and women’s teams had six All-Americans.

The 2020-21 season marked the 45th year in education and coaching at the middle school, high school and college levels. Petz has coached football, volleyball, basketball and track as both a head and assistant coach.

As a runner, Petz was part of a pair of state championship teams in 1966 and 1967 at Ellinwood. He was part of EHS school records in the 800, 4x400 relay and 4x800 relay. In college at Barton County, Petz held the Cougar 880 record and was part of a 4x400 relay national qualifying team. Running for Bethany College, he held the Swedes’ record in the 880 and 4x400 relay.

Petz graduated from Ellinwood High School in 1969, from Barton County Community College in 1971 and Bethany College in 1974. Petz earned his Master’s degree from Emporia State University in 1990.

Petz and his wife, Kathy, have two children Heather and Adam. The couple also has five grandchildren – Lauren, Jenna, Ellie, Madison and Mason.