Debbie Utesch

Biography

The 2025 season marks Debbie Utesch’s 29th year with the Lehigh cross country and track and field programs. She has served as the head women’s cross country coach since 1996, and also served as the head men’s coach until prior to the start of the 2008 season, when her former runner Todd Etters ’02 was appointed head coach of the men. Utesch has coached two female national qualifiers in cross country, including Jen Schappert in 2005 and All-American Elizabeth Weiler in 2014. She has also earned one Patriot League Coach of the Year honor. During the 2021 season, Utesch led the Mountain Hawks to a fifth-place finish at the Patriot League Championships. Lehigh finished 17th at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional and defeated rival Lafayette for the 16th consecutive time. While the Mountain Hawks succeeded on the cross country course, they continued to excel in the classroom. Lehigh was named USTFCCCA All-Academic Team and had 17 student-athletes named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll. Senior Kara Bonner was named Patriot League Sportsmanship Award winner for her leadership within the cross country and track and field programs. Lehigh had its 2020 season pushed to the spring of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Utesch led the Mountain Hawks to a sixth-place finish at the Patriot League Championship where Jamie Zamrin finished 12th overall to be named second team All-Patriot League. Lehigh went on to earn USTFCCCA All-Academic honors as well. Lehigh took fifth place at the Pat