Matt Chovanec Joins Northwood Cross Country/Track & Field Coaching Staff

MIDLAND, MICH. – Matt Chovanec has been named an assistant coach for the Northwood University cross country and track and field programs.

Chovanec comes to Northwood after a long and successful tenure at Alma College, where he served as head cross country and track and field coach beginning in 2014. During his time with the Scots, he coached several NCAA Division III national qualifiers, multiple All-MIAA selections, MIAA champions and USTFCCCA All-Region performers.

"Having Matt Chovanec, 'Chov,' join our coaching staff is the ultimate full-circle moment for me personally," Northwood head coach Garett Lacy said. "Years ago, he taught me how to push my limits and helped define what it meant to be a runner at the collegiate level. Since then, he has been one of my biggest mentors in building my own coaching career.

"When I was a student-athlete at Alma College and had made it known that I wanted to get into coaching, Chov and I always joked that when one of us 'made it,' we would bring the other on so we could work together. We never thought that day would actually happen, but here we are. I am so excited for our student-athletes to get to know and work with Chov. He has been coaching for more than 34 years and has a wealth of knowledge to share. I know he will continue to have the same impact on our student-athletes here at Northwood as he had on me many years ago."

In 2025, Alma's women's cross country team placed sixth at the MIAA Championships and won the Lansing Invite, marking the program's first meet victory in more than a decade. Several Alma runners also moved into the program's all-time performance lists during his tenure.

In track and field, Chovanec coached numerous conference champions in sprint, hurdle, jump, throws and distance events. During the 2022-23 season, he guided Ericka Bigham to MIAA championships in both the indoor and outdoor 400 meters, while also helping Andrea Taghon capture an outdoor hurdles title.

Before taking over Alma's running programs, Chovanec built a strong résumé at Breckenridge High School. With the Huskies, he coached two individual state champions, 18 all-state track and field athletes and multiple teams that placed in the top 10 at the MHSAA state championships. His boys track and field program won four consecutive league and regional titles from 1992-95, highlighted by a Class C state runner-up finish in 1994.

A 1991 Alma graduate, Chovanec was a four-time letterwinner in cross country and track and field. He earned All-MIAA honors twice, served as a team co-captain and still holds Alma's 10,000-meter run record with a time of 31:19.91.

Chovanec and his wife, Kimberly, reside in St. Louis, Michigan, with their three children: Hunter, Colton and Kyler.