Cross Country
- Title :
- Head Coach
- E-Mail:
- sean.birren@marquette.edu
- Phone:
- 288-5105
- Experience :
- Fifth Year
- Alma Mater:
- Lindenwood, 2002
Sean Birren was named the permanent head coach for the men's and women's cross country teams in January of 2020 after serving in an interim role for the 2019 cross country season. He started at Marquette in the Summer of 2012 as a volunteer assistant distance coach with the cross country and track and field teams.
During the 2022-23 indoor season, Birren coached David Zeller (14:31.18) and Dan Weizeorick (14:34.57) to the sixth and seventh-fastest 5,000m in program history, respectively, at the BIG EAST Indoor Championships. Weizeorick ran the fourth-fastest 3,000 meters in program history (8:17.68) at Grand Valley State's event.
Outdoor season, Dan Weizeorick (8:53.32) put together the second-fastest 3,000m Steeplechase in program history at BIG EAST Outdoor Championships.
Under Birren's leadership, the 2021-22 indoor season saw Kendall Pfrimmer (16:34.2) run the third-fastest 5,000m time at the Mt. SAC Relays and the third-fastest 10,000m time (34:54.1) at the Raleigh Relays.
In his first season leading the program, Birren helped the men's team tie its best-ever finish at the BIG EAST Championships when they placed fourth with a program-best 99 points. The women's team placed sixth for the second straight year with 149 points.
For the first time in program history, the MU men had three All-BIG EAST honorees, led by senior Ryan Burd, who placed 15th with a time of 26:27.7. Fellow seniors Daniel Pederson (26:36.7) and Brad Eagan (26:39.6) took 18th and 19th, respectively. On the women's side, senior captain Caitlin McGauley (22:41.8) paced the women's team by taking 19th, earning her first ever All-BIG EAST honor.
During the 2019-20 indoor track and field season, Birren helped lead the men's and women's teams to runner-up finishes at the BIG EAST Indoor Championships. He assisted in the development of distance runners Ryan Burd and Daniel Pederson, who hit top-10 all-time marks in the 5,000m during their senior seasons.
Before coming to MU, Birren was the head cross country and assistant track and field coach at Lindenwood University. He also took a three semester break during his time with the Golden Eagles to work as the head cross country coach at Catholic Central High School in 2015 and 2016.
Prior to coaching, Birren attended Lindenwood University, where he earned his bachelors degree in education with a concentration in physical education.
A four-year member of the Lindenwood track and field team, he competed in long relays, from the 4x800 up to the marathon. Birren was a six-time All-American and helped his team to the 1998 NAIA Indoor Team Championship. He won the NAIA Marathon twice (1998 and 2001) in his collegiate career.
Birren helped lead his team to a second place finish at the 1998 NAIA Cross Country Championships. Personally, he finished 15th in both the 1998 & 1999 NAIA Cross Country Championships.
Originally from Simi Valley, California, he currently lives with his wife, Jill, and two daughters, Anna and Eliana, in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. His wife, Dr. Jill Birren, is a tenured professor at Marquette.
