Coaching Staff
Michael Trunkes
Head Coach
Michael Trunkes begins his third year as the Head Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Coach in 2009 after spending the 2006 season as the assistant coach. Trunkes hopes to make SUNY New Paltz a consistent competitor within the SUNYAC conference. In 2008, one of his female runners set a new school record in the 6K and a male runner set the third fastest time in school history for an 8K.
Trunkes attended Roslyn High School where he competed in Track and Cross Country and was both a conference champion as well as an All-County Cross Country runner in Section VIII.
Trunkes earned a Bachelors degree in Marketing from The University of Arizona in 1985. He competed in both Cross Country and Track and Field where he was a member of the 1984 PAC 10 Cross Country Championship team as well as the Division 1 Cross Country National Championship runners up.
Michael has set personal running best marks in the Marathon at 2:28:17, 10,000 meters of 29:54, 5,000 meters 14:42, 3,000 meters 8:26 and 1500 meters in 3:58.
He has been a member of the Central Park Track Club for 22 years where he has worked as an advisor to many top athletes. Coach Trunkes has also earned level 1 coaching certification from USA Track and Field at the Olympic training center in Colorado Springs.
Michael currently resides in New Paltz with his wife Petra.
Contact Michael Trunkes at ext. 3922 or trunkesm@newpaltz.edu.
Justin Harris
Assistant Cross Country Coach
Justin Harris enters his first season as assistant coach of cross country at SUNY New Paltz.
Harris comes to SUNY New Paltz from Wai'anae High in Wai'anae, Hawaii, where he served as the assistant cross country coach since 2007.
At Wai'anae High, he was the Head Distance Coach for spring track and developed training schedules, workouts, monitored athletes during practice and competition.
Harris attended Jay Senior High in East Fishkill, New York, where he was an All-State Second Team runner in cross country and was a member of the 2001 Indoor 4x800 National Championship team earning All-American honors. Harris received an athletic scholarship from Marist College. He had a successful career which was highlighted by qualifying for Junior Nationals (10,000 meters), setting school records (4x800, 3,000 meter ST) and by winning the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the 2006 MAAC Conference Championships. He was a team Captain ('06-'07) and was a Coach's Award recipient for Men's Track and Field in 2004 and 2006.
Harris earned his degree from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York in Psychology/Special Education/Elementary Education in 2007. He was named to the Dean's List four times.
Harris holds certifications in New York State Childhood Education for grades first through sixth and New York State Students with Disabilities for grades first though sixth. He has a POSE Level I Coach, which is a scientific and systematic method of helping athletes utilized the natural force of gravity to improve speed and endurance and reduce injuries.
Harris still stays active as a competitive runner, cyclist, tri-athlete, and adventure racer.
Contact Justin Harris at ext. 3922 or harrisj@newpaltz.edu.