Welcome to the AU Coaches Corner, a weekly feature giving you an inside look into the staff and administration of the Aurora University Athletic Department. This week we feature Alex Lowe, Head Coach of the Spartan men's and women's cross country program and Assistant Coach of the Spartan men's and women's track and field program.

Name: Alex Lowe
Position: Head Cross Country Assistant Track and Field Coach
Years of Service at AU: Less than 1
Alma Mater (Year): Ole Miss 2013
When did you first know that you wanted to be a coach/administrator? My senior year of high school.
What coach/administrator has had the biggest impact on your life? It's hard to pick one. I've had a long line of incredible coaches who influenced the way I view the sport now. With any one of them taken out of the picture my perspective would be incomplete. Gavin Kennedy, Doug Blackwell, and Joe Walker in college. Mike DiDomenico, Chris Wheaton, Bronco Meeks, and Dan Renz before that.
What do you consider to be your most memorable moment as a coach/administrator? Any time an athlete runs that big breakthrough race, achieving a goal they've been targeting for months at a time is truly special. In terms of specifics, our women's team winning the indoor conference title by a few points when I had only been with AU for a month was so much fun to see.
What do you consider to be your most memorable moment as an athlete? My first time running in the SEC championships for cross country was really special, but what stands out more over the years is just the day to day moments of putting in work with my teammates and getting better.
If you could have any coach, past or present, as an assistant on your staff for one game, who would it be and why? So much of the training great runners do now has its foundations in the things Arthur Lydiard was doing before it was the norm. Would love to have him around to get his thoughts on the evolution of the sport since his death.
How would you describe your game day demeanor? I'm on edge with excitement all day long. A cross country or track meet is a beautiful thing in that it allows a bunch of individuals to shoot for personal success in the pursuit of team success. I know every race is a chance for every athlete to have a huge breakthrough, and that's the reason we all love this sport.
What advice would you give your athletes today if they want to become a coach/administrator someday? Learn to listen. There are a lot of coaches that can write good training or come up with good race plans. That stuff isn't hard. It's relating to each athlete and listening to their needs that separates the good coaches from the great ones.
Who is the most famous athlete you've ever met? (Tell a short story if possible). Unfortunately, many of the great track and field athletes I've had the opportunity to compete against aren't "famous" in the traditional sense, but I had a few college teammates who have been Olympians, including Sam Kendricks, who was the Bronze Medalist in the Rio Olympics pole vault. He certainly got noticed outside of just the track and field community for his positivity in interviews and his excitement during competitions.
If you could coach/manage one professional team for one season, who would it be and why? The Chicago Bulls. I've been a Bulls fan my entire life, and since 2012 things have been a bit rough. I think with some good ol' fashioned cross country conditioning, they'd at least be able to outrun every other NBA team.
What are some of your hobbies away from coaching/athletics? I love to read (I try to go through 1 fiction and 1 nonfiction book each week) and write. I also try to get out and golf as much as possible.
If there was a movie about your life and you could pick any actor to play you who would it be and why? A young Ethan Hawke. I've enjoyed almost every performance he's done, and I've been told we've got a similar look.
If you weren't coaching/in athletics, what profession would you like to be part of? I've got a pretty wide range of interests, so there's a lot I could be happy doing. But I've worked as a professional writer before and I always enjoyed that.

Sprint to the Finish - 
• Favorite food: Jambalaya
• Favorite TV show or movie: Casino Royale
• Favorite hobby: Golfing
• Favorite sports team: Chicago Bulls
• Pet peeve: When people are late.
• Person I most admire: Roberto Clemente
• Person I'd most like to meet: Eliud Kipchoge
• Rather ride or drive?  Ride. Dozing off while driving is frowned upon.
• Salad or dessert: I'd rather have more of the main course than either.
• Dream vacation spot:  A cabin in the woods on a mountain by a creek.
• Early morning or late-night?  Early morning. Nothing beats the crisp fall air of a run before the sunrise.