Andrea Grove-McDonough Inks Contract Extension Through 2031
7/28/2026 10:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Women's Track and Field
Grove-McDonough has guided women’s cross country to five-straight league championships
TOLEDO, Ohio – University of Toledo Vice President and Director of Athletics Tom Moreland announced the extension of Director of Cross Country/Track & Field Andrea Grove-McDonough's contract through the 2030-31 season on Tuesday.Â
Grove-McDonough has led the women's cross country team to five-straight Mid-American Conference championships (2021-25) and the men's cross country team to its first league crowns in program history (2024-25). She also helped lead the track & field team to its best indoor finishes since 2012 with fourth-place finishes in both 2022 and 2026.Â
"We are very excited to extend Coach Grove-McDonough's contract," said Moreland. "She has elevated our men's and women's cross country programs to historic levels of success and brought that momentum into the track and field seasons. She recruits and develops student-athletes into high-level competitors and is an incredible leader for all of the young men and women within her program. We are grateful to have Andrea continuing to spearhead our programs."Â
Entering her eighth season at the helm of the Rockets, Grove-McDonough has turned Toledo women's cross country into the winningest program in MAC history with 11 total titles. She has guided three individual conference champions and seen nine student-athletes earn Great Lakes All-Region honors. The Rockets have also competed in two NCAA Cross Country National Championship races throughout the past four seasons. Â
On the men's side, the Rockets have had three consecutive individual champions at the conference championships with three runners earning Great Lakes All-Region accolades. The squad has sent individual qualifiers into the NCAA Cross Country National Championship in the past two seasons, including Dominic Serem in 2024 who became the first Rocket man to qualify since 1975. Â
On the oval, Grove-McDonough has oversaw 18 individuals capture titles at the MAC Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships and seen over 20 student-athletes earn All-MAC accolades. In outdoor track & field, 18 Rockets have qualified for the NCAA East Preliminary Round and three have competed in the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships. She guided Stephanie Sherman to Second Team All-American honors in the 10,000m in 2021.
"I'm incredibly thankful for the continued trust and support from the University of Toledo, and especially grateful to Tom Moreland and (Senior Associate Athletic Director of Compliance) Brian Lutz for their leadership and role in securing this extension," said Grove-McDonough. "This opportunity is deeply personal to me - it reflects the consistent growth and success of our program and the commitment of our student-athletes, staff, and supporters who show up every day with purpose. Toledo has become a home to my family as well, and being part of this community in such a meaningful way makes this especially rewarding. I'm proud of what we've built together and excited to continue fostering a culture centered on connection, development, and sustained excellence."Â
Grove-McDonough has been named MAC Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year for the past five seasons. She has also coached Team USA at the 2022 Summer University Games and the 2025 World University Games. Â
In the classroom, Grove-McDonough has had six student-athletes earn College Sport Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District over the past four seasons and over 75 Rockets have been named to Academic All-MAC teams across cross country and track & field. The men's and women's cross country programs also posted record GPAs during the 2025 fall semester. Â
