Joe Koch announced his retirement as head coach at East Stroudsburg University in September of 2020. He was on the staff at ESU for 37 seasons, including 35 as a head coach prior to his retirement. He now serves as a volunteer assistant with ESU's cross country and track & field programs.
Koch spent 34 seasons as the head women's cross country coach, 32 as head men's cross country coach, and 32 as the head men's track and field coach. He was also the head women's track and field coach for 17 years before turning the reigns over to longtime assistant coach Chris Merli prior to the 2006-07 season.
Koch's athletes enjoyed a tremendous amount of success over the past three decades. The track and field program has produced 70 All-America Awards (36 men, 34 women) from 1990-2020. A total of 22 athletes earned multiple All-America honors during the stretch, including high jumpers Lynn Mayer, a 2011 graduate who was a six-time All-American, and four-time All-America high jumper Karen (Way) Gaita, the 1991 NCAA Division II outdoor champion.
At the conference level, the Warriors won 141 individual PSAC championships (85 men, 56 women) and 21 relay titles (14 men, 7 women) from 1990-2020.
The men's program was PSAC runner-up at the conference championships eight times in Koch's final 11Â years (2009 outdoors, 2010 indoors/outdoors, 2011 outdoors, 2013 indoors and 2014 indoors/outdoors, 2019 indoors).
Koch was named the PSAC and USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Coach of the Year following the 2009 outdoor season. He was also chosen as the NCAA Women's Regional Coach of the Year and ECAC Co-Women's Coach of the Year in 2001, and was the ECAC Men's Coach of the Year in 1990 when his squad won the ECAC indoor championships.
In cross country, Koch received the ECAC Women's Coach of the Year in 1995 and PSAC Coach of the Year in 1994. He sent 21 individual runners and three teams, the 1989 and 2012 men and 1999 women, to the NCAA Division II Championships. Jan Blake (1996), Tina Vosper (1998), Vanessa Andes (2003-04), Rose Mascoli (2010) and Frank Fezza (2012) have been All-Americans.
The Hackensack, N.J. native ran track and field and cross country for four years at the University of Delaware and was captain of the Blue Hens' cross country team as a senior in 1979. Koch lives in East Stroudsburg with his wife Deborah, son Matthew Edward and daughter Kristen Joann.
ESU Track & Field All-Americans since 1990
Men's
2019 indoor - Justin Miller (TJ)
2019 indoor - Dominic Walton (Shot put)
2017 outdoor - Steve Morgan (110H)
2017 indoor - Steve Morgan (60H)
2016 outdoor - Travis Toth (Hammer)
2016 indoor - William Berry (HJ), Travis Toth (Weight)
2015 outdoor - William Berry (HJ)
2014 outdoor - Travis Toth (Hammer)
2014 indoor - Seth Bailey (HJ)
2013 outdoor - Matt Tholis (Javelin), Josh Hontz (Javelin)
2012 outdoor - Matt Tholis (Javelin), Dan Johnson (Decathlon)
2011 outdoor - Josh Hontz (Javelin)
2011 indoor - Negus Graham (400)
2010 outdoor - Negus Graham (400), Paul Wagner (Hammer), 4x100m Relay
2010 indoor - Negus Graham (400)
2009 outdoor - Paul Wagner (Hammer)
2009 indoor - Rusty Smith (60H)
2008 outdoor - Iuri Pinto (1500)
2008 indoor - Rusty Smith (60H)
2004 outdoor - Dan Gale (Javelin)
2003 outdoor - Barry Krammes (Javelin)
2003 indoor - Mike Newhard (HJ)
2002 outdoor - Barry Krammes (Javelin)
2002 indoor - Mike Newhard (HJ)
1998 indoor - Rob Stone (LJ)
1996 indoor - Rob Stone (LJ)
1994 indoor - Rob Stone (LJ)
1992 outdoor - Lance Branyan (Javelin), Al Yackenchick (Javelin)
1991 indoor - Martin Brans (1500)
1990 indoor - Martin Brans (1500)
Women's
2018 outdoor - Aspen Gaita (Hept)
2018 indoor - Aspen Gaita (Pent)
2017 indoor - Aspen Gaita (Pent)
2015 outdoor - Christina O'Connor (HJ)
2015 indoor - Christina O'Connor (HJ)
2014 outdoor - Christina O'Connor (HJ)
2013 indoor - Christina O'Connor (HJ)
2011 outdoor - Rose Mascoli (5,000; 10,000), Lynn Mayer (HJ)
2011 indoor - Lynn Mayer (HJ)
2010 outdoor - Lynn Mayer (HJ)
2010 indoor - Lynn Mayer (HJ)
2008 outdoor - Lynn Mayer (HJ)
2008 indoor - Lynn Mayer (HJ)
2007 outdoor - Leslie Martin (Hept)
2007 indoor - Leslie Martin (HJ)
2005 outdoor - Vanessa Andes (10,000)
2001 outdoor - Jenn Grube (Javelin), Quanette Jester (TJ)
2001 indoor - Shavanna Ross (HJ)
2000 outdoor - Jenn Grube (Javelin)
1999 outdoor - Tina Vosper (10,000), Jenelle Strine (Hammer)
1999 indoor - Tina Vosper (5,000)
1997 indoor - Jane Blake (mile)
1996 outdoor - Jan Blake (1500)
1995 outdoor - Jan Blake (1500)
1993 outdoor - Jenn Moyer (10,000)
1991 outdoor - Karen Way (HJ)
1991 indoor - Karen Way (HJ)
1990 outdoor - Karen Way (HJ)
1990 indoor - Jenn Moyer (3,000)
Cross Country All-Americans
2012 - Frank Fezza
2010 - Rose Mascoli
2004 - Vanessa Andes
2003 - Vanessa Andes
1998 - Tina Vosper
1996 - Jan Blake
