FROSTBURG, Md. – On Sunday, April 30, Frostburg State University officially named the track at Bobcat Stadium in honor of former coaches Dr. Robert W. Lewis and Dr. Charles H. Hircock for their astounding careers and contributions to the Track and Field programs.
 
"We believe there was much more to Frostburg State Track & Field and Cross Country than just team and individual victories. We tried very hard to keep everything in proper perspective, wanting our athletes to train diligently and compete hard, of course, but also to make their sports experiences enjoyable and memorable for the right reasons. Because of our teaching assignments, it was always easy for us to remember that our men and women had academic interests and responsibilities that took precedence over participation in athletics." – Coaches Lewis and Hircock.
 
At the start of the 2023 Mountain East Conference Track & Field Championships, FSU held a ceremony to dedicate the track at Bobcat Stadium to its pair of coaches that rewrote athletics history at the University.
 
Lewis served as the head coach of the men's indoor and outdoor track & field teams and the men's cross country team from 1970-2001, as well as the women's cross country team from 1986-2000. In his over 30 years of coaching, Lewis was named NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year on three occasions and led FSU to its only National Championships in school history, the 1986 Indoor Track & Field title and the 1986 and 1987 Outdoor Track & Field titles.
 
As a top assistant with the programs, Hircock served as the throwing coach and recruiting coordinator for both the men's and women's track and field teams from 1971-2001, helping the Bobcats to the previously mentioned championships.
 
Combined, Frostburg placed in the top-10 at the NCAA Championships on 12 occasions, winning 18 individual championships and three 4x100 meter relay championships. At various points, FSU athletes set seven National Championship meet records at the time of their recording, while 72 athletes earned All-American honors for their performances.
 
"We never cut an athlete. If anyone was willing to come out, we'd find a uniform and shoes for him or her and give them a chance to compete." – Coach Lewis.
 
On a regional level, the Bobcats won a total 29 Mason-Dixon Conference indoor and outdoor titles and two Eastern Collegiate Conference titles. Frostburg went a combined 117-5 against state rivals Salisbury, Towson, and UMBC, while also securing a victory against West Virginia University in 1981 at WVU's track.
"We want to acknowledge and express our appreciation to the work of our graduate assistant coaches and all of our volunteer coaches throughout the years. Our teams benefitted greatly from their endeavors." – Coaches Lewis and Hircock.
 
In addition to their coaching responsibilities, Lewis and Hircock were both professors in the University's department of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation. Each received Ph. D. degrees from The Ohio State University, Hircock in 1971 and Lewis in 1974.
 
"We will always be grateful for Dr. Harold Cordts and Dr. Carol Cleveland, former administrators in Frostburg's Physical Education department, and former president Dr. Nelson Guild, who hired us at FSU. We have so much appreciation and respect that they gave us the opportunity to be college coaches. It was a privilege to have been a coach at Frostburg for so many years. We've met so many outstanding young men and women that were interested in athletics, several truly exceptional parents of those athletes, and many wonderful coaches from other colleges and universities in our time. We learned so much from so many people and are truly thankful for the relationships and experiences throughout our coaching careers." – Coaches Lewis and Hircock.