FARMINGTON, Maine - University of Maine at Farmington Director of Athletics Jamie Beaudoin is pleased to announce the hiring of Robbie Hollis '19 as the Head Coach of the Men's and Women's Cross Country programs and an Assistant Coach for the Men's and Women's Track & Field teams. The Cross Country Head Coach position has been held by Sean Cabaniss '17 since the fall of 2020. With the hiring of Hollis, Cabaniss will maintain his role as the Head Track & Field Coach, while transitioning into the Assistant Coach of the Cross Country teams.
Hollis has been a part of the cross country and track & field teams in an Assistant Coach capacity since 2021. In his role as an assistant, Hollis has primarily worked with the distance and middle distance runners. Hollis played an integral role in helping lead the Men's Cross Country team to a 2nd place finish and the Women's Cross Country team to a 3rd place finish at the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Championship meet last fall. He has also helped lead a group of athletes to break numerous school records in indoor and outdoor track events.
Now in a full-time role, Hollis is eager to continue to build on those performances. "We have a hardworking group of men and women returning. With a recruiting class that is looking strong for this upcoming year added into the mix, I believe we are in a great position to perform exceptionally well this fall. Everyone is motivated to do their part and compete for a NAC Cross Country Championship," Hollis states.
The added position of Head Cross Country and Assistant Track & Field Coach was created with the goal of improving the experience of the student-athletes while also continuing to grow the already strong and competitive programs. "Having two full-time coaches is vital in being able to provide necessary support and guidance to our student-athletes in a program that is continually growing year-over-year. Robbie has done an incredible job recruiting high-quality student-athletes as an assistant and I have full faith in his ability to continue to expand our programs while also competing at a high level", Beaudoin says.
Hollis graduated from the University of Maine at Farmington in 2019 with a degree in Community Health Education. As an athlete at Farmington, Hollis is one of the most accomplished runners in program history. In cross country, Hollis was named the 2015 North Atlantic Conference Runner of the Year after placing 1st overall at the NAC Championship. He also received First Team All-Conference honors for three consecutive seasons from 2015 to 2017. On the track, Hollis broke multiple program records including the 1,500 meter, 5,000 meter, and 10,000 meter. Hollis currently maintains his 1,500 meter and 10,000 meter record, while he now sits 2nd all-time in the 5,000 meter after Covy Dufort broke his record this past spring.
While working as an Assistant Coach for the past two years, Hollis has also worked full-time at the University, working in the Graduate Department as an Enrollment and Retention Counselor.
Being part of the University of Maine at Farmington community since the fall of 2014, Hollis is excited to begin his full-time coaching career at the University where he earned his degree. "UMF has become a part of me and distance coaching is my true passion. I am looking forward to continuing to give back to my alma mater and provide valuable experiences for our student-athletes."
