Michael DuPaul was tabbed as the women’s and men’s cross country programs’ head coach in August, 2022.
DuPaul, who served as assistant cross country and track and field coach on Hilltop Circle from 2015-2017, also coaches the distance runners on UMBC’s track and field squads.
DuPaul has helped elevate the program to unprecedented success. Between 2022 and 2026, he coached 25 conference champions, bringing his total to 38 over two separate periods (2015-2017 and 2022-2026). His athletes also produced seven school records in cross country and 18 in indoor and outdoor track, while earning 48 All-Conference Track Honors and 12 All-Conference Cross Country Honors since 2022.
In 2026, DuPaul led the Women’s Track Team to their first-ever America East Team Championship in Indoor Track. That year, UMBC's staff was again honored as America East Coaching Staff of the Year for Women’s Indoor Track. The Women’s team also produced the America East Indoor Track Most Outstanding Female Performer and the highest point scorer. The Men’s 4x800m Relay ranked #7 in the NCAA indoors and #16 outdoors.
During the 2025 season, the Men’s Cross Country team matched its 2nd-highest-ever America East finish by placing 3rd, despite competing with only freshmen and sophomores. The Indoor Men’s Distance Medley Relay was ranked #40 in the NCAA, and the Men’s 4x800m Relay was ranked #10 indoors and #12 outdoors.
In 2024, the Men’s Outdoor Track program was recognized as America East Coaching Staff of the Year, and the Men’s Indoor Distance Medley Relay ranked #37 in the NCAA, with the Men’s 4x800m Relay ranked #7 nationally. That year, four athletes qualified for the NCAA Regionals, including Jacob Martin in the 800 meters.
Across these years, his top four 800-meter athletes achieved times of 1:47.92, 1:48.18, 1:48.89, and 1:49.22, reflecting the program’s depth and progression at the national level.
He coached the school’s first Cross Country All-American, Hassan Omar, and has mentored four NCAA Regional qualifiers, including 800m standout Jacob Martin, and developed 38 conference champions during his tenure, 25 of whom have been crowned since 2022. Since then, his athletes have also earned 48 All-Conference Track honors and 12 All-Conference Cross Country honors.
In 2017, DuPaul coached Sophia Cologer to an NCAA regional appearance in the steeplechase, UMBC’s first female distance runner to qualify for the meet.
Prior to returning to Baltimore, DuPaul spent five seasons as assistant cross country and track and field coach at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa. In 2020, DuPaul helped lead the men's cross country team to a third-place finish (their highest since 1998) at the Patriot League Championships. He helped lead two runners into the top 10, and five in the top 20. Ryan Branch's seventh-place finish was the highest finish in the modern era of the Patriot League.
DuPaul also helped lead the men to a ninth-place finish at the Mid-Atlantic Region, the highest in school history. On the women's side, he helped lead the women to a fourth-place finish at the Patriot League Championships. Ainsley Jacobs’ top-ten finish was the second-highest finish in school history at the Patriot League Championships. He also helped lead the women to a 10
th-place finish at the Mid-Atlantic Region, the second-highest finish in school history.
In 2021, DuPaul led the men to a fourth-place finish at the Patriot League Championships. With this finish, the men earned a regional ranking of 10, the second-highest in school history. Bobby Oehrlein became the Lafayette athlete in school history to make the Patriot League All-League team twice.
Athletes under DuPaul recorded over 50 All-Time Top 10 performances in the five seasons he spent at Lafayette. Women athletes held 23 top-ten times in school history, with five of them being school records. The men accounted for six top-ten times in school history, with one of them being a school record. Finally, DuPaul has also coached Emily Moore, who received Academic All-American status for cross country.
Prior to his first stint at UMBC, DuPaul spent five years as assistant cross country and track and field coach at the University of Hartford. He earned his M.S. degree in accounting and taxation at UH, after completing his B.S. in business administration at the University of Connecticut.
His certifications include: USTFCCCA Endurance Specialist, USTFCCCA Jumps Specialist, and USTFCCCA Strength and Conditioning.
Recent Accomplishments at UMBC
2025-2026 UMBC Team Success
- Led Women’s Track Team to 1st-ever America East Team Championship in 2026 Indoor Track
- Coached 2026 America East Indoor Track Most Outstanding Female Performer and highest point scorer
- Athletes produced seven school records in cross country and 18 school records in indoor and outdoor track
- Men’s 4x800m Relay in 2026 ranked #7 in NCAA indoors and #16 outdoors
- 2025 Indoor - Men’s DMR Ranked #40 in NCAA and Men’s 4x800m ranked #10 in NCAA
- 2025 Outdoor - Men’s 4x800m relay ranked #12 in NCAA
- 2025 Men’s XC matched 2nd highest ever America East finish – 3rd place with only freshmen and sophomore
2024-2025 UMBC Team Success
- Men’s DMR ranked #40 in NCAA, indoor and outdoor 4x800m relays ranked #10 and #12 in NCAA
- School records in the men’s 800 (1:48.18), 1000m (2:22.63), men’s Mile (4:01.86) and men’s 5k
- School record in men’s DMR - 9:40.98 and Men’s outdoor 4x800m relay - 7:24.14
- America East Championships in indoor men’s DMR, 800, and 4x800
- Athletes placed 1st and 2nd in men’s 1000m at America East Indoor Championships
- Men’s outdoor 4x800m relay won America East Championship
- Men’s 4x800m relays won 4 straight conference championships - indoors and outdoors 2024 and 2025
- America East All Conference Athletes in women’s 1000m, 800m, and 4x800m
- Men’s Outdoor Track placed 2nd in America East Championships - equaling best ever program finish
- 2025 IC4A Men’s Team Runner Up - highest ever UMBC finish at IC4A Championships
- 2024 Men’s XC season produced highest conference finish since 2014
- 2024 Men’s XC Team finished #12 in Mid-Atlantic Region - highest since 2015
- Two 2nd team All-Conference men during 2024 XC season
- Alexis Tepper placed 38th in Mid-Atlantic Regional with 21:01 - school record for the course
- Alexis Tepper earned 1st Team All Conference in 2024 XC season
- Women’s team had a school record for 6k team average on Penn State’s course
2022-2023 / 2023-2024 UMBC Team Success
- Coached the 2023 and 2024 Men’s America East Outdoor Track and Field 800m champions (first since 2014)
- Coached the first ever Men’s America East Indoor 1000m champion in UMBC history (2024)
- Coached the America East Indoor and Outdoor Men’s 4x8 relay champions - first time ever winning both in same year
- Three men’s All-America East Athletes in cross country, 1 in 2022 and 2 in 2023
- One women’s All-America East Athlete in cross country (2022)
- 2023 was the first time UMBC had both a men’s and women’s Cross Country All-Conference athlete since 2015
- Men’s cross country school record at Navy cross country course, as well as #2 performer all time
- Coached the men’s first IC4A 4x800m relay championship in UMBC history
- 2024 Indoor Men’s Distance Medley Relay ranked #37 in the NCAA, Men’s 4x800m relay Ranked #7 in NCAA
- Coached 5 school records in 2024 - Men’s Indoor 1000m, Men’s Indoor 1 mile, Men’s Indoor Distance Medley Relay, Mens Indoor 4x800m relay, and Men’s Outdoor 4x800m relay.
- Coached 4 Conference Champions in 2024 - Men’s Indoor 1000m, Men’s Indoor 4x800m Relay, Men’s Outdoor 800m, and Men’s Outdoor 4x800m relay
- Coached the Women’s America East Outdoor Championship 4x800m relay - first UMBC team to win since 2018
- Coached both men’s and women’s 4x800m America East Outdoor Track Champions - first time in history both won in the same year
- Coached the Women’s Outdoor ECAC Championship 3rd place finisher in the 10,000m
- Won the 2024 Men’s Outdoor Track Coaching Staff of the Year Award at America East Championships as men placed 3rd overall
- Tyler Edson placed 6th in 800m at USATF U20 Championships
