Robert Marchinko returned to lead the Falcon Cross Country and Track & Field programs at Pfeiffer in the fall of 2022.
He enters with over 27 years of coaching at both the high school and collegiate level.
In his first year back at Pfeiffer, Madison Lowery won the USA South Cross Country Individual Championship. Lowery would go on to finish second at the NCAA Division III South Regional, qualifying for the NCAA Division III Championships, a first for a Falcon Cross Country runner. Lowery also earned USTFCCCA All-Region honors during the Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field seasons as a distance runner.
Prior to Pfeiffer, Marchinko served as an Assistant Coach at Catawba College beginning in January of 2018. As the coach of the distance runners, he helped lead the 2021 Catawba Men Cross Country Team to an appearance in the NCAA Championships, the first time in school history. He also had eight of his Catawba athletes earn All-Region Status. In addition, he had 19 Athletes earn All-Conference Honors on the Track.
Marchinko spent three years as the Head Cross Country at Pfeiffer University from 2002-2005. During his tenure, the Men’s team qualified to the NCAA Division II National Championships for the first time in school history. In addition, Marchinko coached both a two-time CVAC Conference Champion and Division II National Qualifier in Cross Country. Marchinko was the CVAC Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2002.
Marchinko graduated from Kent State University in 1994 with a B.S. in Physical Education. He has been teaching physical education for 24 years, the last 18 years with Rowan-Salisbury Schools. As a student-athlete at both Cleveland State and Kent State, Marchinko earned All-Conference honors in both Cross Country and Track. He was Mid-Continent Conference Cross Country Champion and Runner of the Year in 1991. In addition, Marchinko has won the Charlotte Marathon in 2003 and 2005 and Myrtle Beach Marathon in 2005.
Marchinko, a native of Jefferson, Ohio and his wife, Wendy, have lived in Salisbury since 2000. They have a son, Zach, who ran Cross Country and Track at Charlotte and was a four-time All-Conference USA performer with the 49er Cross Country team.
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