The Fort Lewis College Department of Athletics announced Friday that Brett Sublett has resigned as head coach of the women’s cross-country and track program.
Sublett spent eight seasons with the Skyhawks, the first 5½ years as an assistant coach for both the men’s and women’s programs, before taking over the women’s head coaching position in September 2019.
“To be around the women on the team; they are such an inspiring group athletically, academically and professionally. It’s been an honor to be around them. I feel like I was the fortunate one and I'm going to miss their motivation and inspiration,” Sublett said. “If I tried to instill anything in the team over the years, it was to expect more of themselves. I think they’re all in a good place in that regard. They’re all pushing their limits in all aspects of their lives and that's all that I could hope for."
The Skyhawks made positive strides under Sublett’s leadership, growing the team from 12 student athletes in 2019 to 20 runners for the 2021 season. Fort Lewis also recorded three top-10 finishes as a team at the RMAC Championships during Sublett’s tenure.
He was instrumental in the emergence of senior Makiah Salzano the past two seasons, culminating in her earning second team all-RMAC honors this season while running consecutive PRs at the RMAC championships (22:57.5) and NCAA South Central Regional (21:35.4).
Sublett’s student athletes have also shined in the classroom, with 10 FLC women’s cross-country team members garnering RMAC All-Academic recognition in November.
“There’s never a great time to step away, and I wouldn’t have been involved with the program for as long as I have if I didn’t care. But I reached a point where I was being pulled in a lot of different directions, both professionally and personally,” Sublett said. “I reached a point where I needed to devote more time to my family and those around me who I felt I hadn’t made enough time for. You never get that time back. When I went home over Thanksgiving to see my family, I had some time for reflection and that’s what really led to making this difficult decision.”
Although he will be stepping away from a head coaching capacity, Sublett said he will remain active in the FLC and Durango community moving forward.
“I love this community, and I love this school. People will still see me around at sporting events and bike races,: Sublett said. ”This is my home, and I love this community. I have a lot invested in this community and in this area of the world.“
FLC Athletics will begin conducting a national search to identify the department’s next head coach for the women’s cross-country and track coach.
“Brett made a huge impact on our runners, both on and off the trails and outdoor tracks around Southwest Colorado. He will always be running royalty in Durango, and we were fortunate to have him lead our team as he served as an amazing mentor for our young women,” said FLC Director of Athletics Brandon Leimbach. “I sincerely wish him all the best as he moves forward and will always appreciate his amazing service to FLC Athletics, to his teams and to the Durango community.”
