Eric Heins, head coach of the Northern Arizona cross country team, will leave the program after the 2017 season. The news was announced by his wife, Kaci, with a post on Facebook: “I’ve accepted an Educator Supervisor position at the Space Center in Houston!” Kaci noted that she would soon move to Houston to accept the position, while her husband would move after his 2017 outdoor season with the Lumberjacks.

“I’m just so thankful for a husband that supports my dreams. We both cried when telling our kiddos, his athletes and my students, but everyone has been so understanding,” Kaci wrote in the social media post.

[facebook url="https://www.facebook.com/kpilcherheins/posts/10153319102391152"]

In his nine years at Northern Arizona, Heins coached his teams to 26 Big Sky Conference Championships and produced eight top-10 NCAA finishes. In addition, Heins coached 11 athletes to All-American honors in cross country, and was named "Coach of the Year" by the conference 24 times.

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Under his guidance, the cross country teams have also received the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team award five times.