Men's track and field coach Charlie Powell announces retirement

Charlie Powell is finally calling it quits.

Powell, the head coach for the men's track and field team for the past 25 years, announced today that he would step away from coaching for health reasons.

The rock behind the program, Powell is one of the most well-regarded figures in collegiate track and field. A lively character whose passion never failed to show, he leaves behind a legacy at Penn.

Since 1989, the Red and Blue have had a least one Heptagonal champions each year and under Powell's tutelage 14 Quakers have been named All-Americans. During that time Penn has also had two NCAA individual champions and more than 100 Heps champions.

Powell's teams have won five Heps titles and he was even named Mondo Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year by the United States Track Coaches Association in 2002.

Powell, a Western Kentucky alum, was in his 30th year with the Quakers. Prior to joining the Penn staff, Powell was a head coach at Delaware and an assistant coach at Western Kentucky. He competed in college, qualifying for the NCAA Championships as a decathlete and hurdler.

Assistant coach Rob Martin, one of Powell's former athletes and an 11-time Ivy champion, will take over the reigns on an interim basis. The search for a successor will begin in the spring.