Bradley cross country and track and field coach David Beauchem recently completed his 16th season in Peoria and 21st season in the Missouri Valley Conference as an athlete and head coach.
As the head coach at Bradley University, Beauchem has had 35 all-conference performers (12 in cross country), a six-time NCAA qualifier, three other NCAA qualifiers and was named the 1998 Missouri Valley Conference Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year after the host Braves won a share of the Valley crown. In addition to mentoring a two-time NCAA All-American performer, Beauchem coached 10 MVC track and field champions during his time on The Hilltop.
A highly-respected member of the coaching fraternity, Beauchem served on the National Collegiate Division I Track Coaches Association from 1998-06 as both a regional representative and officer. In addition, Bradley has served as host to an NCAA Cross Country regional three times during his tenure (1996, 2004 and 2007).
The academic success of Bradley's cross country and track and field teams under Beauchem's leadership is exemplary. Both the men's and women's cross country teams are annually at the top of the list of representatives on the Athletic Director's Honor Roll at Bradley. The women's cross country team has produced six Academic All-Americans and National Scholar-Athletes, while the 2003 and 2005 women's track and field team produced the nation's best grade point average among Division I programs.
A 1985 graduate of Byron (Ill.) High School, Beauchem earned his undergraduate degree from Southern Illinois in 1990 and his master's degree from Florida State in 1993. Prior to arriving at The Hilltop in the 1994-95 season, Beauchem coached track and field at Carbondale Community High School (1991, assistant); Florida State (1991-93, graduate assistant); and the University of Illinois (1993-94, volunteer assistant).
During his time as a student-athlete at Southern Illinois (1985-90), Beauchem was a part of four Valley Track and Field championships, was an All-MVC cross country selection in 1988 and won the league's 3,000-meter steeplechase title in both 1987 and 1989.
Beauchem and his wife, Vicky (Bradley University class of 2008), are residents of Morton, Ill., and the couple has three sons -- Justin, Payton and Isaac -- and a daughter, Marly.