Lee LaBadie, a well respected athlete and coach, was named men's cross country coach, as well as assistant track & field coach for men's distance runners in August of 2008.

Inheriting a men's cross country program that had placed no better than fifth in the Mid-American Conference in its first 19 years of existance, LaBadie led the Zips' harriers to their best season in 2010. With four runners in the top-25 – led by All-MAC Second Teamer Andy Knapp, Akron finished fourth at the MAC Championships, just nine points behind Kent State and Miami, who each tied for second.

The 2011 campaign was highlighted by the continued progress of Brad Hough, who became just the third Akron runner to earn All-MAC First Team honors. The sophomore was the Zips' top finisher in each meet and placed third at the MAC Championships.

But LaBadie's (pronounced La-Bay-dee) biggest impact has been the development of middle distance runner Willie Brown, who earned All-American status in 2011 after shattering school records in both the indoor and outdoor 800 meters and qualified for next year’s Olympic trials after running 1:45.91 during the outdoor season. Brown, who captured both the MAC indoor and outdoor championships in the 800m, posted the top five outdoor marks in school history as well as three of the top four indoor times.

It was a strong year for men's distance runners overall as Max Hiltner rewrote the school record in the mile, Scott Meyers set the school standard in the outdoor 5,000 meters and Joe McCoy bettered his record-setting time twice in 2011.

LaBadie's impact was immediate in 2008 as several veteran runners shaved significant times off their previous personal-records, including Joe Mummert in the indoor 800 and Mike Baraona in the mile. During the outdoor season, Jason Headman set the UA record for the 10,000 (30:10.65) meters, which had stood since 1972.

During the 2009 cross country season, McCoy placed sixth at the MAC Championships, becoming just the second Zip to earn first team honors and just the fifth to earn all-league honors overall.

LaBadie has been in the collegiate coaching field since 1973. Most recently he served his second stint on staff at Ohio State University (2006-08). In his first tenure with Ohio State (1989-93), LaBadie coached a pair of Olympians, each of whom are current distance coaches. OSU head coach Robert Gary was a two-time Olympian in the steeplechase and United States Cross Country Champion. Kent State head men's and women's distance coach Mark Croghan was a two-time NCAA champion in the steeplechase, a three-time Olympian in the event and five-time national champion. All told, he coached three individual Big Ten champions and helped the Buckeyes to a Big Ten team title during the 1992 outdoor season and a runner-up finish in the '92 indoor campaign.

Between his tours at Ohio State, LaBadie was a consultant on training, periodization, psychology and tactics for the University of Illinois, Ohio State and Kent State track & field/cross country programs. Another head coach LaBadie mentored was Illinois' Wayne Angel.

LaBadie is familiar with the Mid-American Conference as well, serving as head women's track & field/cross country coach at Bowling Green from 1985-89. While with the Falcons, he coached two-time NCAA All-American Beth Manson (discus) and All-American Tracy Gaerke (800m). His squads finished runner-up twice and never placed lower than fourth in track or cross country. In addition to his two All-Americans, LaBadie coached 12 individual MAC champions.

He began his coaching career at Parkland College. From 1973-85, he led his teams to five appearances in the National Junior College Athletic Association national championships, placing fifth, seventh, ninth and 11th twice. Individually, LaBadie had over 120 All-Americans and six national champions.

LaBadie was a standout as a student-athlete, competing in the Big Ten. A 1973 Illinois graduate, receiving his degree in philosophy, LaBadie was the 1971 league champion in the mile and was the first Big Ten undergraduate to run the mile in under four minutes (3:58.8). In 1972, he was an NCAA champion in the two-mile relay and placed fifth in the 800m at the Championships. His 1972 two-mile relay team additionally tied a world record. Prior to college, LaBadie was the Illinois high school state cross country champion and two-time Illinois high school mile runner-up.

LaBadie is married to the former Diane Bruce. The couple has two children, Lloyd and Laura.