STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State Director of Athletics Scott Stricklin announced Monday a restructuring of the coaching responsibilities within the men's and women's track and field program.

Former head track and field coach Al Schmidt will assume the newly created position Director of Track and Field, while former associate head coach Steve Dudley will be promoted to men's and women's head track and field coach.  Those assignments require approval by the Board of Trustees, Institutions of Higher Learning.

"We appreciate Al's accomplishments through his Mississippi State career, and congratulate him on our most recent back-to-back top 20 national finishes,"  Stricklin said.  "At the same, we want to recognize Steve's efforts in helping raise the program to a championship level."

During his time as head track and field coach, Schmidt also coached MSU to a national top-10 finish at the 2003 NCAA Indoor Meet, and tutored four individual national champions.

In his new position, Schmidt will oversee the operations at the Spencer Stadium/Maddox Track, including the ongoing $3.2 million refurbishing of the track itself, schedule future competition at the facility, and add to the list of 41 all-Americans and 39 SEC champions he has accumulated in his career by coaching the women/s 800- and 1500-meter events.  Dudley will assume full responsibility for the men's and women's track teams.