One week after formally announcing the resignation of Christine Engel, Elon University has found a new head cross country coach.

Elon director of athletics Dave Blank announced Wednesday evening that Nick Polk will take over the reins of both the men's and women's cross country teams, along with being an assistant women's track and field coach.

Engel left to become the head women's cross country coach at Duke University. That move was announced last Wednesday, Aug. 6, but a job listing was posted by Elon on Aug. 1.

Polk comes to Elon after three seasons as assistant cross country and track and field coach at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich., his alma mater. Polk helped 43 runners earn All-American accolades and set numerous NCAA and school records while coaching at Grand Valley State. The women's cross country team won Division II national championships in 2012 and 2013 with Polk on staff.

"We are thrilled to welcome Nick Polk to the Elon family as our new head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach," Blank said in a press release. "Nick's experience as a coach who guided cross country programs to several national championships and as a student-athlete is impressive and he knows what it takes to build a successful program both athletically and academically. We are excited about Nick's enthusiasm and we are confident that he is the right coach to guide our cross country program as we move into the Colonial Athletic Association this season."

While a runner at Grand Valley State, Polk garnered All-America honors three times and was the lead-off leg for the National Championships distance medley relay team in 2009. He ran professionally at ZAP Fitness in 2009 and 2010 while also serving as a graduate assistant for the track and field team at Division III John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio, in 2011.

"I want to thank Dave Blank, (Elon track and field coach) Mark Elliston and everyone that was involved in the search process for bringing me in and believing in me," Polk said in a press release. "It was obvious to me from the beginning that a solid foundation of excellence has been built at Elon and I very much look forward to getting started and continuing the great work that has been done before me."

Elon's 2014 cross country schedule has not yet been released.