• Meet the Hamilton XC Coaching Staff
     
    Head Coach: Mike Scannell
    Coach Scannell
    Coach Scannell has been at Hamilton HS since 2023.  In that time, he has led the men’s cross country team to a runner-up finish at the AIA State Championship in 2023 and a State Championship Title in 2024.  The 2024 Team set the Arizona State record for lowest point total in Az history.  Also in 2024, Hamilton HS had the mens individual State Champion.  The women’s team finished runner-up in 2024 which was the highest placing ever for the Huskies.

    Also, during Scannell’s tenure at Hamilton, athletes have set several school records in the distance categories.

    Prior to coming to Hamilton, Scannell coached the Brophy Broncos to a State Championship in 2020 and has coached more than 40 individual high school state champions in the 800, 1600, 3200 meters, and in cross country. 

    In addition to Scannell’s duties at Hamilton HS, he coaches a few US Olympians including Grant Fisher; American record holder, World record holder, and two-time Bronze medalist from the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
     
     
    Keli McDaid 
    Coach McDaid
     
    Keli McDaid has been at Hamilton for four seasons coaching both the mens and women’s cross country teams.  She coached the women’s team to a AIA State Runner up finish in 2024 and the men’s team to the AIA State Championship in 2024.  She was also part of the 2023 campaign where the men finished AIA Runner-up at the State Championships.  Prior to coming to Hamilton, Coach McDaid coached at a variety of levels and has over 9 years of experience working with athletes.  
     
    Coach McDaid teaches math at Hamilton HS and is the central point for communications with the XC team.  She can be reached here: 
     
     
    Students are always welcome in her room; C213.

     

     
    Coach Fermin
    Coach Fermin

    Fermin Villagran is a seasoned coach with eight successful seasons of cross country and track experience. His coaching career is marked by multiple state accolades, including a 2020 AIA Division 2 Cross Country Championship, a runner-up finish in the 2021 AIA Division 2 Track and Field, and more recently on staff for the 2024 AIA All State Girls Track and Field Championship and the 2024 AIA Division 1 Cross Country Championship.

     

    Fermin’s journey in running began at Skyline High School, from which he graduated in 2011. He then advanced to Central Arizona College (2011–2013), where he earned All-American honors in track and played a key role in scoring for the team that captured the national title in cross country in 2012. His competitive spirit continued at Hawaii Pacific University (2013–2015), where he accumulated All-Conference honors multiple years. Further honing his skills, Fermin attended Bacone College (2016–2017), where he achieved a runner-up finish at nationals in the DMR event.

     

    Notably, his own athletic accomplishments remain strong; in 2023, Fermin represented Team USA at the Road 50K Championships, a testament to his enduring competitive drive and deep understanding of distance running.
Last Modified on April 2, 2025