Syracuse alumnus Griff Graves has been hired as an assistant coach in the SU cross country and track and field programs, SU Athletics announced in a release Tuesday. Graves received his graduate degree from SU in 2013.

“I really want to thank the Syracuse athletics administration and Coach Bell for bringing me back to Syracuse,” Graves said in the release. “I am very blessed to be able to work at my alma mater. I have a visceral passion for what we have built here, and will continue to build under Coach Bell. We want to be great. I hope I can continue to support the development of excellence in our student-athletes — the same excellence that was instilled in me.”

The release states Graves will assist new head coach Brien Bell with recruiting and developing distance runners. It also announces that his wife, Cassie Graves, another SU running alum, will assist the Orange as a volunteer assistant.

Graves spent the past year as an operation assistant for the Florida State cross country and track and field programs. He served as a volunteer assistant coach at Appalachian State the year prior. Graves ran professionally for ZAP Fitness/Reebok for two years after graduating from SU.

In his time running for Syracuse, Graves was part of three conference championships in cross country and helping the Orange achieve their first top-10 finish at the national championship since 1957, which they did in 2013.