Ashland Cross Country Coaches Win NBC's Today Show Wedding Contest!!

Ashland University cross country/track and field coaches Leigh Daniel and Nick Cordes have captured the hearts of viewers during the 10th annual  NBC's "Today Throws a Wedding." The Ashland couple have won a free wedding and the opportunity to get married live on national television on July 15.

Following tradition, viewers will plan the winning finalsists' wedding by texting and voting on TODAYShow.com for the couple's rings, the wedding gown, the attendants' attire and the honeymoon.

Cordes and Daniel have dated for five years. They met at an Olympic Development Program, but dating was prohibited so they had to keep their relationship silent. Cordes is AU’s head men’s cross country coach and an assistant coach with the track and field program. Daniel is the head women’s cross country coach and is an assistant coach in track and field.

Cordes is a 2003 AU graduate and was a seven-time All-America. He was the national runnerup in cross in 2002. That year, Ashland hosted the national championships.

Daniel ran at Texas Tech. She was a seven-time All-America and won two individual national championships. Daniel won gold medals in the 10K outdoors and the 5K indoors.

The news about the couple has spread throughout campus around the Ashland community. This is normally a quiet time at AU with many administrators and staff members on vacation. By the middle of last week, signs were posted in the Recreation Center where Daniel works as a personal trainer, urging one and all to vote for the couple.

For more information about the contest, go to The Today Show website – today.msnbc.msn.com.