2026 College Track & Field Open Coaching Positions Discussion

Huge D3 job if true. They tend to always be in the range of top 15. Previous coach win a title, so there is potential to be better.

I assume you mean Wick Cunningham? He’s done a great job there. If he does leave, I wonder if they promote Cody Ingold to lead XC/Distance? He was the distance coach (as well as being head track/xc) at Missouri Western and had reasonable success (especially in the middle distances) with a program that was not particularly well funded from what I heard.

Looks like St Olaf promoted the assistant XC coach to Head XC and one of the assistant track coaches to Head Track. Correct me if I’m wrong.

I coach an athlete from Bemidji and he’s always saying they should be better than they are.

Is this posted anywhere, and is it Cunningham or Masters

and bicarb

In the job description they listed wanting extensive head coaching experience, and experience starting a program from scratch. So they hired a guy who has zero head coaching experienced, hasn't coached in three years, and has never started a program from scratch. Meanwhile they didn't even interview several candidates that exceeded all the posted qualifications and requirements. Makes sense.

https://www.tamusasports.com/landing/index

Coached in the area for 10 years and is a San Antonio native - AD probably knew who he was and I’m sure he knows how to recruit in the area. As a native as well he’s almost certainly going to stay there long term, I’m sure some other qualified candidates weren’t looking at it as a long term gig. Not saying I disagree with your assessment but wanted to play devils advocate

How hard is it to get a D1 coaching job? I don't have much experience and I'm about to graduate from a D3 school, but I want to get into coaching at the highest level.

I had heard that their Athletic Director wasn't even on the Search Committee. If true, major red flag IMO. Others can feel free to correct me however.

Go volunteer, learn as much as you can from old guys in the game, and network like crazy.

Volunteer only if you have to -- apply for anything and everything that you think you can handle, prep for interviews specific to each school, and carry yourself as the coach you envision yourself being. Starting out at D1 might be a long shot, but you don't need to convince every single school that you're the best candidate -- you only need to convince one. Control your own narrative and create your own luck.

Petros left Georgia because they wouldn’t build an indoor facility. Tennessee has no indoor facility, there’s zero chance he would be interested.

Sure… Petros left UGA on his own will

None. Do you have experience coaching already? Are you a prior national champion with a degree in some sort of exercise science?

realistically: I was a D3 guy, I did pretty well as an athlete, I did internships with strength and conditioning, I worked with the cross team and wrestling during first semester, and I coached High School track for 1 season as well. My team was a winning team at conferences with a decent exposure at nationals every year I competed. I was a team captain and my coaches helped me learn the job. I networked and worked hard, earned my USATF level 1 before even graduating. My first year trying for ANY college job (that paid a living full time wage) I applied for over 150 jobs, I interviewed at less than 10 and was offered at 5, all 5 were D3.

Go become a GA at a nice place and get a masters, Volunteer if you need, but I give your chance to be a paid D1 assistant post graduate at 0%. every opening has 40 to 400 candidates applying to them.

Believe it or not, he did leave on his own. I spoke with Petros' former assistant a few years back, and he confirmed Petros turned down a multi-year contract (also several articles mention it if you google it) because the UGA president wouldn't commit to an Indoor facility. Tennessee would be lucky to have Petros right now (even though I highly doubt Petros would leave Illinois). He built UGA into a National powerhouse and is now building a national championship contender at Illinois

also consider lots of jobs are hiring someone that they already know, the first one is the hardest!

You're probably going have to volunteer or GA somewhere. I had over 2 years of coaching related internships (and made a lot of connections), was a team captain in college, graduated from my university's honor college, and was only able to get a GA at a mid-major coming out of college.

That being said, a lot of those GA or volunteer gigs at the D1 level would certainly take a look at you despite coming from a D3, if you fit the program's culture or click with the head coach. (assuming they don't just hire a former athlete)

Once you get one of GA/Volunteer gigs, it's relatively straightforward.

petros left because they wouldn't build him a facility and then immediately after broke ground on a state of the art facility. makes sense.