Joel Pearson will assume the role as KSU’s new cross country coach, according to Thursday’s announcement by director of track and field, Andy Eggerth. Pearson will be the first cross country coach since the retirement of Stan Sims, who coached the program from 1994 until 2011.
“I’m excited to welcome Joel Pearson to Kennesaw State,” Eggerth said. “His uplifting motivation, coaching knowledge, distance pedigree, and recruiting success will be great attributes for our athletes and our program.”
Pearson is joining KSU just one year after being named the head cross country and assistant track and field coach at North Carolina A&T. In his one year at A&T, his team had the second best cross country finish in school history and set eight school records.
“This is a tremendous opportunity,” Pearson said. “I would like to thank Athletic Director Vaughn Williams and the Director of Track and Field Andy Eggerth for bringing me into the Owl Family. KSU has a rich history of success, and I am confident we can move up quickly and compete on a national level.”
Before working with the Aggies of NC A&T, Pearson was the director of track and field operations at the University of Iowa. He was an assistant cross country and track and field coach as well as recruiting coordinator at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW), a Division I school in Indiana. He also held the head coach position of the cross country and track and field units at Whatcom Community College in Washington, where he coached four collegiate cross country All-Americans and one conference champion.
In addition to his experience coaching school cross country and track and field teams, Joel Pearson, along with his father Jim Pearson, founded the Harrier Track Club in 2009. The Harrier Track Club is an Olympic Development Center in North Carolina. Jim Pearson was a USA 50-mile Champion and held the American 50-mile record.
Joel Pearson has coached eight USATF All-Americans, five Community College All- Americans, three USA Junior National Qualifiers, an American Junior 50k Track Record Holder, and an El Salvador National Junior 800m record. Pearson was also named NWAACC North Region Cross Country Coach of the Year twice.
He has a USATF Level 2 Certification in endurance and combined events, as well as being a USATF Level 1 Certified Instructor.
Pearson graduated from Evergreen State in Olympia, Wa., with a Bachelor of Arts degree with double majors in history and coaching.
