Kevin Jermyn Named Elon Cross Country Head Coach

ELON, N.C. – Kevin Jermyn has been named Elon University’s new head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach, Elon Director of Athletics Dave Blank announced on Thursday, July 13.

A former Atlantic Coast Conference and NCAA Southeast Region Coach of the Year, Jermyn brings nearly 20 years of high-level coaching experience to Elon where he will lead the Phoenix cross country program and distance harriers on the track and field team moving forward.

“Kevin Jermyn has experienced great success throughout his cross country and track and field coaching career in guiding and mentoring student-athletes to both athletic and academic achievements. He will be a great fit with our Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Mark Elliston and I look forward to watching what their chemistry does for our student-athletes here at Elon,” Blank said. “Kevin has a strong commitment to the complete student-athlete experience and has demonstrated that he knows what it takes to achieve success at the highest level and we are thrilled to welcome him to Elon.”

“We are excited to bring someone of Kevin’s caliber to Elon to help continue the upward trajectory of our cross country and track programs,” said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Mark Elliston. “Kevin has many years of experience in developing, coaching and mentoring student-athletes on the national level and we’re ecstatic to welcome him to the Phoenix family.”

Jermyn comes to Elon after serving as the executive director of the Chicago Area Runners Association for the past year. He also spent time as the head coach and director of marketing for Running2Win and as the head coach for the Triangle Running Center in Durham, N.C., from 2014 to 2016.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to join the Elon family and to positively impact the lives of Elon student-athletes,” said Jermyn. “I know first-hand from family and friends that Elon provides an exceptional undergraduate experience and it is widely considered one of the most beautiful college campuses in the United States. I am thankful to President Lambert, Dave Blank and Mark Elliston for this wonderful leadership opportunity.

“Running has positively transformed my life since I began in high school and I am eager to continue paying it forward and uplifting Elon student-athletes through this amazing sport. It is also a unique opportunity to join a women’s track and field program that is already winning CAA team championships and I look forward to continue developing a national class cross country program.”

Jermyn brings 19 years of experience as a coach including 14 seasons at Duke where he served as the head women’s cross country coach and associate track and field coach from 2000 to 2014. He was awarded ACC Coach of the Year and NCAA Southeast Region Coach of the Year honors for the 2004 and 2005 cross country seasons and also was named the NCAA East Region Assistant Coach of the Year for distance in the 2004 outdoor season. He also helped the Blue Devils to a second and third place finish at the NCAA Championships in 2004 and 2005, respectively, while also capturing the ACC and Southeast Region titles.

Individually, Jermyn has coached 18 athletes to a total of 41 NCAA All-America performances. Jermyn coached Shannon Rowbury to Duke’s first ever NCAA individual championship with her victory in the one-mile run at the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships. He also guided Juliet Bottorff to the program’s first NCAA individual title outdoors in the 10K during the 2011 season. During his tenure at Duke, Jermyn tutored 34 All-ACC performers and nine ACC Champions. In addition, Jermyn has coached 10 women who have represented the United States in international cross country competitions.

Prior to Duke, Jermyn competed professionally in cross country and track and field for the Reebok Enclave. Jermyn was a member of the victorious Reebok Enclave team at the 1998 USATF Cross Country Championship and raced to a personal best of 3:43.56 for 1,500-meters on the track.

As an undergraduate at Georgetown University, Jermyn led the Hoyas as team captain to numerous BIG EAST and IC4A team championships and NCAA Championship appearances. Individually, Jermyn was an All-America, All-East and All-BIG EAST selection in track and field.

Jermyn is a USATF Level III certified coach in endurance and is Level II certified in sprints, relays and hurdles. He graduated from Georgetown University cum laude in 1998 with a bachelor of science degree in accounting and finance and a minor in psychology. He later obtained a master’s degree in liberal studies from Duke in 2006.