Elliston Named Director of Elon Track and Field and Cross Country

ELON, N.C. – Mark Elliston has been named the Elon University Director of Track and Field and Cross Country, Director of Athletics Dave Blank announced on Monday, Sept. 8. Elliston’s previous title was head women’s track and field coach.

“I’m very appreciative to Mr. Blank and the Elon administration for this opportunity,” said Elliston. “Together, we share the same vision for this program moving forward and that is to compete for championships in our new league, the Colonial Athletic Association.”

Elliston will continue to lead the maroon and gold women’s track and field team as well as handling more responsibility with the men’s and women’s cross country programs. Elliston’s title change also comes after the recent additions to his coaching staff in head cross country coach Nick Polk and assistant track and field coach Shannon Popp.

“I am looking forward to my continued partnership with both coach Polk and coach Popp,” Elliston added. “We share the same goals and philosophies and together, we will carry that message to the outstanding student-athletes we work with on a daily basis.”

In his eight seasons as the Elon head women’s track and field coach, Elliston has coached 113 all-conference athletes, 27 individual league champions and 50 all-freshman conference performers between indoor and outdoor competition. Virtually every Phoenix indoor and outdoor track and field record has been broken during Elliston’s tenure at Elon.

Elliston helped the Phoenix to a third-place standing at the 2014 Southern Conference Outdoor Championships, tying its highest-place finish in program history. It was one of three times that the Phoenix finished among the top-three at the SoCon Championships under Elliston. The Phoenix also had six athletes earn league championships from the 2014 SoCon outdoor meet – a program best.

Elliston has had nine athletes qualify for the NCAA East Preliminary round as well. One of those athletes, Veronica Day, earned the SoCon Women’s Outdoor Field Performer of the Year award in 2011. Day would later go on and compete for Team USA in the skeleton push earning the 2012 U.S. National Skeleton Push Championship. This past season, Elliston had five athletes earn a spot at the NCAA East Preliminaries – a school record.

A two-time SoCon Women’s Outdoor Coach of the Year, Elliston’s student-athletes have also performed at a high level in the classroom. Elon received USTFCCCA All-Academic honors for the eighth straight year this past summer.

Prior to coming to Elon, Elliston served as the indoor and outdoor track and field coach for both the men’s and women’s programs at Lock Haven University in Lock Haven, Pa. Elliston coached seven Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship teams and 30 NCAA D-II All-Americans, including three national champions. He also served as the Bald Eagles’ head men’s and women’s cross country coach for 11 years, guiding a pair of athletes to All-America status.