Nick Polk Resigns as Elon Head Cross Country Coach

ELON, N.C. – Elon University head cross country coach and assistant track coach Nick Polk has resigned his position to accept a role with USA Track & Field as a Sports Science and Medicine Manager, Director of Athletics Dave Blank announced on Friday, June 9. A national search for Polk’s successor is underway.

“Nick Polk has been an outstanding leader and mentor to our student-athletes during his time at Elon,” Blank said. “He has helped our cross country program achieve great success both athletically and academically over the last several years and has had a tremendous impact on the student-athletes he has coached. We wish him great success with USA Track & Field.”

Polk took helm of the Phoenix cross country program in August of 2014 and guided several athletes to numerous all-league accolades in cross country. Under his guidance, Elon has had athletes break several school-records on both the cross country and track and field distance performance lists.

“I want to thank Dave Blank and Mark Elliston for giving me the opportunity to lead the cross country programs at Elon University,” Polk said. “It was an incredible experience for me and I am very proud of all that we accomplished together.”

The Elon cross country program has had 12 all-conference athletes during Polk’s tenure including three straight men’s Colonial Athletic Association individual champions and two consecutive CAA Women’s Rookie of the Year harriers. He also helped lead Luis Vargas to become the program’s first-ever All-American at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in 2014.

Polk was also key in helping the Phoenix track and field program to a pair of league championships during the outdoor season in 2015 and 2016. He coached four All-CAA outdoor track and field performers including helping Kimberly Johansen earn the league’s Most Outstanding Performer of the Meet in 2015. His tutelage also led to athletes claiming five event league titles during the outdoor season.