What are the responsibilities and job description for the Assistant Coach, Cross-Country/Track & Field position at Augustana University?
About Augustana University:
Augustana University is located in the growing and vibrant city of Sioux Falls, South Dakota with a metro area of over 265,000 people. Augustana University has, for more than 150 years, provided a strong student-centric education based on its five core values: Christian faith, liberal arts, excellence, community and service. Guided by Viking Bold: The Journey to 2030, the comprehensive strategic plan for Augustana University, Augustana Athletics' vision for the foreseeable future is twofold: 1. Build a nationally competitive men's hockey program that competes at the Division I level 2. Win the Division II Learfield Director's Cup celebrating broad based excellence.
With the addition of the $70 million Midco Arena, Augustana Athletics launched the first collegiate hockey program in South Dakota in 2023 and is also the first athletics program to compete at Division I that calls Sioux Falls home. Currently with 21 NCAA Division II sports programs, Augustana Athletics is focused on building champions in the classroom, in competition and in the community, highlighted by three team national championships since 2016. Viking Athletics finished #7 nationally in the Division II Learfield Director’s Cup in 2021-22 and also won the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) All Sports Award.
Assistant Cross-Country/Track & Field Coach
Augustana University invites applications for the position of Assistant Coach – Cross-Country/Track & Field. This 12-month position supports all aspects of coaching the NCAA Division II Cross-Country/Track & Field program, including recruitment, game preparation, player evaluation, academic coordination, and practice/game coaching. The role involves fostering a positive training environment, promoting team building, accountability, and the well-being of student-athletes. Additional duties include assisting the head coach with day-to-day operations and managing the team, including coaching defense/offense and recruiting student-athletes.
Every effort has been made to make the job description as compete as possible. However, it in no way states or implies that these are the only duties that will be required to perform. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related to, or is a logical assignment to the position.
Duties include, but are not limited to:
- Support all aspects of the student-athlete development and performance of the Cross-Country/Track & Field program.
- Assist in planning and implementing practice sessions and training programs for cross-country and/or track & field athletes (specific events may be assigned based on expertise: sprints, distance, jumps, throws, etc.).
- Assist with recruiting coordination efforts with a focus on identifying high-character, high-performance student-athletes.
- Assist in statistical analysis of player and team performance using film, scouting software (e.g., Hytek, MileSplit), and internal metrics.
- Support the development of practice plans and competition strategy.
- Assist with managing team logistics, including travel planning, equipment inventory, and practice scheduling.
- Coordinate administrative efforts for camps/clinics.
- Monitor academic progress and continuing eligibility for the Cross-Country/Track & Field program.
- Assist in continued development of positive public relations with alumni and the community.
- Abide by NCAA and NSIC rules and regulations.
- Other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications:
- Prior experience as a head or assistant cross-country/track & field coach is required.
- A Bachelor’s Degree required.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Master’s Degree preferred (Sport Administration/Management, Business Management, Coaching).
- Expertise in at least multiple areas of cross-country/track& field (e.g., distance, sprinting, jumping, throwing)
- 1-3 years of collegiate coaching and recruiting experience preferred.
- Current CPR/AED and First Aid Certification (or ability to obtain).
Interacting with students, faculty and leadership with different backgrounds and points of view and a deep appreciation of and respect for academic values and culture must be a top value of the candidate.
Application Procedure:
The position will remain open until filled. Interested applicants are asked to submit the below application materials via our Career Center Portal. If assistance is needed during the application process, please reach out to humanresources@augie.edu.
- Letter of interest
- Resume or curriculum vitae
- Contact information for at least three references
Augustana University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Title IX Employer. Applicants must comply with the Immigration Reform and Control Act and may be required to submit official transcripts upon employment. Finalist candidates must satisfactorily complete a pre-employment background check.