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University of St. Francis (III.)

University of St. Francis (III.)
Jeff Barker

Jeff Barker

* Begins his ninth season as head men’s and women’s cross country and track & field coach at USF in the 2020-21 season

Cross Country at USF

* Has guided the men’s team to seven consecutive NAIA top-10 finishes, including a national championship in 2012, a runner-up finish in 2016, and fourth-place showings in 2013 and 2015

* Led the women’s squad to four straight NAIA top-20 performances (2012-16) with back-to-back 12th-place finishes – the program’s highest ever – in 2012 and 2013

* Directed the nationally-ranked women's team to a program-best ever fourth-place showing at the 2019 NAIA National Championships meet

* Named NAIA Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2012 after leading the Saints to their first-ever national championship in that sport

* An eight-time CCAC Cross Country Coach of the Year (men in 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2019; women in 2014, 2017, and 2019)

* Swept the men's and women's cross country USTFCCCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year honors in 2017 and was tabbed Midwest Region Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year for 2019 season

* Has led the men’s team to five CCAC titles in the past six years (2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017) and a runner-up finish in 2013

* Captured CCAC women’s titles in 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2019 while guiding the Saints to runner-up performances on three other occasions (2012, 2013, 2015)

* Has coached 10 NAIA Cross Country All-Americans during his USF tenure

Track & Field at USF

* Has coached a combined 99 men’s and women’s NAIA Track & Feld All-Americans

* Has led USF’s men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor teams to 12 NAIA top-25 team finishes

* Guided the women’s team to its best-ever NAIA indoor (4th) and outdoor (8th) championship performances in 2017

* Helped lead USF to its first individual indoor and outdoor national championships in 2017 - Raven Kelly, outdoor hammer throw; Jenna Moody, indoor 400-meter dash

* Led the men’s squad to its highest national indoor finish (8th) in 2018 and highest national outdoor finish (19th) in 2015

Prior to USF

* Spent the 2011-12 campaign as head cross country and track & field coach at NCAA Division III Fontbonne University

* Enjoyed a successful stint as head cross country and track & field coach at Kansas Wesleyan University from 2007-11, coaching 40 NAIA national qualifiers and 20 All-Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference performers in men's and women's cross country and track & field

* Was named KCAC Coach of the Year on four occasions: women's cross country in 2008, 2009 and 2010, and women's indoor track & field in 2011

* Led Kansas Wesleyan to a pair of KCAC women's cross country championships (2009, 2010), while boasting five NAIA All-Americans in women's cross country, men's indoor and outdoor track & field, and women's indoor track & field

* Guided the 2010 Kansas Wesleyan women's cross country team to its first-ever national top-10 ranking

* Began his collegiate coaching career as head cross country and assistant track coach at Calumet College of St. Joseph, a post he held from 2005-07

* The first cross country coach in Calumet St. Joseph history

* Gained his initial coaching experience as an assistant cross country and track coach at Andrean High School in Merrillville, Indiana, from 2003-05

* Earned a bachelor's degree in human services and social work from Saint Joseph's (Ind.) College in 2003

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