PORTALES, NM – Eastern New Mexico University Athletic Director, Dr. Greg Waggonerannounced the hiring of Jeff Kavalunas as the new Head Coach of the Cross Country and Track & Field program. Kavalunas brings almost 30 years of coaching experience, including 25 years as a head coach. The Grand Valley State graduate has served as the head coach for the University of the Southwest since 2015.
Kavalunas is tentatively set to begin work with the Greyhounds on July 10. Over the course of his career, he has coached two individual national champions, 30 All-Americans, 68 NCAA Qualifiers, 80+ conference champions and two NCAA Woman of the Year finalists.
“We are very pleased to have Jeff join the Greyhound Family,” Waggoner said. “He has had an extensive, successful coaching career at multiple institutions, including those at the NCAA Division II level. He has a familiarity with the Southwest region of the country and will be a nice fit for Eastern. We look forward to his leadership of our cross-country and track and field programs in the years to come.”
“I’m very excited to join the Greyhound family,” Kavalunas said. “Eastern New Mexico University has a great tradition in cross country and track and field. I’m looking forward to building off what the previous coaches have done. I look forward to utilizing the new facilities and hosting a track meet in the future. I’m very appreciative of Dr. Waggoner and the search committee to allow me to be a part of the ENMU family and the community of Portales.”
In his two seasons at the University of the Southwest, Kavalunas sent seven athletes to the NAIA National Championships in cross country and track and field, including one All-American in 2015. The former President of the USTFCCCA also saw excellent results from his student-athletes in the classroom, leading the NAIA in GPA during his tenure.
Prior to Southwest, Kavalunas worked as the head coach of the men’s cross country and track program at Division III Olivet College from 2010 to 2014. During his time there, he expanded the program’s roster size from five to 30+ student-athletes and improved the program to a consistent conference contender. In 2014, he led the cross-country team to a USFTCCCA All-Academic standard and ranked third in the nation. His program set 10 school records and had two athletes compete at the NCAA Championships in 2012 and 2014.
Most prominently, Kavalunas elevated Ferris State to new heights. From 1996 to 2009, the Bulldogs had 24 All-Americans in track and field, 48 NCAA qualifiers, 64 conference champions, broke 38 school records and three female cross country All-Americans. Additionally, the four-time GLIAC Coach of the Year guided the program to a Michigan Collegiate Cross-Country championship on the women’s side in 2004 and coached a USA Olympic Team Qualifier in the women’s 800m that same season. He led FSU to an individual national champion in the long jump in 2008 and a pair of runner up finishes in the 800m (2002) and 1500m (2007).
Before going to FSU, the former GLIAC All-Conference runner began his head coaching career at Northwood University in Michigan. His student-athletes qualified for the NCAA National Championships 15 times from 1991 to 1996 and coached two All-Americans.
After earning his master’s degree from Central Michigan, the West Branch, Mich., native served as the assistant coach for the Chippewas from 1988 to 1991 while coaching the middle-distance runners. He led CMU to the National Cross-Country Championships in ’88 and ’89 while claiming the Great Lakes Region championship in ’89. During his tenure, he helped three athletes to All-Conference accolades in the 800m.
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