HARROGATE, Tenn. – Director of Athletics Don Grigsby has named Jeff Kavalunas as the next head coach of the Lincoln Memorial University cross country program, announced by the LMU Athletics Department Thursday morning. 
 
"I am very excited to be at Lincoln Memorial, and I would personally like to thank Rochelle Black, Mr. Grigsby and many other committee members for having me as a part of 'Splitter nation," Kavalunas said. "I'm looking forward in helping Coach Black to continue to grow this program by helping our student-athletes achieve success on and off the track."
 
Throughout his 30-year head coaching career, Kavalunas has overseen two national champions, 45 all-Americans, 91 conference champions and multiple NCAA Woman of the Year finalists.
 
"We're very excited to have Jeff join us at Lincoln memorial University. He has a depth of experience that will be utilized immensely in the future," Director of track & field and cross country Rochelle Black said. "We have a young group of men and women that run cross country and distance during the track season, and will learn a lot from his teachings."
 
Kavalunas arrives to Harrogate from Eastern New Mexico University, where he served as the head men's and women's coach for both cross country and track & field since 2017. During his stay in Portales, he oversaw and produced 17 NCAA All-Americans and 21 Lone Star Conference champions.
 
From 2010 to 2017, Kavalunas had two separate head coaching stints at University of the Southwest and Olivet College. During his time at the University of the Southwest, he developed a competitive NAIA program, producing one all-American, four National Track & Field Championship qualifiers and three National Cross Country Championship qualifiers.
 
During Kavalunas' four-year stay at NCAA DIII affiliate Olivet College, the Michigan native coached three individual conference champions, headlined with two NCAA National Championship Track & Field qualifiers.
 
As the head men's and women's cross country and track & field coach, Kavalunas' longest-career position resided with Ferris State University in Michigan from 1996-2009. During his tenure in Big Rapids, Kavalunas developed quite the resume, including overseeing a NCAA National Champion. At the helm of Ferris State, Kavalunas produced 24 Track & Field all-Americans, 48 NCAA National Championship qualifiers and over 60 conference champions that helped set 37 program-records. In 2004, Kavalunas and Ferris State achieved a program-defining statement, sending a student-athlete to an Olympic trails qualifier.
 
Kavalunas' head coaching career began in 1991 in Midland, Michigan at Northwood University, where he oversaw both the cross country and track & field programs. His student-athletes helped to set six program-records, as two reached all-American status, in addition to 15 participating in NCAA National Championship qualifiers. Kavalunas first head coaching position was headlined with an individual NCAA National Champion at Northwood.
 
Jeff Kavalunas is a 1987 graduate of Grand Valley University where he studied physical education, in addition to completing his master's at Central Michigan University in 1990. Kavalunas became involved in coaching cross country and track & field at Central Michigan where he served as a graduate assistant.
 
How to Follow
Stay tuned to LMURailsplitters.com, as well as LMU's social media platforms - @LMURailsplitter on Twitter, @LMURailsplitters on Facebook and @lmurailsplitters on Instagram, for complete coverage of Lincoln Memorial cross country leading up to the 2022 season.