ONU Track & Field and Cross Country Head Coach Kyle Rago announced that Matt Adams has joined his staff as an Assistant Track & Field Coach. He will work primarily with the Tigers' throwers.
Adams returns to Olivet Nazarene University after coaching stints with multiple NCAA Division I programs. He coached the ONU Tigers from 2011-2015 before making stops at Central Michigan, Marshall, and most recently, Liberty.
"We are very happy to have Matt back at ONU," said Rago. "He is a phenomenal coach who has a long track record of success working with student athletes. I look forward to seeing the direction he takes the program."
Adams spent the 2021-22 season with the Liberty Flames, serving as an assistant coach for the throwing events. He coached eight throwers to ASUN championships and 16 more were ASUN medalists during his single season with the Flames.
Prior to Liberty, Adams coached three seasons at Marshall (2018-21) where his athletes broke program records in the women's weight throw and hammer. Additionally, he coached Raneese Batson to a Conference USA title in the women's hammer in 2019.
Adams spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Central Michigan (2015-18), coaching nine NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round qualifiers and two school-record breakers.
During his first coaching run at ONU, Adams coached two athletes to three national titles in 2015; Jake Armbrust was the Outdoor discus champion while Amy Blucker brought home titles in the Indoor shot put and Outdoor hammer. In four seasons, his throwers set 28 school and 17 conference records and 19 athletes earned All-America honors.
Adams was a student-athlete at Oregon, where he capped his 2005 season in the NCAA West Regional javelin event in Eugene, Ore. Before his time in Oregon, Adams competed for Glendale Community College where he was an All-American in the javelin and discus in both his freshman and sophomore seasons.
Adams earned an associate's degree from Glendale Community College and his bachelor's degree from the University of Oregon before obtaining his Master of Education degree from William Woods University. In addition, Adams holds a bevy of coaching certifications through USA Track & Field (USATF), National Throws Coaches Association (NTCA) and the US Track Field and Cross County Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA)
--ONU—
*Contact: Evan Wild, Sports Information Director, ewwild@olivet.edu