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Ottawa University

Whittaker_Jim_2425

Jim Whittaker

Coach Whittaker is in his 10th season as head track & field coach. During his time at Ottawa University, Coach Whittaker has led to Braves to some historic performances, including:
  • Most All-Americans in a single year in OU history (6 in 2023, 2024, 2025)
  • KCAC Meet Record—Women’s 60m Dash--2021
  • KCAC Meet Record—Men’s 60m Dash--2021
  • KCAC Meet Record—Women’s 100m Dash--2021
  • KCAC Meet Record—Men’s 100m Dash—2023
  • KCAC Meet Record - Men's 4x100M Relay - 2024
  • 439 All-KCAC (Indoor/Outdoor) performers
  • 91 NAIA National Championship qualifiers
  • 58 School Records
  • 47 KCAC Individual Champions
  • 27 All-American performances
  • 7 KCAC Athlete of the Meet honors
  • 3 Athletes named to FISU Team USA
  • 3 South Central Region Athlete of the Year winners
  • 2023 KCAC Women’s Coach of the Year—Indoor Track & Field
  • 2025 and 2023 KCAC Women’s Coach of the Year—Outdoor Track & Field
  • 2025 Region 3 Women's Outdoor Coach of the Year
Before coming to OU, Whittaker was the interim head track and field coach at Goshen College, spending the previous five years as the sprints, hurdles, and jumps coach for the Maple Leafs.

Whittaker holds numerous certifications from USA Track and Field, including:
  • Level 1
  • Level 2 Sprints/Hurdles/Relays
  • Level 2 Jumps
  • Level 2 Endurance
  • Level 2 Throws
  • Level 3 Sprints/Hurdles/Relays
Whittaker is an instructor for the USATF Coaching Education Program, which establishes a common ground among coaches by developing a language specific to the track and field coaching community.

A 2005 graduate of Goshen College, he competed for four years as a sprinter and hurdler, qualifying for the NAIA national championships as a 110M Hurdler. In 2012, he received a master’s degree in sports science and coaching education from Ohio University.