Coach Gathright is in his first season as head cross country/track and field coach.
Gathright comes to Ottawa after serving as an assistant track & field coach and admissions counselor at Kansas Wesleyan University since September of 2024. In his role with the Coyotes, he coached both the men's and women's track & field programs while overseeing training plans, recruiting efforts, academic support, and day-to-day program operations. He also worked extensively with prospective students and student-athletes, helping identify recruits who met the university's academic and athletic standards.
During his time at Kansas Wesleyan, the Coyotes achieved significant success, including a KCAC Men's Indoor Track & Field Runner-Up finish in 2026, a third-place finish at the 2026 KCAC Women's Indoor Championships, a KCAC Men's Outdoor Runner-Up finish in 2025, and the 2025 KCAC Men's Indoor Track & Field Championship. He also helped coach 15 KCAC All-Conference performers and a KCAC 60-meter champion.
Prior to his return to Kansas Wesleyan, Gathright spent more than three years as an assistant track & field coach at Laney College in Oakland, Calif. There, he coached the women's track & field team, assisted with recruiting efforts, facilitated practices, and mentored student-athletes while helping host collegiate track meets.
Gathright previously served as a graduate assistant coach at Kansas Wesleyan from 2014 to 2016, helping build the Coyotes' sprints and jumps program from the ground up. His responsibilities included coaching and recruiting student-athletes, administering practices, developing individualized training plans, and supporting all aspects of a successful cross country and track & field program.
A USATF Level II Certified Coach in the jumps, Gathright specializes in sprints, jumps, hurdles, relays, and recruiting.
As a student-athlete, Gathright was one of the most accomplished track & field competitors in NAIA history. He was inducted into the Baker University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2024 and won the 2013 NAIA National Championship in the 400 meters with a time of 46.62 seconds. He also finished as the national runner-up in the triple jump that same season. During his collegiate career, Gathright earned six NAIA All-America honors, won 18 Heart of America Athletic Conference championships, was named a four-time Heart MVP, a four-time Heart High Point Scorer, and helped lead Baker University to seven conference team championships.
Gathright earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (Sports Management) from Baker University and a Master of Business Administration from Kansas Wesleyan University.
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