ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Eckerd College Director of Athletics Tom Ryan '87 has announced Aaron King as the head men's and women's cross country coach.
"I am thrilled to welcome Aaron to the Triton Family as he leads the relaunch of our cross country programs. Aaron has a proven track record of building successful new programs at his previous schools," stated Ryan "I look forward to seeing our cross country programs build on their strong championship legacy and thrive under Aaron's guidance as we embark on this exciting new chapter after 20 years."
King joins Eckerd in the relaunch of the men's and women's cross country teams with proven success in developing high-caliber cross-country programs. King spent the previous two seasons at Lander University (SC) as the head coach of the men's and women's cross country and track and field.
At Lander, he led the Bearcats to eight top-10 finishes between both programs, including a fifth-place finish by the men's and women's squads at the Peach Belt Conference Championships this fall. He also led both programs to the NCAA Tournament this year.
King's track and field teams had record-breaking seasons in his first year as head coach. The men set 19 school records, while the women set 17 for the women.
"First off, I want to thank my wife for allowing me to chase my dreams and move back to her hometown of St. Pete. I want to thank Tom Ryan, President Annarelli, and the entire Eckerd administration for giving me this opportunity. I also want to thank Lander University for a great two years. I cannot express enough to the team my gratitude towards them, so many miles and memories," stated King. "Eckerd College has given me the opportunity to create the cross country programs, which will be an exciting challenge, and I am ready to hit the ground running with Triton Cross Country."
Prior to Lander, he spent two seasons at Spartanburg Methodist College (SC) as the head cross country and track coach. In 2022, he led both men's and women's cross country programs to the NJCAA Regional Championship title, advancing to the NJCAA National Championship. In 2021, he led five men and four women to the National Championship event.
He spent six seasons at his alma mater, Roosevelt University (Ill.), from 2015 to 2021 as the head cross country and track coach. He had three women compete at the NAIA National Championship during his tenure.
An accomplished athlete, King competed in the NAIA National Championship in his senior year at Roosevelt in 2012, receiving all-conference honors that season as well.
Earlier this month, Eckerd announced the addition of men's and women's cross country as the 15th and 16th intercollegiate sports at Eckerd. The addition marks a new chapter for a program rich in history and tradition. The Tritons women's cross country team, which competed from 1984 to 2004, achieved remarkable success during its run—capturing three Sunshine State Conference (SSC) team championships in 1990, 1991, and 1992, as well as two individual titles. The program also made three NCAA Championship appearances, highlighted by the historic performance of Kim Fagen, Eckerd's first female All-American. Fagen won the NCAA South Region Title and placed 24th at the NCAA Championship in 1991.
The men's program, with roots tracing back to 1967, was active through 2001 and similarly boasts a strong legacy. The team secured SSC titles in 1989 and 1992 and an individual SSC championship in 1993.
