BOSTON - Jordan Carpenter has been named the associate head coach of cross country and assistant coach of track & field at Boston University, director of track & field and cross country Gabe Sanders announced on Wednesday.
Carpenter arrives at BU after spending five successful seasons at Pomona-Pitzer, including the last four as the head men's cross country and track & field coach. While there, Carpenter guided the Sagehens to the 2019 Division III national title in men's cross country.
"We conducted an extensive national search that led us to some very exciting candidates, and Jordan stood head and shoulders above the field," Sanders said. "Jordan has emerged as a rising star in the coaching profession and in just one conversation with him you can see it's not by accident. His drive and passion for excellence in student-athletes not only in the competitive arena, but also in the classroom and in life, are second to none. He has shown he can support and lead student-athletes to thrive in environments that require the balance of athletics and academics at the highest levels. Jordan's vision for Boston University matches ours and it is my honor and privilege to announce Jordan Carpenter as the new leader of our distance program as the associate head coach of cross country and assistant coach of track & field."
Once Carpenter took over head coaching duties in 2017, the Sagehens saw unprecedented success at every level. In cross country, they won two SCIAC championships (2017, 2018) and three straight NCAA West Region championships (2017-2019). Their 2017 title was the program's first in over a decade. On the national stage, Carpenter led Pomona-Pitzer to three consecutive top-10 finishes at the NCAA national championship meet. This streak was capped with the program's first national title in 2019.
In three seasons at the helm of the Pomona-Pitzer cross country program, Carpenter was twice named SCIAC Coach of the Year, thrice selected as NCAA West Region Coach of the Year and was the 2019 National Coach of the Year. Under Carpenter's tutelage, Sagehen athletes earned 26 All-SCIAC honors, 20 NCAA West Region honors and five NCAA All-America honors.
Carpenter also led the Pomona-Pitzer track & field program to new heights in his first two seasons in charge. In 2018, the Sagehens won their first SCIAC Championship in 27 years. They then went on to post their best national finish in over a decade with a 16th-place performance in 2019.
"I'd like to thank Coach Sanders for the incredible opportunity to join his staff and lead the cross country and distance programs at Boston University," Carpenter said. "Coach Sanders and his entire staff have an exciting vision for the cross country and track & field programs at BU and I am thrilled to play a role in that shared vision moving forward. I look forward to joining the diverse community at Boston University, working with our exceptional group of student-athletes, and pushing for further successes for BU Cross Country and Track & Field within the Patriot League and NCAA."
Named the 2018 SCIAC Coach of the Year and the 2019 NCAA West Region Coach of the Year, Carpenter coached 27 All-SCIAC honorees, 11 NCAA qualifiers and six NCAA All-Americans. His athletes also won nine individual SCIAC titles and broke five school records in that span.
Notable athletes who trained under Carpenter have included Andrew Reischling and Daniel Rosen. Reischling was a six-time NCAA All-American and 5000m NCAA runner-up for the Sagehens who holds two school records and the 13th-fastest 5000m time in NCAA D-III history. Daniel Rosen is a two-time NCAA All-American in the 3000m steeplechase who holds the school record and the 12th-fastest time in NCAA D-III history.
Prior to joining Pomona-Pitzer, Carpenter was a graduate assistant coach while completing his MBA at his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, where he earned a bachelor's degree in economics in 2014. Demonstrating his commitment to academic and athletic excellence, Carpenter maintained a perfect GPA during his undergraduate years and was a two-time recipient of the NCAA Elite 90 Academic Award.
As an athlete, Carpenter was a three-time All-American and capped his competitive career with a conference championship and runner-up finish in the 3000m steeplechase at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
