The 2024-25 season will be Jon Poag's first year as Athletic Director at CCU. In his time at CCU, nine years as the Head Cross Country/Track and Field Coach and one year as the Assistant Director of Facilities has given him a wealth of knowledge he will take into his new role as AD.
“I am truly honored to follow in the footsteps of Brian Wall as the next athletics director at Colorado Christian University,” said Poag. “While athletics success is important, and worth pursuing, we also hope our student-athletes experience personal growth that transcends athletic accolades and pushes them to reach their potential in all areas of life. I can’t wait to work closely with our coaches and student-athletes to continue the rise of Cougar Athletics in the years to come."
Jon Poag began his coaching career as the Head Cross Country/Track and Field Coach in 2015.
Throughout Coach Poag’s tenure, the Cougars have made historic improvements and become a perennial contender at the national level. The 2022 cross country season saw the Cougars secure 3rd (men) and 10th (women) at the NCAA DII National Championships. Not only were these the highest team placements in CCU history, CCU was one of only four programs in the country to have both their men’s and women’s programs finish in the top 10. 2022 was not the Cougars first appearance at the NCAA Championships, the program has been represented at NCAAs every season since 2019 when the men placed 17th in their championship debut. 2023 saw both teams make yet another appearance at Nationals, marking the fourth straight for the men and third straight for the women. With the men taking 8th and the women claiming 16th, CCU Cross Country has become a mainstay at the highest level under the leadership of Coach Poag.
The Cougars have shown they are more than just a top level cross country program, on the track side of the equation CCU has consistently qualified athletes to the NCAA DII National Championships resulting in All American performances in events ranging from the 800m, Mile, 5k, 10k, and 3k Steeplechase.
In speaking about his experience at CCU, Coach Poag commented, “At CCU we invest heavily in the idea that a healthy team culture is foundational to any success we hope to experience. While athletics success is important, exciting, and very much worth pursing, we also hope our athletes experience personal growth that transcends athletic accolades and pushes them to reach their potential in all areas of life.”
In addition to coaching, Poag taught as an affiliate faculty in CCU’s Communication Department. Jon, his wife Kelly, and two children reside in Lakewood.
Awards under Coach Jon Poag
- All American Outdoor 5000m Matthew Storer, 14th Place (2024)
- All American Outdoor 10,000m Matthew Storer, 5th Place (2024)
- All American Outdoor 10,000m Josh Pierantoni, 8th Place (2024)
- All American Outdoor Steeplechase Shannon King, 15th Place (2024)
- All American Outdoor Steeplechase Alex Vance, 15th Place (2024)
- All American Outdoor 1500m Hudson Majeski, 15th Place (2024)
- Three USTFCCCA All Region Athletes (2024)
- Four All Academic First Team Athletes (2024)
- All American Indoor 3000m Josh Pierantoni, 14th Place (2024)
- All American Indoor 3000m Matthew Storer, 8th Place (2024)
- All American Indoor 5000m Josh Pierantoni, 8th Place (2024)
- All American Indoor 5000m Matthew Storer, 5th Place (2024)
- All American Indoor Mile Shannon King, 10th Place (2024)
- Two Second Team All Conference Athletes (2024)
- Five First Team All Conference Athletes (2024)
- RMAC Indoor DMR Champions Matt Storer, Hudson Majeski, Mateo Luna, Trent Cochran (2024)
- Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier, alum Ryder Searle (2024)
- Three RMAC First Team Academic All Conference Athletes (2023)
- All-American Matthew Storer Men's Cross Country (2023)
- Men's Cross Country 8th Place NCAA National Championships (2023)
- Women's Cross Country 16th Place NCAA National Championships (2023)
- All-American Outdoor 1500m Zanzie Demco, 14th Place (2023)
- All-American Outdoor 1500m Trent Cochran, 14th Place (2023)
- All-American Outdoor 10,000m Isaac Russo, 13th Place (2023)
- All-American Outdoor 10,000m Josh Pierantoni, 5th Place (2023)
- All-American Outdoor 5000m Josh Pierantoni, 3rd Place (2023)
- All-American Outdoor 10,000m Matthew Storer, 4th Place (2023)
- All-American Outdoor 5000m Matthew Storer, 2nd Place (2023)
- All-American Indoor 5000m Matthew Storer, 5th Place (2023)
- All-American Indoor Mile Hudson Majeski, 8th Place (2023)
- Men's Cross Country 3rd Place NCAA National Championships (2022)
- Women's Cross Country 10th Place NCAA National Championships (2022)
- National Championships 3000m Steeplechase Shannon King (2022)
- All-American Indoor Michelle Kuipers, 8th Place (2022)
- RMAC 800m Indoor Champion Michelle Kuipers (2021)
- All-American Outdoor 800m Place Michelle Kuipers, 4th Place (2021)
- All American Outdoor 10,000m Ryder Searle, 8th Place (2021)
- RMAC Outdoor Champion Josh Pierantoni, 5000m (2021)
- RMAC Outdoor Champion Jaxon Hinch, High Jump (2021)
- Men's Cross Country 10th Place NCAA Championship (2021)
- Women's Cross Country 22nd Place NCAA National Championships (2021)
- All-American Paige Tack Women's Cross Country (2021)
- All-American Josh Pierantoni Men's Cross Country (2021)
- All-American Ryder Searle Men's Cross Country (2021)
- All-American Outdoor 10,000m Ryder Searle, 8th Place (2021)
- Men’s Cross Country 17th place NCAA National Championships (2019)
- All-American Outdoor Steeplechase Evan Verbal (2018)
- All-American Indoor 3000m Evan Verbal (2018)
- RMAC Indoor Champion Evan Verbal, 3000m (2018)
- All-American Indoor Mile Evan Verbal, 4th Place (2018)
- RMAC Outdoor Champion Evan Verbal, 1500m (2017)
- All-American Indoor Mile Evan Verbal (2017)
