DES MOINES, Iowa – Asha Gibson has been named the head coach of the Drake men's and women's track & field teams while Jay Koloseus has been tabbed as the head coach of the Bulldogs' men's and women's cross country teams.
 
Both served in those roles on an acting basis during the 2019-20 season. Drake director of athletics Brian Hardin made those roles official Tuesday, June 30.
 
Blake Boldon will remain in his role as the acting director of track & field and cross country and Zane Chapman, who has single handedly rebuilt Drake's throws program will continue in his position mentoring Drake's throwers.
 
"I'm thrilled that Coach Gibson and Koloseus have agreed to lead our track & field and cross country teams," Hardin said. "Both showed tremendous leadership in guiding their teams through last season's transition while producing strong results on the track and continuing the program's incredible academic legacy. During that period, their tireless efforts made me confident that they are the perfect candidates to lead our student-athletes and continue to elevate our track & field and cross country programs."
 
Gibson joined the Bulldogs in October 2019 and was quickly elevated to acting head coach. During her first season, three Bulldogs won Missouri Valley Conference indoor titles and five earned all-conference accolades.
 
"I am extremely honored and blessed to have the distinguished opportunity to lead the Drake track & field program," Gibson said. "I look forward to continuing as a part of the Drake family as we work to reach the top of the Missouri Valley Conference and build a regional and national presence."
 
Gibson directly mentors the Bulldogs' sprinters, jumpers, hurdlers and relay teams. She helped Yinka Ajayi shatter the indoor school records in the 200 and 400 meters and claim an MVC title in the 200. During the 2019-20 indoor season, a total of 12 Bulldogs recorded all-time top-10 performances at Drake.
 
"I would like to express my gratefulness to this year's team as they've shown resilience, patience and trust through this period of transition, pandemic and uncertainty," Gibson said. "I want to thank Brian Hardin, Stephanie Sledge and Blake Boldon for their display of faith in me and the entire athletics staff for their ongoing support and guidance."
 
Gibson came to Drake with more than a decade of progressive experience following outstanding tenures at Tennessee State and Jacksonville State for six years prior, both as an assistant coach.
 
In her 12 years of coaching – five at TSU and six at JSU – she successfully mentored numerous All-Americans, conference champions, NCAA regional qualifiers, NCAA qualifiers and school record holders.
 
Jay Koloseus recently completed his third season at Drake and helped the Drake men's cross country team earn a runner-up finish at the 2019 MVC Championship. That performance saw three Bulldogs earn all-conference honors, and during the indoor track season, he coached MVC Champions Maximilian Fridrich and Isaac Basten. Basten was also named the MVC Freshman of the Year and Fridrich earned the honor in cross country in 2017 under Koloseus' tutelage.  Each of the last two seasons, Koloseus has coached a school record in the mile.
 
"This is nothing shy of a dream come true for me," Koloseus said. "Being a Division I head coach at an institution as prominent and well supported as Drake has been a goal since becoming a coach. I am unbelievably humbled by the faith and support from Drake, including Brian Hardin, Blake Boldon, Stephanie Sledge and the entire Drake track & field staff. I am immensely excited to continue the work to elevate Drake track & field and cross country and I am confident in the group we have leading the way."
 
Before joining the staff at Drake, Koloseus was the head track & field and cross country coach at Louisburg College in Louisburg, N.C. There, he started the cross country programs and was the 2014 Region X NJCAA cross country men's team champion and the men's and women's Coach of the Year, the first of six regional awards for him.
 
Koloseus was a graduate assistant coach at Auburn, where he helped oversee the Tigers' cross country teams and distance runners. As a student-athlete, Koloseus was a member of two BIG EAST champion cross country teams at Syracuse and was an All-BIG EAST team selection.