PRATT, Kan.- Josh Campbell, who had led the Beavers track & field program for two seasons, has resigned from his position. Finding a replacement was a seamless process however, as current head cross country coach/assistant track & field coach Joel Pearson will direct the track & field program going forward.
"I am absolutely honored to lead the Track & Field program at Pratt Community College," said Pearson. "I would like to thank Dr. Michael Calvert and athletic director Tim Swartzendruber for accepting me into the Beaver family and allowing me to lead the program."
Swartzendruber commented on Pearson's in-house promotion, saying "We are fortunate we have someone with such strong track credentials as Coach Pearson already here at PCC. I am extremely happy and excited he has accepted the position as head track coach. He has done a great job in his short time with the cross country program and I am confident he will continue to build our track program as well."
Pratt's athletic director also thanked Campbell for his years of success at the helm of Beavers track & field.
"We appreciate what Coach Campbell has done for PCC track," said Swartzendruber. "He worked through a very challenging last 15 months with COVID and showed great dedication and commitment to Beaver athletics. We wish him the best in his future endeavor."
Pearson concluded his first season as head cross country coach in 2020-21, assisting in the development and coaching of Cross Country and Half-Marathon All-American Zach McPhee.
Before arriving in Pratt, Pearson had spent the previous two years as the Head Cross Country, Track & Field Coach at Mountlake Terrace High School (WA) where the Hawks saw two All-Americans, one State Champion, four school record holders, 25 state qualifiers, a fourth place finish at the WIAA State Cross Country Championships, and a national runner-up in Josh Beam (Steeplechase).
Before representing the Terrace Hawks, Pearson was the Head Cross Country, Assistant Track & Field Coach at Meridian Community College where he coached eight school record holders, 10 All-Americans, Men's National 4x8 Champions (NJCAA Championship Meet Record) and was a vital part of MCC placing fourth at the NJCAA Indoor National Championships.
Prior to Meridian Community College, Pearson worked as the Director of Track & Field, Cross Country at Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, WI., where his athletes re-wrote the record books with 212 school records, 42 national qualifiers, 34 All-American Honors, a 4 x 800 Drake Relays champion, set an NAIA National Record in the DMR and saw national champions in Phoenix Miller, Supervoid Mack III, Jamal Namous, Jonathan Kiptum, Darryl Simpson, Camille Shiflett, and Daniel Garcia, the most decorated athlete in CSU athletic history. Garcia won multiple national championships, helped set a national record, and was a three-time Regional Athlete of the Year and two-time National Athlete of the Year.
As the Head Coach for Harrier Track Club, an Olympic development program, Pearson has coached many professional athletes, both international and domestic, to national success. Among those athletes are USA Champions, 12 Olympic Trials Qualifiers, and 14 Team USA Qualifiers who competed in the World Track & Field Championships, Pan-American Games, U23 NACAC Championships, Pan American Cup, World RW Championships, World Junior Cross, and World Junior Mountain. Most notably, Oliver Bear Don't Walk IV and Katie Burnett both set world bests in their respective events.
A native of Ferndale, Washington, Pearson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with double majors in history and coaching from Evergreen State in Olympia and earned his Master of Science in Sport Management from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee. Pearson is also an instructor for the USA Track & Field (USATF) for their Level 1 and Level 2 curriculums.
He is the son of former American 50-mile record holder and USA Champion Jim Pearson.