Carson-Newman College Men's Track

Needs was appointed full time head track and field coach during the summer of 2013 after spending 16 years as an assistant coach with the Carson-Newman football team.  Needs sent Tanner Stepp to the NCAA championships in the high jump during both indoor and outdoor season.  Stepp became the first athlete to earn USTFCCCA region athlete of the year honors for indoor since 1990 for Carson-Newman. Tiana Mills and Randall Freeman each earned Field Athlete of the Year honors from the SAC at the conference championship meet.   In his first year as full-time head track and field coach, Needs had nine outdoor athletes earn all-region honors in 11 events and eight indoor athletes earn all-region accolades in 13 events.   The 2004-05 season saw Lady Eagle Amy Cate participate in the National Championships in the high jump for the second consecutive year. He is the coordinator of the speed program at C-N where he works on improving the players running speed and form. Needs has recently had articles published in national football magazines including; "Using The Passing Game To Make Your Option Offense Explosive" published in Gridiron Strategy and "Teaching Wide Receivers the Critical Skills" published in American Football Monthly. After assisting with the quarterbacks in his first year, he assumed the role of receiver's coach in 1997. Since then, Needs has coached four All-Conference players including All-American Ques Rumph in 1999. During the last two seasons, Needs was the position coach for quarterback Alex Good, who garnered first team All-SAC honors after leading the Eagles to 49 points per game in 2007 and second team All-SAC honors last season. The Wilmington, Del., native was also published in the AFCA Summer manual in `07. His article "Incresing Your Options" broached the subject of incorporating the pass into an option offense, which turned out to be fitting, as the Eagles led the nation in pass efficiency in the season that followed. Needs is a 1992 graduate of C-N with a degree in Political Science. The former quarterback was a member of Eagle national championship teams in 1988 and 1989. Before coming to C-N, he was the offensive coordinator at Mount Pleasant High School in Wilmington, Del. Needs earned a Master's degree in Education at Carson-Newman in 1998. He also takes a leadership role in getting players involved in community outreach, such as the "One Way 2 Play - Drug Free" program and visits to area schools, churches and correctional facilities. Needs and his wife, Melissa, who works in financial aid at C-N, reside in Morristown. The couple has three children - D.J., Tyler and Keely

Stepp is in his second season as a jump coach and assistant coach for Carson-Newman's track and field program.   The Talbott, Tenn. native joins the Eagles' staff after spending time at the University of Tennessee and East Tennessee State University competing collegiately. Stepp coached his younger brother Tanner to All-America honors in the high jump in his first season at Mossy Creek. Under his tutelage, the younger Stepp was named USTFCCCAA field athlete of the year during indoor season.   While jumping for the Bucs, Stepp garnered second-team All-American honors from the United States Track and Field Cross Country and Track and Field Coaches Association for his junior and senior season performances in the long jump. Stepp also won three Atlantic Sun Conference titles in the long jump. His personal best was 7.80m (25'7.25"). Coach Stepp is not only familiar with the horizontal jumps, but has had experience in the high jump. He was a two-time high school Nike All-American in the high jump with a personal best of 2.10m (6'10.75"). He also qualified for the United States Track and Field Championships in 2013. As a student-athlete, Stepp earned United States USTFCCCA academic All-American honors for performance in the classroom during his junior and senior years. He was also named to the Atlantic Sun All-Academic teams for three years. Stepp graduated with honors from ETSU with a bachelor's of science degree.