Coe College Men's Track

Mat Littleton is in his sixth year as the head men’s cross country/track & field coach at Coe College.  Since coming to Coe in 2019, Littleton has nearly doubled the roster size of both the cross country and track & field teams, and has helped the program reach heights it hadn’t seen in over a decade.    In 2022, the men’s cross country team was the most improved team in the entire American River’s Conference (A-R-C) from the year before, making the second largest improvement in the entire history of the current nine-team league.  They followed it up in 2023 as the most improved team in the entire 40-team Midwest Region, making the largest jump in the team standings from the year before. In 2024, the cross country program produced it’s first national qualifier in over a decade (Lewis Kleman).    Coe has had track & field for 128 years, yet six of the school records, and 24 top-10 all-time marks, have been set during the first five years that Littleton has been in charge. In 2024, the program produced it’s first national qualifier in seven years (Chris Baker – hammer throw). The 2025 outdoor season netted another national qualifier and all-American honor as Chris Baker placed inside the top 16.    Prior to coming to Coe, Littleton was the head men’s cross country and track & field coach at Virginia Wesleyan University for 15 years, where he was named 2008 ODAC Men’s XC Coach of the Year and even without a track & field facility for most of his time there, still consistently coached the cross country and track & field teams to finishes in the upper echelon of the conference and South/Southeast Region.    His coaching philosophy of “We build winners in life” has been evident in the fact that his teams at both VWU and Coe have been consistently honored as National Academic Teams. At Coe, the men’s XC team has earned the honor every single year he has been here, and the track & field team earned the honor for the first time in school history this past season. He has consistently produced alumni that have gone on to tremendous successes in their chosen careers, many of whom include medical doctors and PhD’s, lawyers, software engineers, military officers, law enforcement officers, and many other outstanding fields. Over 80% of all athletes who have graduated from his teams at both schools have donated money back to the program after graduation because they had a positive, rewarding experience and believe in the value of the life-lessons they learned.   Coach Littleton earned his B.A. degree in English from North Central College in 2001, where he ran for the NCAA Div. III XC Coach of the Century, Al Carius, and UTSFCCCA Hall of Fame coach, Frank Gramarosso.  He was on a national championship team in both cross country and track & field. He later earned his Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Quincy University.    Littleton’s Coaching accomplishments: 2008 ODAC Men’s XC Coach of the Year 110  All-Conference performances (86 T&F / 24 XC) 29 Conference Champions in track & field (22 individuals / 7 relays) 17 National Qualifiers (10 T&F / 7 XC) 5 conference championship meet records 3 All-Americans (T&F)

Carley began his coaching career at the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse from 2007-2009. The Eagles were Division III NCAA Champions in both 2008 and 2009. Carley trained six Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Champions, four national qualifiers, and two All-Americans. Following a successful few years in La Crosse, Carley moved into the assistant position at the University of Chicago. While at Chicago, Carley had 29 All-Conference athletes. On the mens side he had five University Athletic Association (UAA) Champions including a Mens 4x400 meter relay. Carley trained six individual national qualifiers and in 2010 triple jumper, Drew Jackson, was runner-up at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. On the womens side Carley worked with three national qualifiers, including a 4x100 meter relay team. The Womens team won the UAA Championship in 2010 and placed 4th at the NCAA Division III National Championships, the highest finish in school history. The teams overall finish helped the staff win the award for Coaching Staff of the Year. The University of Chicago Maroons broke six school records during Carleys time as a coach. As an athlete Carley ran track and field for the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point from 2000-2004. He was a three time national qualifier in the long jump, triple jump and as a part of the 4x400 meter relay. Carley earned All-American status in the triple jump in 2001, and was the WIAC Conference long jump champion in 2003. As a freshman he won the team award for Outstanding Freshmen Field Event Athlete. Carley graduated from University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point in 2005 with a Bachelors Degree in Education. He achieved a certification in K-12 Physical Education and Health. In 2009, Carley graduated from the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse with a Masters Degree in Exercise and Sport Science with a focus in Sport Administration. He currently lives in Cedar Rapids with his wife, Andrea, and daughter Peyton. Aaron Carley Year-By-Year Year IIAC Indoor IIAC Outdoor 2012-13 6th 8th 2013-14 8th 7th 2014-15 6th 6th     Carley is entering his third season as the head coach of Coe Colleges Track and Field program. While at Coe he has coached one All-American (current junior- Melissa Alger), two Conference Champions and 11 All-Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) athletes, including a mens 4x800 meter relay team. Under his guidance the Kohawks have broken five school records. The team has also been noted for their talent in the classroom with two All-Academic individuals as well as a team title of All-Academic on the womens side both in 2013 and 2014. Prior to Coe College, Carley began his coaching career at the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse from 2007-2009. The Eagles were Division III NCAA Champions in both 2008 and 2009. Carley trained six Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Champions, four national qualifiers, and two All-Americans. Following a successful few years in La Crosse, Carley moved into the assistant position at the University of Chicago. While at Chicago, Carley had 29 All-Conference athletes. On the mens side he had five University Athletic Association (UAA) Champions including a Mens 4x400 meter relay. Carley trained six individual national qualifiers and in 2010 triple jumper, Drew Jackson, was runner-up at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. On the womens side Carley worked with three national qualifiers, including a 4x100 meter relay team. The Womens team won the UAA Championship in 2010 and placed 4th at the NCAA Division III National Championships, the highest finish in school history. The teams overall finish helped the staff win the award for Coaching Staff of the Year. The University of Chicago Maroons broke six school records during Carleys time as a coach. As an athlete Carley ran track and field for the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point from 2000-2004. He was a three time national qualifier in the long jump, triple jump and as a part of the 4x400 meter relay. Carley earned All-American status in the triple jump in 2001, and was the WIAC Conference long jump champion in 2003. As a freshman he won the team award for Outstanding Freshmen Field Event Athlete. Carley graduated from University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point in 2005 with a Bachelors Degree in Education. He achieved a certification in K-12 Physical Education and Health. In 2009, Carley graduated from the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse with a Masters Degree in Exercise and Sport Science with a focus in Sport Administration. He currently lives in Cedar Rapids with his wife, Andrea, and daughter Peyton. Aaron Carley Year-By-Year