Coe College Women's Track

Krista Littleton will take the reigns of the women's cross country and track and field programs. A 2002 graduate of North Central College, Littleton began her coaching career at Virginia Wesleyan as an assistant men's and women's cross country and track and field coach in 2004. She was promoted to associate head coach of the programs in 2009 and promoted again to head coach in 2011 taking over the women's programs. During her time with the Marlins, Littleton coached 114 all-conference performances, 15 conference champions, eight national championship qualifying performances and four all-American honors. Two of her athletes received ODAC Athlete of the Year honors and her track and field squads ranked in the top ten of the region on a regular basis.   In her first season as head coach, Littleton helped senior runner Kat Stai to an all-conference performance as she finished fourth place at the A-R-C XC Championships in 2019. Stai followed up that performance with a 16th place finish the regional race to earn All-Region honors. During the 2020 season, Little coached junior runner Kandice Kittinger to another all-conference performance as she took 10th in the women's race at the 2020 A-R-C Championships. The success continued in 2022 for Littleton's athletes as Hannah Pecharich and Jaydyn Palmer registered the program's first all-conference honors since 2018, claiming top-three finishes in the pole vault and the shot put. Pecharich repeated as an all-conference performer in 2023, finishing third for the program's third medal in two years. 2023-24 featured more record-breaking performances for the women, setting numerous top-10 school marks throughout the season. Lily Mayo highlighted the 2024-25 cross country and track & field seasons, posting the second-best finish at the 2024 A-R-C Cross Country Championships while representing the Kohawks at the 2025 NCAA Midwest Qualifier in the 3000m Steeplechase. 

Handcock has coached multiple state qualifiers and one state champion. She worked closely with her state champion who went on to place 9th in the Indoor New England Championships. She has worked with two top Maine triple jumpers out of Biddeford High School and a top freshman high jumper from Scarborough High School. Handcock also coached two athletes who achieved top 30 in the Regionals Cross Country Class A Championship and became state qualifiers in 2013. Handcock is level one USATF certified. Handcock was a three time high jump state champion at Greely High School. While in college she was three time All-Little Eastern Conference, six time All New England Conference, two time All Eastern Conference, and NCAA DIII nationally ranked high jumper in 2009. Although high jump is her top event, she also placed in conference meets in the 400 meter hurdles and as a member of the 1600 meter relay team. Handcock comes to Coe College from her hometown of Cumberland, Maine. She received her Bachelors Degree in English from Westfield State University in Massachusetts in 2009 and received her Masters Degree from the University of Oklahoma in Mass Communication in 2012. Marcus Matyas joined the Coe College coaching staff in the fall of 2015. Matyas will work with the throwers, while also being a professor in the physical education department. Prior to Coe, Matyas worked with the throwers at Defiance College for three years. During the 2013 season, the Yellow Jackets set five school records. Matyas also worked with Tom Postema, the 2013 National Champion in the Hammer Throw. Postema also earned All-American honors in the Weight Throw and Discus, while being named the HCAC and Regional Field Athlete of the Year. During his time at Defiance, Matyas coached athletes to 49 new all-time top 10 performances, six national qualifiers, three All-Americans, a National Champion, 10 individual HCAC conference championships in the throws, six HCAC records and a USTFCCCA National Scholar Athlete of the year. Prior to working at Defiance, Matyas spent two years at Hendrix, where he worked with the cross country and track and field programs. During his time at Hendrix, the womens throwers broke four school records, while the mens throwers broke a record. The mens cross country team also recorded its highest finishes in school history at the 2010 South/Southeast Regional Championships, along with the 2011 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships. Matyas also worked with Elizabeth Krug at Hendrix, who earned All-American honors in the heptathlon at the 2011 and 2012 NCAA National Championships Matyas served as a graduate assistant at Jacksonville State from 2007-2009, where he completed a masters of public administration in athletic administration. He helped guide the Gamecock throwers to school records in five events. Matyas graduated from the State University of New York at Cortland in May of 2007 with a bachelors of science in kinesiology with a sport studies concentration. Over his four years, Matyas excelled in the field as a four-time conference champion in discus, along with a 2003 shot put champion in State University of New York Athletic Conference. In 2005 and 2006, he was named SUNY Track and Field MVP, as well as two-time Discus All-American (2005 and 2006).

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