Columbus State University Men's Track

Evilsizer is in his 14 th  full year as head cross country coach at Columbus State University entering the 2016-17 year. In 2010, Evilsizer was also named the head track and field coach at CSU.    Evilsizer took over a mens cross country program that produced just two top-five finishes at the Peach Belt Conference Championship and had never had an individual PBC Champion in the 14 years prior. In just a short time, Evilsizer put Columbus State cross country on the national map.  The mens program won five straight PBC Championships from 2006-2010 and has continuously performed well at the NCAA Southeast Regional. After failing to win the conference championship in 2011, Evilsizer and the Cougars roared back in 2012 capturing the title in dominating fashion for the programs sixth PBC championship and added a seventh during the 2014 season.   In addition to an impressive streak of PBC titles, Evilsizer has produced four individual PBC champions. In 2010, Evilsizer and the program just missed out on an individual national championship as Meshack Koyiaki crossed the line in second place at the NCAA Championship in Louisville, Ky.  The 2012 season also produced a first for the mens program as the Cougars won the NCAA Southeast Regional punching a trip to the NCAA Championship.   In all, Evilsizer has taken the mens cross country program to four NCAA Championships including three in a row from 2008-2010. CSUs best result came in 2010 when the Cougars finished in 18th place.  On the womens side, Evilsizer had an equally challenging task to turn CSU into a winner. Evilsizer wasted no time winning the programs first PBC championship in his first season at the helm. He continued racking up the trophies capturing six straight conference titles from 2005-2010. During the dominant run, the Lady Cougars captured the 2009 NCAA Southeast Regional, the first in school history. Evilsizer has also produced three female individual PBC Champions. In 2012 and 2013, Evilsizer and the Lady Cougars have had impressive showings in the NCAA Southeast Regional. In 2012, CSU won the programs second regional crown to advance to the NCAA Championship while the Lady Cougars punched another ticket to the national meet in the following season.  In all, the Lady Cougars have competed in three NCAA Championships (09, 12, 13) with their best finish coming in 2009 when they finished 24 th .   In total, Evilsizer has won five PBC Coach of the Year awards (mens: 06, 09, 10, 13, womens: 10), including sweeping both the mens and womens honors in 2010, becoming just the second coach in PBC history to accomplish the feat. He has also coached six PBC Runners of the Year and Freshman of the Year award winners. In all, Evilsizer has coached 73 All-PBC runners, 31 All-Region Runners and three All Americans.  Evilsizer was also named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) mens and womens Southeast Region Coach of the Year in 2012. He also earned the award on the womens side in 2009.   In 2010, Evilsizer was given the task of starting up a track and field program from the ground up. Just like with the cross country program, Evilsizer has not disappointed.   During the first year of the program, CSU sent two student-athletes to the NCAA Championships with Shan Crawford becoming the programs first All-American finishing in fifth place in the 100-meter dash.   2011 was even more impressive as the Lady Cougars competed in three events at the national meet. Once again, Crawford garnered All-American status, this time in the 200-meter dash.     The trend continued in 2012 with Evilsizer sending student-athletes in three different events at the 2012 National Championships in Pueblo, Colo. For the first time in program history, a relay team captured All-American awards as the Lady Cougar 4x100-meter relay team finished in third place with a school record time of 45.17. Once again, Crawford performed well individually finishing in fourth place in the 200-meter dash receiving her fourth career All-American award.  In 2013, the PBC hosted its first ever conference championship and CSU has performed well in the now annual event. In all, Evilsizer has guided 30 athletes to All-Conference accolades while Columbus State holds two conference records.  Also, Evilsizer was named the first ever PBC Coach of the Year for womens track and field in 2013. Prior to coming to CSU, Evilsizer coached the Smiths Station High School program for 17 years and amassed 11 state team championships and numerous individual state champions. Among those individuals were six national All-America runners. Evilsizer was a two-year letterman at Livingston University (now the University of West Alabama) where he was the first-ever Gulf South Conference cross country champion in 1971. After Livingston dropped its program, he transferred to Auburn University where he earned a scholarship and was a two-year letterman in track and cross country. He went on to obtain his bachelors degree in 1977, followed by a masters degree in 1984, and an advanced sixth-year degree in 1987, all from Auburn University. As a runner in the 1970s and 1980s, Evilsizer set personal records of 2:19:01 for the marathon, 29:40 for the 10000, 23:55 for the 8K and 14:10 for the 5000. Evilsizer and his wife Debra have two adult children - James and Michelle, who both ran in the CSU program.

Marley is entering his sixth year with the Columbus State University cross country and track and field programs. He spent two years as a graduate assistant at CSU and the last four as an assistant coach. During his first five years with the program, Columbus State has captured two conference championships and made three NCAA Championship appearances. Marley graduated from CSU in 2010 and was a three-year member of the Columbus State cross country program. He was successful right out of the gate for Coach J.D. Evilsizer. In 2008, his first season, Marley won the individual Peach Belt Conference championship as the Cougars won another conference title. Marley finished seventh at the 2009 PBC Championship and had a sixth place finish last season. Marley was selected as a first team All-PBC member in 2008 and again in 2010. For his seventh place finish in 2009, he was a second team all-conference honoree. He was a member of the USTFCCCA All-Academic team in 2009 and the Peach Belt All-Academic team as well. David Marley Assistant Cross Country / Track & Field Coach David Marley is entering his sixth year with the Columbus State University cross country and track and field programs. He spent two years as a graduate assistant at CSU and the last four as an assistant coach. During his first five years with the program, Columbus State has captured two conference championships and made three NCAA Championship appearances. Marley graduated from CSU in 2010 and was a three-year member of the Columbus State cross country program. He was successful right out of the gate for Coach J.D. Evilsizer. In 2008, his first season, Marley won the individual Peach Belt Conference championship as the Cougars won another conference title. Marley finished seventh at the 2009 PBC Championship and had a sixth place finish last season. Marley was selected as a first team All-PBC member in 2008 and again in 2010. For his seventh place finish in 2009, he was a second team all-conference honoree. He was a member of the USTFCCCA All-Academic team in 2009 and the Peach Belt All-Academic team as well.