Elmhurst College Men's Track

Akita enters the 2017 season in his 11th year as head coach of the Bluejay men's track and field team. Akita also serves as the men's cross country coach at Elmhurst. Last year, he led the Bluejays to a sixth-place finish at the CCIW Indoor Championships and an eighth place finish at the CCIW Outdoor Championship. Akita coached Andrew DeBolt to the national championships in the outdoor 800 meters.  In 2015, Akita coached Will Cross to All-America honors in the indoor mile. Both Cross and DeBolt qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships as well.  Akita has coached six All-Americans in track and field, including Cross and Brian McConnell who placed second at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Championships in the mile run.  Akita also serves as the men's cross country coach at Elmhurst, where he has coached 11 all-conference and seven all-region runners. Six Bluejays have qualified for the NCAA Championships and Will Cross became just the third Bluejay to earn All-America honors at the NCAA Division III Championships in 2014. Cross also became the first Bluejay in school history to earn back-to-back All-American status in cross country.  Prior to joining the Bluejays' coaching staff, Akita served as a graduate assistant coach at  Rockford College. He also served as an assistant coach at Elmhurst during the 2002 cross country season. Akita, who completed his bachelor's degree from Elmhurst in 2004, had a stand-out career as a member of both the cross country and track and field teams. He was a two-time captain of both the cross country and track teams and earned eight all-conference honors between the two sports. He was an NCAA Division III national participant during the 2001 and 2003 outdoor track seasons. In 2001, he won the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) 5,000 meters title. A Jack Swartz Academic all-conference selection in 2000, Akita set five school records in track and field. A graduate of York High School, Akita still resides in Elmhurst. Jim Akita Head Men's Track & Field Coach Jim Akita enters the 2017 season in his 11th year as head coach of the Bluejay men's track and field team. Akita also serves as the men's cross country coach at Elmhurst. Last year, he led the Bluejays to a sixth-place finish at the CCIW Indoor Championships and an eighth place finish at the CCIW Outdoor Championship. Akita coached Andrew DeBolt to the national championships in the outdoor 800 meters.  In 2015, Akita coached Will Cross to All-America honors in the indoor mile. Both Cross and DeBolt qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships as well.  Akita has coached six All-Americans in track and field, including Cross and Brian McConnell who placed second at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Championships in the mile run.  Akita also serves as the men's cross country coach at Elmhurst, where he has coached 11 all-conference and seven all-region runners. Six Bluejays have qualified for the NCAA Championships and Will Cross became just the third Bluejay to earn All-America honors at the NCAA Division III Championships in 2014. Cross also became the first Bluejay in school history to earn back-to-back All-American status in cross country.  Prior to joining the Bluejays' coaching staff, Akita served as a graduate assistant coach at  Rockford College. He also served as an assistant coach at Elmhurst during the 2002 cross country season. Akita, who completed his bachelor's degree from Elmhurst in 2004, had a stand-out career as a member of both the cross country and track and field teams. He was a two-time captain of both the cross country and track teams and earned eight all-conference honors between the two sports. He was an NCAA Division III national participant during the 2001 and 2003 outdoor track seasons. In 2001, he won the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) 5,000 meters title. A Jack Swartz Academic all-conference selection in 2000, Akita set five school records in track and field. A graduate of York High School, Akita still resides in Elmhurst.