Western Oregon University Men's Track

WOU alum Zach Holloway enters his third year as the head cross country coach and eighth year as a coach overall for the WOU cross cross country and track and field programs heading into the 2025-26 season. In each of his first two seasons as cross country head coach in 2023 and 2024, the WOU men's team took fourth place and the women's team took sixth at the GNAC Championships. A former distance runner for the Wolves, Holloway made his return to Monmouth in the fall of 2018 after completing his graduate work at Adams State. Holloway coordinates the recruiting efforts for the track and field programs. While recruiting and working primarily with distance, Holloway is also the meet operations director for all of the fall cross country meets on the Ash Creek Preserve. He has been instrumental in helping run multiple big events on campus including the Ash Creek Invitational, The Mike Johnson Classic (formerly The Sundowner), hosting the Pac-12 Championships, the GNAC Championships and the NCAA Division II West Regionals. In his time coaching at WOU, Holloway - who took over coaching the distance events in fall 2020 - helped WOU sweep the 2023 men's and women's GNAC Indoor Track & Field Championship titles (the men's first indoor title since 2012 and the women's first ever indoor championship) and the women to the 2022 GNAC Women's Outdoor Track & Field Title (first in 12 years). He coached the school record holder in the men's indoor 5,000 (Bailey Smith - 14:32) and the women's outdoor 5,000 (Kyla Potratz - 17:04.29). He also coached Hunter Hutton to a NCAA Championships men's finalist appearance, the 2023 DMR team to the No. 8 spot in GNAC history (9:46) and overall has coached 21 All-West Region student-athletes.  At Adams State, Holloway was a part of a coaching staff that won four NCAA Division II National Championship teams, including helping the Grizzlies to back-to-back men’s cross country titles in 2016 and 2017. The women's team won the 2017 NCAA DII Indoor Track & Field title and gave Adams State a cross country sweep by joining the men's squad as national champions in 2017. On the track, Holloway primarily worked with the distance corps and assisted with the 400-meter and 400-meter hurdlers. As well as his coaching duties, Holloway was a graduate assistant and instructor in the Human Performance & Physical Education program and taught courses in coaching and sport psychology. At Western Oregon, Holloway was a four-year member of the Wolves’ track & field program and a NCAA provisional qualifier on three occasions. He continues to reside on the school’s all-time indoor top-10 performance list in the 3,000 and 5,000 and on the outdoor list in the steeplechase. Holloway was a USATF Junior National Championship qualifier in the steeplechase. In addition to his work as a player and coach, Holloway earned a pair of certifications in USTFCCCA Track and Field Technical Certification and  USTFCCCA Strength & Conditioning Certification. Holloway hails from Brownsville, Oregon, and is a Central Linn High School Alum (2012).

WOU alum Zach Holloway enters his third year as the head cross country coach and eighth year as a coach overall for the WOU cross cross country and track and field programs heading into the 2025-26 season. In each of his first two seasons as cross country head coach in 2023 and 2024, the WOU men's team took fourth place and the women's team took sixth at the GNAC Championships. A former distance runner for the Wolves, Holloway made his return to Monmouth in the fall of 2018 after completing his graduate work at Adams State. Holloway coordinates the recruiting efforts for the track and field programs. While recruiting and working primarily with distance, Holloway is also the meet operations director for all of the fall cross country meets on the Ash Creek Preserve. He has been instrumental in helping run multiple big events on campus including the Ash Creek Invitational, The Mike Johnson Classic (formerly The Sundowner), hosting the Pac-12 Championships, the GNAC Championships and the NCAA Division II West Regionals. In his time coaching at WOU, Holloway - who took over coaching the distance events in fall 2020 - helped WOU sweep the 2023 men's and women's GNAC Indoor Track & Field Championship titles (the men's first indoor title since 2012 and the women's first ever indoor championship) and the women to the 2022 GNAC Women's Outdoor Track & Field Title (first in 12 years). He coached the school record holder in the men's indoor 5,000 (Bailey Smith - 14:32) and the women's outdoor 5,000 (Kyla Potratz - 17:04.29). He also coached Hunter Hutton to a NCAA Championships men's finalist appearance, the 2023 DMR team to the No. 8 spot in GNAC history (9:46) and overall has coached 21 All-West Region student-athletes.  At Adams State, Holloway was a part of a coaching staff that won four NCAA Division II National Championship teams, including helping the Grizzlies to back-to-back men’s cross country titles in 2016 and 2017. The women's team won the 2017 NCAA DII Indoor Track & Field title and gave Adams State a cross country sweep by joining the men's squad as national champions in 2017. On the track, Holloway primarily worked with the distance corps and assisted with the 400-meter and 400-meter hurdlers. As well as his coaching duties, Holloway was a graduate assistant and instructor in the Human Performance & Physical Education program and taught courses in coaching and sport psychology. At Western Oregon, Holloway was a four-year member of the Wolves’ track & field program and a NCAA provisional qualifier on three occasions. He continues to reside on the school’s all-time indoor top-10 performance list in the 3,000 and 5,000 and on the outdoor list in the steeplechase. Holloway was a USATF Junior National Championship qualifier in the steeplechase. In addition to his work as a player and coach, Holloway earned a pair of certifications in USTFCCCA Track and Field Technical Certification and  USTFCCCA Strength & Conditioning Certification. Holloway hails from Brownsville, Oregon, and is a Central Linn High School Alum (2012).

Johnson enters his 12th year as the head coach for the Western Oregon track and field and cross country programs. Under his guidance, Johnsons teams have won 15 GNAC indoor and outdoor track & field championships, and he has also led the WOU cross country teams to several NCAA Cross Country Championship appearances. While at WOU, Johnson has led numerous student-athletes to All-American honors, including javelin thrower Amanda Schumaker (four-time All-American from 2010-2013), distance runner Chris Olsen (2013), javelin thrower Seabre Church (2014), and Monica Barnhart (three-time All-American from 2002-2005). Distance runners Badane Sultessa, and David Ribich as well as javelin thrower Justin Larson are among the current WOU All-Americans that have been coached by Johnson. Since joining the collegiate coaching ranks, Johnson has coached five US Track & Field Olympic Trial qualifiers and three World Cross Country Championship participants. In addition, he coached Deaflympic gold medalist Gary Namba (100 and 200-meters) and multi-time Deaflympic medalist Janna Vander Meulen, a WOU graduate who set new American deaf records in the 100-meter and 400-meter hurdles. Prior to joining the Wolves, Johnson's career includes tenures as the head coach at Highline Community College (1972-74), Eastern Washington University (1974-76), University of Portland (1976-86), University of Washington (1986-98), and Boise State (1998-2000). He was also an assistant coach at WOU for three seasons prior to becoming the programs leader in 2004. Johnson's teams at Washington won two Pac-10 cross country championships and his Portland squads captured seven-consecutive West Coast Conference cross country titles. He founded the Pilots womens program as the womens NAIA championship team he coached was inducted into the Portland Hall of Fame. The Seattle native has won numerous honors during his career as he is a three-time Pac-10 Coach of the Year three times, four-time NCAA West Regional Cross Country Coach of the Year and has earned NAIA National Coach of the Year honors. Johnson graduated with a bachelors and masters degree in physical education from Eastern Washington.  Mike Johnson Head Cross Country / Track & Field Coach Mike Johnson enters his 12th year as the head coach for the Western Oregon track and field and cross country programs. Under his guidance, Johnsons teams have won 15 GNAC indoor and outdoor track & field championships, and he has also led the WOU cross country teams to several NCAA Cross Country Championship appearances. While at WOU, Johnson has led numerous student-athletes to All-American honors, including javelin thrower Amanda Schumaker (four-time All-American from 2010-2013), distance runner Chris Olsen (2013), javelin thrower Seabre Church (2014), and Monica Barnhart (three-time All-American from 2002-2005). Distance runners Badane Sultessa, and David Ribich as well as javelin thrower Justin Larson are among the current WOU All-Americans that have been coached by Johnson. Since joining the collegiate coaching ranks, Johnson has coached five US Track & Field Olympic Trial qualifiers and three World Cross Country Championship participants. In addition, he coached Deaflympic gold medalist Gary Namba (100 and 200-meters) and multi-time Deaflympic medalist Janna Vander Meulen, a WOU graduate who set new American deaf records in the 100-meter and 400-meter hurdles. Prior to joining the Wolves, Johnson's career includes tenures as the head coach at Highline Community College (1972-74), Eastern Washington University (1974-76), University of Portland (1976-86), University of Washington (1986-98), and Boise State (1998-2000). He was also an assistant coach at WOU for three seasons prior to becoming the programs leader in 2004. Johnson's teams at Washington won two Pac-10 cross country championships and his Portland squads captured seven-consecutive West Coast Conference cross country titles. He founded the Pilots womens program as the womens NAIA championship team he coached was inducted into the Portland Hall of Fame. The Seattle native has won numerous honors during his career as he is a three-time Pac-10 Coach of the Year three times, four-time NCAA West Regional Cross Country Coach of the Year and has earned NAIA National Coach of the Year honors. Johnson graduated with a bachelors and masters degree in physical education from Eastern Washington. 

Emily Vala-Haynes enters her 10th year with the Wolves Cross Country and Track & Field teams in 2025-26, her second as an assistant coach. Vala-Haynes first joined the Wolves Cross Country and Track & Field programs in 2016, beginning as a volunteer assistant before being elevated to a non-volunteer role starting Fall 2024. On the academics side, Vala-Haynes works as a Professor of Public Health within the Division of Health and Exercise Science at WOU, having started her faculty career in 2014. Her WOU faculty web page and a link to the Public Health major page can be found below. Faculty Page for Emily Vala-Haynes | Public Health Major at WOU

Emily Vala-Haynes enters her 10th year with the Wolves Cross Country and Track & Field teams in 2025-26, her second as an assistant coach. Vala-Haynes first joined the Wolves Cross Country and Track & Field programs in 2016, beginning as a volunteer assistant before being elevated to a non-volunteer role starting Fall 2024. On the academics side, Vala-Haynes works as a Professor of Public Health within the Division of Health and Exercise Science at WOU, having started her faculty career in 2014. Her WOU faculty web page and a link to the Public Health major page can be found below. Faculty Page for Emily Vala-Haynes | Public Health Major at WOU

Cody Warner enters his eighth season as an assistant track coach at Western Oregon in 2025-26 The WOU graduate took home 11 Great Northwest Athletic Conference honors throughout his career, having won the 60-meter at the GNAC Championships in 2019, earned the 200-meter indoor champion in both 2015 and 2016 and was part of the 4x100 relay team that took home first in 2016 at the GNAC's.  Originally from Springfield, Ore., Warner is a graduate of Thurston High School in 2014.