Kansas Wesleyan Cross Country will have a familiar face leading the program in the fall.

“Kansas Wesleyan is thrilled to be in a position to elevate our cross country and track programs with a strong hire like Garrett Young,” Wilson said. “His ability to recruit and coach young people at a high level made him an obvious choice, and he has strong ties to this community, which is important in Salina. I’m excited to have Garrett on board and look forward to seeing him work alongside Kyle Hiser to continue this program on an upward trajectory.”

“I’m so excited to be returning home to Kansas Wesleyan,” Young said. “The opportunity to return to my alma mater and lead an incredible group of young men and women is a huge blessing. Coach Hiser has done a phenomenal job of building the program the past three years and I’m very excited to see what we are able to accomplish together.”

“We are very excited to bring Garrett back to Kansas Wesleyan and Salina. Being a Kansas Wesleyan graduate and alum of our track and field program he holds the values of our institution closely to his heart and takes pride in being a Coyote,” Kansas Wesleyan Track and Cross Country coach Kyle Hiser said of Young. “He is one of the best recruiters and coaches in the NAIA and will continue to elevate our Men’s and Women’s programs to new levels of success.”

Hiser will remain at Kansas Wesleyan, focusing directly on KWU’s growing Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field programs. He will serve as Cross Country and Track Program Director as well as Head Track Coach.

“I am thankful for the support Kansas Wesleyan administration has given me over the last three years,” Hiser said about moving into the new role. “My elevation to Director of Track & Field and Cross Country is going to allow the program to continue to grow towards our goal of being a consistent contender in the KCAC and NAIA.”

Young returns to KWU after spending the previous three seasons at Southwestern as the head cross country and assistant track coach, where he led the Moundbuilders to a third-place finish in the 2021 KCAC Cross Country Championships, and also coached the 2021 NAIA Outdoor Track National Runner-Up and 2022 NAIA Indoor Track National Runner-Up in the Men’s High Jump, and the men’s 4x400m relay team that finished third at the 2022 NAIA Outdoor National Championships. He also coached a pair of NAIA National Qualifiers in cross country, nine track national championship qualifiers, nine KCAC indoor track champions and four KCAC Champions of Character Team Award winners.

Young spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Kansas Wesleyan before going to Southwestern, serving as assistant cross country and track and field coach, working primarily with distance runners and jumpers. In his time at KWU he coached 14 All-KCAC performers, including three KCAC Champions and four NAIA qualifiers. He also helped coach three school record breaking performances for the Coyotes.

He also spent time as the corporate sales and marketing assistant for the KWU Athletic Department, leading corporate sales efforts for the department, as well as managing game day operations for the department.

He also spent time as a coach for the Salina Burn Track and Field Club.

Young was an All-KCAC performer and NAIA National Qualifier while competing at Kansas Wesleyan for four seasons for the Coyotes. He finished his collegiate running career as a seven-time All-KCAC Selection, including winning the 1000m at the KCAC Championships and was and a national qualifier in the indoor 4x800m relay.

Young is a 2017 graduate of Kansas Wesleyan with a bachelor degree in Business Management, and continued on to receive his MBA in 2019 also from KWU. He will return Salina and live with his wife Hannah, a local radio personality, and fellow Kansas Wesleyan alum.