Connor Callahan takes leadership of UNA’s cross-country program and brings record-breaking experience.
From falling in love with the sport in the eighth grade to earning a USA Track & Field Level 2 Endurance certification and being named the Lions’ new head coach, Callahan carries a deep history with running and claims coaching was always a dream.
“My dad coached high school basketball; my uncle coached high school baseball. I was always around coaches and sports. That’s where that side of me came from,” said Callahan.
The head coach is a 2015 Ohio Dominican University graduate with a Bachelor’s in sports management. University which provided his first head coach title, after his three years attending Saint Leo University in Florida. for his master’s degree in business and a sports business concentration.
At Saint Leo, Callahan served as track & field graduate assistant, being promoted to full-time assistant coach in 2016, assisting the Saint Leo Lions on three National Championship appearances.
In Jul. 2018, Callahan became his undergraduate alma mater’s head coach. During the six-season partnership, head coach Callahan managed to assist in the creation of the Panther’s first indoor national qualifier for track & field alongside breaking thirty school records.
Seeking a new challenge and career growth brought head coach Callahan to lead another set of Lions, this time in North Alabama.
“I was ready to step out of my comfort zone,” said Callahan. “This is a chance to grow my own career, a chance for a new challenge, and a chance to come to a beautiful university.”
The head coach promises a “laid back” leadership, focusing on building the athletes’ individualities and confidence and a balance between friendly and more serious approaches. Callahan characterizes his coaching style as being a listener and developing relationships to get the most out of the student-athletes.
The coach is fascinated by the Lions’ environment and wants the cross-country program to be a true part of the university’s success, community, and reputation, which will be accomplished with hard work.
“I told the team on day one: if you don’t want to work hard, this probably isn’t going to work for you,” said Callahan. “I want to work hard. I like to work hard.”
Plans to adjust training are already on course. Coach Callahan and the women’s and men’s teams are determined to increase the miles of the practice runs, fifteen for the men and twelve for the women.
Practicing at McFarland Park will also be recurrent, which all are excited about.
“We’ll be ready to go because at least once a week we’ll be practicing on grass,” Callahan said.
Head Coach Callahan and the cross-country teams will show the first results of their partnership on Saturday, Aug. 31st, beginning the 2024 season at Mike Rose Soccer Complex, in Memphis.
The meet is unusual to the head coach, being the latest he has ever been a part of. At 9:20 p.m. for the women’s team and 10 p.m. for the men’s.
On the Monday and Tuesday preceding the meet, Aug. 26th and 27th, the program has goal-setting meetings scheduled.
“We need to make sure everyone has the same goals,” said Callahan. “Not only heading into this first meet but into the entire season and down the line.”
The head coach says plans are to get better every day, which will lead to the long-term accomplishments of continuing to build the roster, focusing on recruiting, and placing better on the conference meet, in which the Lions placed ninth last season.
Callahan is confident and excited to call UNA his home and to work with his new student-athletes.
“This is a really good group; they are ready to work,” Callahan said.
