Jim Vahrenkamp has been at the helm of the Queens University Royals track and field and cross country programs since the 2012-13 season, during which time he has successfully rebuilt both. The women’s cross country team has won the past three South Atlantic Conference Championships and the past two NCAA DII Southeast Regional Championships. Additionally, they grabbed 10th place, their highest team finish, at the NCAA DII Championships this past season.
The men’s cross country team has back-to-back league titles, winning in 2017 and 2018. They also collected a NCAA DII Regional Championship title in 2018 before heading to the national meet and finishing ninth overall. Their highest finish at nationals was during the 2017 season when they were sixth overall.
Vahrenkamp has earned Southeast Region Coach of the Year honors six times and South Atlantic Coach of the Year honors five times. Additionally, through his leadership, the Royals have earned 20 All-American honors.
Prior to Queens, Vahrenkamp spent three seasons with the Augustana College Vikings in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. At Augustana, Vahrenkamp’s core responsibilities involved recruiting for both the men’s and women’s programs, assisting in budgeting and fundraising, monitoring academic success plans for both programs, and assisting in meet administration at home events. As an assistant, he was also in charge of coaching jumps, sprints, hurdles, and multi-events with the track and field teams.
Prior to joining Augustana’s staff, Vahrenkamp was an assistant track and field coach for one year at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. While at Emory, Vahrenkamp coached throws, pole vault, high jump, and multi-event athletes for both the indoor and outdoor teams. The Eagles snagged their first University Athletic Association Indoor Championship in 2009 and the coaching staff was recognized as Coaching Staff of the Year.
Before Emory, Vahrenkamp spent two seasons with the Coyotes of the University of South Dakota and three years at Rapid City Christian High School as the assistant track and field coach. Additionally, Vahrenkamp was the 2001 South Dakota State Champion in 300-meter hurdles and in 2002 he became the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology school record holder in the pentathlon.
