Spalding University Athletics

Coach Sowder enters his sixth year at the helm of the Spalding men’s and women’s cross country and track & field programs.

TEAM / STUDENT-ATHLETE HONORS AND ACCOLADES

• 2015 SLIAC Women’s Cross Country Team Champions
• 2015 SLIAC Men’s Cross Country Team Champions
• NCAA All-American: Kyle Jenkins (Discus, 2015)
• Great Lakes All-Region: Daniel Kaiser (Outdoor 200, 2017), (Indoor 200, 2018)
• SLIAC Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year: Brandon Price (2015)
• SLIAC Women’s Cross Country Newcomer of the Year: Kelsey Phillips (2016)
• SLIAC Men’s Cross Country Newcomer of the Year: Dane Thomas (2018)
• SLIAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Year: Katie Suiters (2018)
• 43 SLIAC Academic All-Conference Team selections
• 35 SLIAC All-Conference Team selections
• 11 SLIAC Individual Event Champions
• 12 SLIAC Individual Event Runner-Up
• 90 New School Records

SPALDING HIGHLIGHTS

• 2-time SLIAC Cross Country Coach of the Year
• First Women’s Conference Title in Program’s History (2015)
• First athlete ever (Male or Female) to win all three longest distance (10k, 5k, 3k steeple) in the same Conference Championship meet: Kelsey Phillips (2019)

PRIOR TO SPALDING
Prior to taking over the reins at SU, Sowder served as interim head coach in the spring of 2015.  The team found great success as they obtained 14 new school records and the third individual All-American honors in program history with Kyle Jenkins 5th place performance in men's discus at the NCAA Division III Outdoor National Championships.
 
Prior to working at Spalding, Sowder had stops at the University of Louisville, Eastern High School and Lexington Christian Academy.
 
PERSONAL 
Sowder attended the University of the Cumberlands and the University of Kentucky where he graduated with a double major in Kinesiology and Health Promotions.

He lives in Bagdad, Ky. with his wife Misty, and their two children, Makenzie and Elliot.