SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Following a national search, Jordan Carpenter has been named head coach of the University of San Francisco cross country and track & field teams, announced by Director of Athletics Larry Williams Friday afternoon.
 
"I am very excited to welcome Jordan to the Hilltop as the new leader of our men's and women's cross country and track and field programs," Williams said. "The historic success of our program and the great foundation set by the previous staff yielded a deep pool of candidates internally and from institutions and organizations nationally. Jordan brings great energy, a rock-solid plan, a wonderful history of success, and a deep appreciation for the development of our student-athletes."
 
Carpenter comes to the Hilltop following a stint at Boston University, serving as the associate head coach of the cross country and track and field programs. Upon arrival for his first cross country season in 2021, Carpenter helped guide the Terriers to top finishes in the Patriot League Championship, with the women's program taking second place and the men earning third.
 
In 2023, the Terriers continued their success as the men's and women's cross country programs combined for eight top-five finishes, highlighted by first-place finishes at the UMass Dartmouth Invite. On the men's side, the Terriers grabbed third at the Patriot League Championship, followed by a 10th-place finish at the NCAA Northeast Regional, the program's best at the regional event since 2017.
 
On the track, Carpenter helped guide the BU track and field programs to top-five finishes at the Patriot League Championship in all of his three seasons.
 
Before his time at BU, Carpenter spent five successful seasons at Pomona-Pitzer, including four as the head men's cross country and track and field coach. While there, Carpenter guided the Sagehens to the 2019 Division III national title in men's cross country.
 
Taking over head coaching duties at Pomona-Pitzer in 2017, Carpenter led the Sagehens to unprecedented success at every level. The men's cross country program won two Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) titles in 2017 and 2019 and three straight NCAA West Region Championships from 2017-19. Carpenter also led the men's program to three consecutive top-10 finishes at the NCAA National Championship meet, culminating with its first-ever national title in 2019.
 
Carpenter also led the Pomona-Pitzer track and field program to new heights in his first two seasons at the helm. In 2018, the Sagehens won their first SCIAC Championship in 27 years and went on to post their best national finish in over a decade with a 16th-place performance in 2019. 
 
Carpenter was named the 2018 SCIAC Coach of the Year and the 2019 NCAA West Region Coach of the Year. He coached 27 All-SCIAC honorees, 11 NCAA qualifiers, and six NCAA All-Americans while guiding his athletes to nine individual SCIAC titles.
 
Before joining Pomona-Pitzer, Carpenter was a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, where he earned a bachelor's degree in economics in 2014. Demonstrating his commitment to academic and athletic excellence, Carpenter maintained a perfect GPA during his undergraduate years and was a two-time recipient of the NCAA Elite 90 Academic Award. 
 
As an athlete, Carpenter was a three-time All-American and capped his competitive career with a conference championship and runner-up finish in the 3000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
 
Looking ahead, the San Francisco men's and women's cross country teams kickstart the 2024 season with Carpenter at the helm on Friday, Aug. 30, when it hosts the USF Invitational at Golden Gate Park.

For more information on the San Francisco cross country program, be sure to follow @donsxctf on Twitter, @donsxctf on Instagram and @donsxctf on Facebook.