CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Queens University of Charlotte is pleased to announce the addition of Jim Vahrenkamp to its Department of Athletics as the new Head Cross Country/Track and Field Coach. Vahrenkamp joins the Royals family after most recently spending three seasons with the Augustana College Vikings in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
 
“I am so excited to come to Queens,” said Vahrenkamp. “It is a great school with some great tradition and I look forward to building on that tradition.”
 
Vahrenkamp's goal is to build on the success of Queens' distance program stating; “Now we will look to developing all of the other events and building a full team that can compete at the conference, regional and national level.”
 
While 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. While with the Vikings, Vahrenkamp had the opportunity to coach Adou Omot, the 2011 NCAA Division II 800-meter indoor and outdoor champion. At the close of the 2011 spring season the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) named Vahrenkamp the Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year for his efforts in just his second complete season with the Vikings.
 
Augustana's most recent success came in the 2011 cross country season when the women were able capture the NCAA National Title. In 2010 the Viking men finished sixth, their highest finish ever in school history, while the women took seventh. In track the Viking women won the indoor Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championship for the first time in school history before winning the outdoor title for the first time in 2011.
 
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 in Vermillion. While there he helped the men's indoor and women's outdoor teams become North Central Conference Champions in 2007. In 2008 the women were indoor and outdoor NCC Champions.
 
Vahrenkamp also spent three years at Rapid City Christian High School as the assistant track and field coach where he coached the state champion in the women's 3200.
 
Before joining the collegiate world of coaching 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. He then went on to attend the University of South Dakota where he was part of the North Central Conference Championship team during the 2005 indoor season and the 2006 indoor and outdoor seasons. He also became the 2005 NCC Champion in the pentathlon. The Coyotes finished fourth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2006.
 
Vahrenkamp holds a bachelor's degree in education which he obtained from The U in 2006. He also received his master's degree in history from there in 2008. In addition, he has earned the USTFCCCA Track and Field Technical Certification and the USATF Level One Track and Field Coaching Certification.
 
Director of Athletics Jeannie King is looking forward to welcoming the new addition to her staff commenting; “You will find Coach Vahrenkamp to be a very dynamic individual. He is incredibly passionate about his profession which he demonstrates through mentoring and developing high caliber student-athletes.” 
 
King closed saying, “His coaching and teaching experiences are both proven and impressive and I am extremely excited about the leadership he brings to our programs.”