Christopher Covert is in entering his fifth year as head women's cross country/track and field coach at Southern Connecticut State University in 2011-12. He spent the previous three years as an assistant coach with the Owls men's program.
Covert guided the Owls to the 2008 Northeast-10 indoor and outdoor track and field team titles, as well as the team’s first-ever top-three finish at the New England Championships. Southern Connecticut finished higher than nine Division I programs at last year’s New England Outdoor Championships.
For his efforts, Covert was named as the 2008 Regional Coach of the Year in both indoor and outdoor track by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. He was also selected as the 2008 Northeast-10 Conference Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year. The individual accomplishments put up under Covert’s guidance in 2007-08 were nothing short of spectacular.
He coached one All-American, two USTFCCCA Regional Athletes of the Year and two Northeast-10 Conference Most Outstanding Performers. The Owls also produced a total of 22 All-New England individual performances, along with three All-New England efforts from relay squads. Southern Connecticut also won a total of 19 events at the Northeast-10 track and field championships - by 12 different individuals.
Covert also coached one Academic All-America nominee and one Northeast-10 Conference Track and Field All-Academic Team selection.
This summer, Covert was named to the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association's executive committe.
Prior to taking over duties as head coach, Covert spent the previous three years as an assistant coach with the SCSU men’s cross country/track and field program.
Covert made an indelible impact on the men’s program at SCSU from 2004-07. From an individual standpoint, he coached 20 All-Americans, 66 Northeast-10 Champions and five New England Champions during that stretch. Two SCSU student-athletes also took home the NCAA Division II Track Regional Athlete of the Year Award, with another earning the NCAA Division II Cross Country Regional Athlete of the Year Award. He also coached one NCAA Division II Cross Country Regional Champion.
In addition, Covert played a hand in three Northeast-10 Conference Team Championships.
Prior to joining the staff at SCSU, Covert worked in the athletic department at his alma mater, Cal State-Fullerton, for three years. As a member of the athletic facilities and event management staff, he assisted with the game operations for numerous sports, including soccer, baseball and track and field.
Covert was a two-year letterwinner in track and cross country at CSUF and served as team captain in 2003-04. He earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology in 2004 from CSUF. He is also a Southern Connecticut alumnus, as he added a master’s degree in exercise science in 2006.
