Jake Stewart returns for his third year as assistant coach of the men's and women's cross country and track and field programs at his alma mater. The December 2005 graduate, continues to serve as the programs Midwest and Northwest recruiting coordinator.
During Stewart's time at Iona, the men's cross country program has enjoyed unprecedented success with two top three finishes at the NCAA Championship. In his first season, the Maroon & Gold finished third overall only to better it a year later with a runner up performance. The second place finish in 2007 marked the highest finish of any athletic program in the history of Iona College. The Gaels have also won back-to-back Northeast Regional titles and MAAC Championships. The conference streak has now extended 17 straight, the third longest active streak in Division I. The men's program has also excelled in the classroom, earning NCAA Division I Men’s All-Academic Cross Country Team of the Year in both 2006 and 2007. The women's program has also enjoyed success with MAAC Championships in both seasons with Stewart as an assistant. In 2006, the squad earned an automatic bid into the the NCAA Championship for the first time in school history with a second place finish at regionals.
In his two short years back in New Rochelle, Stewart has helped coach four athletes who have represented their country in the World Cross Country Championships, eight All-Americans in both Cross Country and Track & Field, 10 athletes who have qualified for NCAA Track & Field Championships and 26 MAAC Champions in both indoor and outdoor track.
Stewart was a member of the Iona squad from 2002 through 2005 and was a part of four MAAC Championship teams, three Northeast Regional Championship teams and four teams that finished in the top 10 at the NCAA National Championships. He served as a team captain for the Gaels in 2005 on the way to a fourth place finish at the national championship. He holds the honor as the first walk on in Gael History to hold the honor of being team captain.
In the spring of 2006, Stewart was an assistant track coach at Western Oregon University. While at Western Oregon, he worked primarily with the Distance program. Four of his athletes provisionally qualified for the Division II National Championships. He was also the Western United States recruiting coordinator, and in his brief time at Western Oregon he helped bring in one of the deepest recruiting classes in the programs history.
Stewart is a USATF Level I Certified coach.
A native of Kelso, WA, Stewart married to his wife Brandi in August 2008. They reside in Rye, NY.
