Lake Forest College Director of Athletics Nicki Pieart announced Friday that Patrick Austin would serve as the acting head coach of the Forester track program for the 2022 outdoor season. He replaces James Akita, who recently accepted a position as the head cross country and assistant track and field coach at the University of Minnesota-Morris.
Austin joined the staff as assistant track and cross country coach prior to the indoor season and will assume the position of acting head track coach on Tuesday.
As a national qualifier in cross country and former school record-holder in the indoor 3000m and 5000m at Elmhurst University, Austin still ranks among the program's all-time leaders in several events. He earned his bacherlor's degree in exercise science from Elmhurst in 2011.
Austin's experience in coaching track and cross country includes a year as a graduate assistant at the University of Redlands in Redlands, California, and a season as an assistant cross country coach at Yorkville High School in Yorkville, Illinois. In 2012 the Yorkville girls won the 2A State Championship and the boys finished third.
In addition to coaching at the high school and college level, Austin was a tactical athlete coach at Naval Special Warfare Preparatory School in Great Lakes, Illinois, from 2013 to 2021. During his tenure Austin trained Naval Special Warfare Candidates on gait analysis, injury prevention, and other aspects of training and run performance.
"Human performance is a lifelong passion for me and being able to apply it on a day-to-day basis has always been my dream," explained Austin. "I look forward to providing the members of the Forester track program with all the necessary tools and knowledge to exceed expectations from an athletic standpoint while continuing their academic excellence. I'm truly excited to be part of the community at Lake Forest College!"
"Pat's deep knowledge of training and running performance coupled with his passion for coaching make him well suited to take over the head coaching duties for the 2022 track season, noted Pieart. "I am confident that his excitement for the sport and for Lake Forest College will have an immediate impact on the team."
A national search for the program's next head coach will begin in May.
