James Akita
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- Title:
- Head Coach
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- Phone:
- 847-735-6135
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- Email:
- jakita@lakeforest.edu
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James Akita was named the head coach of the Forester cross country and track programs in February of 2020. The 2021 cross country season will be his first at the College.
Forester runners broke five program records and Yaneli Guajardo earned All-Midwest Conference North Division honors in outdoor track in 2021, Akita's first season of competition since coming to Lake Forest.
Akita was the head men's cross country and track and field coach at Elmhurst College, his alma mater, from 2005 to 2019. Under his direction, Elmhurst athletes earned more than 100 All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin honors in the two sports combined. Individual Bluejays also achieved All-American status multiple times in both sports. Akita's programs were also successful academically, ranking among the top 25 in the nation in grade point average 10 times.
He also served as the interim head women's cross country and track coach on two different occasions during his time at Elmhurst and was also the school's intramural director for nine years.
Prior to joining the Elmhurst coaching staff, Akita served as a graduate assistant coach at Rockford College and earned his master's degree in teaching from Rockford in 2005. He also served as an assistant coach at Elmhurst during the 2002 cross country season.
A 2004 graduate of Elmhurst, Akita had a stand-out career as a member of both the cross country and track and field teams. He was a two-year team captain in both sports and earned eight all-conference honors during his career. Akita set five school records, captured a conference title in the 5,000 meter run in 2001, and qualified for a pair of NCAA Championship Meets in track and field. He was also a Jack Swartz Academic All-Conference selection.
Akita grew up in Elmhurst and attended York High School. He now resides in Lombard, Illinois.
