Steve Guymon to lead Ouachita women’s cross country and competitive club sports
April 24, 2019
- Brooke ZimnyOuachita Baptist University announced that Steve Guymon has been hired as head women’s cross country coach and director of competitive club sports. He previously served as head coach for track and cross country at Harding University since 2002.
Steve Guymon
“Coach Guymon’s experience, knowledge and skills will serve our athletic program well,”
said David Sharp, Ouachita director of athletics. “His coaching record speaks for
itself, and his connections in the sports of cross country and track will have an
immediate impact on our program. I am excited for our student-athletes and look forward
to seeing our program grow.”
“I’m most excited about leaving one great program at a really good, Christian organization
and going into another one,” Guymon said. “God amuses me at times how He works things
out. I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to work at both places, and I’m looking
forward to seeing what He has in store for me at Ouachita.”
At Harding, Guymon led the men’s and women’s track and cross country teams, building
the program from 19 students in 2002 to 92 this year. He also served as professor
of kinesiology at Harding and has served as president, first vice president and second
vice president of the United States Track Coaches Association. He also is a member
of the Arkansas Track Coaches Association and Arkansas Activities Association and
has served as an NCAA South Region Representative and member of the NCAA Sports Connection
Committee.
As track coach at Harding, he was named conference Coach of the Year 28 times and
NCAA South Region Coach of the Year 12 times, and his teams won 25 conference championships,
with 20 of those in cross country. His cross country and track student athletes earned
110 All-American honors. He coached 10 top-10 finishes in the NCAA Division II Cross
Country Championships, and his track teams qualified for national meets 41 times.
“Steve Guymon understands Christian higher education, leads a top program in the region,
and we know he’ll advance women’s cross country at Ouachita,” said Dr. Ben Sells,
Ouachita president. “Additionally, he’ll give important leadership to a new program
in competitive club sports.”
In American higher education, 2 million students are involved in competitive club
sports. Ouachita has a competitive fishing club, is preparing to launch a rowing club
and is exploring other opportunities. Guymon will give overall leadership to these
efforts.
“I’m ready for a new challenge, and I think Ouachita Baptist is a great place to experience
that,” Guymon said. “I already appreciate the support and teamwork I’ve seen at Ouachita.
I’m really looking forward to working with Dr. Sells and Coach Sharp to build something
great.”
Previously, Guymon served as head track and cross country coach and teacher at Cordova
High School (CHS) in Tennessee, head assistant track coach at the University of Kansas
and as track and football coach and teacher at Harding Academy. At CHS, his teams
earned two top-3 finishes in the state championship and two sectional championships.
He was named Region 7 Coach of the Year four times and CHS Teacher of the Year three
times. At Kansas, he coached one individual national champion, two U.S. record holders,
one U.S. Olympic team member and 15 conference champions, 15 All Americans and 16
school record holders.
Guymon earned his Master of Science in Education degree from the University of Kansas
and Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Oklahoma Christian University. He
currently is pursuing a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Harding
University. He and his wife, Julie, have four sons, Michael (wife, Rhen), Corey (wife,
Rachel), Austin (a current Ouachita student) and B.J., and one daughter, Hallie (a
current Harding student).
By Brooke Zimny // Photos courtesy of Scott Goode, Harding University.
April 24, 2019
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