Russ Jewett

Senior Associate Athletic Director/
   Head Track & Field/Cross Country Coach

For more than two decades, Russ Jewett has directed the men’s and women’s cross country and track & field programs at Pittsburg State University, leading each of the squads to its share of conference-level and national success.

He begins his 26th season as the head women’s cross country coach and 23rd season directing the men’s team.  Jewett starts his 25th season directing the men’s track & field program and 26th year directing the women’s program. In addition to his coaching duties, Jewett has served as an assistant athletic director for the past 23 years, recently assuming the role of Senior Associate Athletic Director.

In cross country, Jewett has led the PSU women to seven MIAA titles and eight trips to the NCAA Division II National Championships. While the PSU men have not garnered an MIAA title, the Gorillas have made five NCAA-II National Championships appearances, including three straight trips from 2007-09.

In track & field, Jewett has guided the Gorilla men to seven Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association titles and the PSU women to six league crowns in PSU’s 22 years in the conference, as well as annual finishes among the top 30 teams in NCAA Division II.

Jewett, the 1995 NCAA Division II Women’s Indoor National Coach of the Year, has been honored as MIAA Coach of the Year 27 times since PSU joined the league in 1989, more than any other conference coach during that span.  Most recently he was named the 2010 MIAA Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year after leading the Gorillas to the conference crown last fall.

The women’s cross country team has captured MIAA titles in 1991, 1992, 1993, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2010.
The PSU women own MIAA outdoor titles from 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 and 2004.  The Gorilla women also garnered MIAA indoor titles in 1993 and 1996.

His men’s track & field squad captured the MIAA outdoor titles in 1990, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000 and 2005.  PSU also has won MIAA indoor titles in 1993 and 1995.

In addition to team success, Gorilla track & field and cross country student-athletes have earned NCAA Division II All-America honors on 188 occasions under Jewett, including 24 individual event national champions in the sports.

In men’s track & field, the Gorillas have placed among the top 30 teams in NCAA Division II in 17 of the past 22 years under Jewett.  PSU has placed among the top 10 teams five times during the outdoor season and four times indoors.

In women’s track & field, PSU has placed among the top 30 teams 16 times in the last 22 years during the outdoor season (12 times, indoors). The Gorillas have one top 10 outdoor finish and two top 10 indoor finishes during that span.

In 2010, the Pitt State men placed ninth outdoors and sixth overall indoors – the best indoor finish in school history.  The Pitt State women enjoyed a pair of top 25 finishes as well. The women’s cross country team captured the MIAA Championship en route to a 12th-place finish at nationals.

In 2009, the Pitt State men placed in a tie for sixth place outdoors – the second-best finish in school history, while the Gorillas placed eighth overall indoors.  The PSU men’s cross country team also placed in a tie for 18th place at the NCAA-II National Championships.

In 2008, the PSU men placed in a tie for 24th place at the NCAA-II National Championships.  The PSU men’s cross country team also placed in a tie for 17th place at the NCAA-II National Championships, while the PSU women placed 18th at NCAA-II nationals.

In 2007, the PSU men placed 22nd at the NCAA-II Indoor National Championships, while the women finished in a tie for 18th place both indoors and outdoors.  The PSU men’s cross country team also placed 18th at the NCAA-II National Championships.

In 2006, the PSU men placed 12th at the NCAA-II Outdoor National Championships (21st indoors), while the women placed 14th at NCAA-II Indoor Nationals (19th outdoors).  The PSU women’s cross country team also placed 22nd at the NCAA-II National Championships.

In 2005, the PSU men placed in a tie for 18th at the NCAA-II Outdoor National Championships, while the PSU women narrowly missed a top 30 national finish.

In 2004, the Gorilla women’s track & field squad placed 20th at the NCAA-II Outdoor National Championships, while the men had four individual qualifiers for the championships.

In 2003, the PSU women’s cross country team won their third straight MIAA crown and placed 18th at Nationals. The Gorilla women’s track & field squad placed 21st at the NCAA-II Outdoor National Championships, while the men finished just outside of the top 30 at the NCAA-II Indoor Meet.

In 2002, the PSU women’s track & field team placed 12th at the NCAA-II Outdoor National Championships, while the Gorilla men’s track & field squad placed 13th at outdoor nationals. It marked the eighth straight year a Gorilla squad had placed in the top 20 nationally. The women’s cross country team also placed 13th at nationals.

The 2001 season was highlighted by the PSU women’s 17th-place showing at the NCAA-II Outdoor National Championships, while the women’s cross country team placed in a tie for 15th place at nationals.

In 2000, the PSU men placed 14th at the NCAA Division II Outdoor National Championships – the sixth straight year the PSU men placed in the Top 20 and the women’s cross country team placed 12th at nationals – PSU’s first top 20 cross country finish in seven years.

In 1999, the PSU men’s team placed fourth at the NCAA-II Outdoor National Championships, matching the best-ever outdoor finish for a PSU squad in national competition. Meanwhile, the women continued their success, finishing 14th at the NCAA-II National Championships.

In 1998, the men’s cross country team recorded its first top 20 national finish in six years with a 15th-place showing.

In 1997, the men’s track team earned a top 10 national finish placing in a tie for seventh place at the NCAA-II Outdoor National Championships.

In 1996, Jewett led the PSU men to a pair of top 12 finishes at the NCAA Division II Indoor and Outdoor Championships, placing seventh at the indoor nationals and 11th at the outdoor championships.

In 1995, the Gorilla men placed third at the NCAA-II Indoor National Championships – the highest national finish ever by a PSU squad. PSU followed that up with a fifth-place finish at outdoor nationals.

The 1993 season was highlighted by the women’s highest national outdoor finish – a seventh-place tie – after a ninth-place tie at indoor nationals.

In 1992, the women’s cross country team made its first trip to the NCAA-II National Championships, placing seventh. That followed a 10th-place national outdoor track showing that year.

In 1991, the men’s cross country team made its first NCAA-II nationals appearance, placing 15th overall and the women’s outdoor track team finished 15th that year.

A native of Olathe, Kan., Jewett graduated cum laude from PSU in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and mathematics. He was a three-time CSIC champion hurdler and an All-American decathlete in 1982, placing second at the NAIA Outdoor National Championships.

Jewett also is in his 22nd year serving as an assistant athletic director at Pittsburg State, including his second year as Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations.

He served as the chair of the NCAA Track & Field Committee, which oversees all levels of NCAA Track & Field competition (Division I, II, & III), from 2005-06.

Russ’ wife, Janice, is an instructor in the Health, Human Performance and Recreation Department at PSU. The couple have a daughter, Sarah, 16, and a son, Will, 13.