NORTHFIELD, Minn. - St. Olaf College Head Men's Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Brian Power has stepped down from his position and Assistant Men's and Women's Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Luke Kopnick has been promoted to head men's cross country coach, as announced by St. Olaf Athletic Director Kelly Mahlum on Monday.
 
After a combined 13 seasons leading the St. Olaf College men's cross country and track and field programs, head coach Brian Power stepped down to accept a new position. Now in his fifth season at St. Olaf, Kopnick will step into the head men's cross country coach position, with the change effective April 1.
 
"Brian has made a meaningful impact on both the men's cross country and men's track & field programs during his time on the Hill," Mahlum said. "Through his tireless efforts, he has left a lasting mark on both programs, one that is clearly valued by his student-athletes and appreciated in Ole Athletics. I would like to thank Brian for not only his leadership during his time as an Ole, but for providing great mentorship to his assistant coaches to help prepare Luke for this new role as a head coach."
 
Power came to St. Olaf to lead the men's track and field program in August of 2019 and, after leading the program in the spring of 2020, was appointed as the head men's cross country coach in April 2020. He also served as the advisor of St. Olaf's Chi Alpha Sigma chapter, which he played an important role in establishing on campus.
 
During his six years (five seasons) leading the men's cross country program, Power guided the Oles to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) team titles in each of the last four seasons after a runner-up finish in 2021. His teams placed in the top 20 nationally in all five of his seasons, placing as high as eighth in 2024 among four top-15 performances. Under Power's leadership, St. Olaf was ranked in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) national poll every week of his tenure while producing five All-Americans, 17 USTFCCCA All-Region honorees, and 23 All-MIAC honorees. His cross country teams also earned USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors each season and had 19 USTFCCCA All-Academic Athletes.
 
In track and field, Power's teams finished no lower than third in the last nine MIAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships, including runner-up finishes indoors in 2024-25 and 2025-26 and outdoors in 2021-22 and 2022-23. In seven years, he coached a combined 24 national qualifiers in 26 events, 21 individual MIAC champions, three MIAC championship relays, and 17 All-Americans across the indoor and outdoor seasons.
 
"More than any championships or records, I have enjoyed the opportunity to help student-athletes build lifelong friendships, set and achieve goals they themselves didn't know they were capable of, and enjoy the college experience to the extent they remain lifelong runners after their time on the Hill," Power said. "Coach Luke has been a significant part of the Ole distance success for both genders during his time on the Hill. He has proven to be one of the top 800-meter coaches in the country, and I am confident he will continue to take the program to new heights."
 
After coming to St. Olaf following four seasons at the University of St. Thomas, where he was named the 2020 USTFCCCA Central Region Indoor Track & Field Assistant Coach of the Year, Kopnick has helped the St. Olaf men's and women's cross country programs qualify for the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships in each season and win a combined five MIAC team titles.
 
"Luke brings a wealth of coaching experience that will position this program for continued success on the national stage," Mahlum said. "I'm excited for our student-athletes to experience the ongoing growth of the program under his leadership, and I'm very pleased that he will continue with us on the Hill."
 
In track and field, Kopnick has played an important role with the mid-distance and distance runners, helping St. Olaf produce 16 men's and women's All-Americans in those events. The Oles have finished in the top four in both genders at the MIAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships throughout his time on staff, including seven runner-up team finishes. Most recently, five members of Kopnick's 800-meter group (four men, one woman) qualified for the 2026 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships, with all four men - the most national qualifiers in a single indoor event in program history - earning Second Team All-America honors.
 
"I am incredibly honored by the opportunity to lead the St. Olaf men's cross country program," Kopnick said. "As an assistant coach for the last four-plus years, I learned a lot from Coach Power and from the incredible tradition and culture of excellence in the program. Our goal is to continue to build on the tradition and culture that has made the Oles champions on the cross country course, in the classroom, and in their lives. I want to thank Kelly Mahlum and Coach Power for this opportunity. I truly believe St. Olaf is one of the best places in the country to be a runner. This program is special, and we will continue to give the best experience possible to our student-athletes."