John Hartpence is in his third year at St. Olaf in 2026-27 and serves as a full-time assistant coach for the men's and women's track and field programs. He previously served two seasons as an assistant coach for the men's cross country and track and field programs after being hired in September 2024.
In his two seasons on staff for the men's cross country program, St. Olaf extended its streak to four consecutive Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) team titles by winning the conference crown in both 2024 and 2025. The Oles also finished eighth (2024) and 13th (2025), respectively, at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships, with the eighth-place finish being the program's highest placement since 2015.
The St. Olaf men's track and field team posted three runner-up performances and one third-place finish in the conference over the last two seasons. St. Olaf also produced a total of 12 national qualifiers in 13 events, with 12 of those qualifiers earning All-America honors.
After transitioning to a role with the men's and women's track and field programs ahead of the 2026 outdoor season, Hartpence helped guide both programs to top-three finishes at the MIAC Outdoor Championships. The men's team finished tied for 21st at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships thanks to top-four national finishes from Max Albertson '27 and Kevin Turlington '26.
Hartpence came to St. Olaf with 25 years of experience at the NCAA Division III level, including leading teams to 10 team conference championships and 16 runner-up finishes. Across his previous stops, his programs had produced 14 All-American awards by nine different student-athletes in nine different events. Hartpence guided seven different student-athletes to 12 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Regional Athlete of the Year awards and directed national qualifiers in 16 different events, while coaching over 130 individual conference titles. He is a two-time USTFCCCA Regional Coach of the Year, a two-time Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Coaching Staff of the Year member, and a two-time Empire 8 Conference Coaching Staff of the Year member.
Â
Prior to coming to the Hill, Hartpence was an assistant coach for the men's and women's track and field and cross country programs at Utica University. There, he designed training and competition programs for all student-athletes competing in sprint, jump, hurdle, and multi-events, while supervising three part-time coaches in the implementation of the programs. Over three years at Utica, the Pioneers won 35 individual Empire 8 Conference titles, eight Empire 8 Championship Performers of the Meet, and three Empire 8 Most Outstanding Freshman awards. He coached national qualifiers in the 400-meter dash, triple jump, and high jump, as well as 24 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region selections. The men's outdoor track and field teams won Empire 8 Conference titles in 2022 and 2024 and 17 school records fell under his watch.
Â
Before Utica, Hartpence was an assistant coach for the men's and women's track and field and cross country programs at Hamilton College for six seasons from 2015-21, working primarily with the sprint, hurdle, jumps, and multi-event athletes. He coached three national qualifiers in the 200-meter dash and one in the 400-meter dash, as well as New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) champions in the 200-meter dash, 400-meter dash, and 4x100-meter relay. While he was at Hamilton, his student-athletes broke school records in nine different events.
Â
Hartpence was also the head coach at Defiance College from 2007-15 and the head track and field coach at Dickinson College from 2000-07. He completed a USA Track & Field (USATF) Level 1 coaching certification course and has been a USATF Level 1 coaching education instructor since 2010. He is a USATF Level 1-certified track and field coach and is Level 2-certified for the throwing and jumping events. Hartpence holds a bachelor's degree from SUNY Cortland and a master's degree in health and human performance from the University of Montana.
