Joseph Minor is in his first season as an assistant coach for the St. Olaf men's and women's cross country programs in 2026-27 after being hired in August 2026.
Minor joined the coaching staff at St. Olaf after two and a half years as a volunteer assistant cross country and track and field coach at the University of Minnesota. In that role, he supported the head coaches in the development and implementation of training plans, daily practices, travel logistics, meet organization, and NCAA compliance. He also assisted with recruiting by supporting all aspects of a prospect's time on campus during an official visit.
During his time with the programs, Minor contributed to the development of multiple Big Ten medalists and NCAA qualifiers over three track and field seasons, as well as multiple Big Ten medalists during two cross country seasons. He was also part of the coaching staff for the women's track and field team that won the 2024 Big Ten outdoor title and the 2025 women's cross country team that qualified for the NCAA Championship.
During his collegiate running career, Minor played a key role in one of the most successful eras in South Dakota State Unviersity men's cross country history, contributing to five Summit League team titles and two indoor track and field team titles. Individually, he won nine Summit League titles and qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships First Round in both the 5,000-meter run and 10,000-meter run.
Following his decorated career, Minor ran professionally for Minnesota Distance Elite (MDE), racing at the USATF Championships in the 5K, 20K, and 10-mile distances.Â
