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From Division III runner to one of the most respected coaches in the NCAA, Sean Carlson has never stopped leveling up.

Heading into his second season as Director of Cross Country & Track and Field at the University of Colorado, his journey is a story of persistence, vision, and transformation.

From his days as a Division III All-American at North Central College, he climbed the coaching ladder at Notre Dame, where he built a powerhouse: guiding Yared Nuguse to an NCAA title and record, leading a men’s team to a runner-up finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, and capturing a DMR national championship (2019 indoor) along the way.

In 2022, Sean brought that same energy to Tennessee, where he led Dylan Jacobs to an NCAA 5,000m title and took the women’s team back to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2006 — finishing an incredible sixth place in the nation.

And now, as of 2024, he’s at the helm of one of the sport’s most storied programs in Boulder. In just his first year, he’salready making an impact–with Colorado athletes setting school records, earning All-American honors, and bringing fresh momentum to a program with legendary tradition.

We’re looking into Sean’s philosophy of athlete empowerment and culture-building, the challenges of navigating today’sNCAA landscape, and what excites him most as Colorado heads into his second cross-country season under his leadership.

In today's conversation, Coach Sean Carlson takes me through his principles of success and winning, rebuilding programs, how to coach champions, his thoughts on the new NCAA, and how all of the recent changes will affect the sport, and so much more.

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