Kunle Lawson
Director of Cross Country/Track & Field
614-236-6919
klawson@capital.edu
Kunle Lawson, a former NCAA Division III student-athlete and assistant coach with more than 15 years of track & field experience at the college level, was named Capital University head men's and women's track & field coach on Sept. 7, 2011. He was promoted to director of cross country/track & field in July 2012.
In his first season at the helm, Lawson guided the Crusader women to fifth-place finishes at both the OAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships. The women won the Capital Challenge (Jan. 14) and placed second at the Division III All-Ohio Championships (Feb. 11). The Capital men placed 10th at both conference meets and were victorious at the Capital Challenge (Jan. 14) and the Mount St. Joseph (Outdoor) Invitational (March 23). Lawson helped coach junior Joshua Woods to a berth in the long jump at the NCAA Division III Championships in Claremont, Calif., where he finished 19th. Overall, the teams set 12 new indoor school records and three new outdoor records.
Prior to Capital, Lawson had served as assistant track & field/cross country coach at the University of Richmond since 2007. While at Richmond, Lawson mentored several conference champions, as well as a handful of regional and national qualifiers, in a number of events.
As a student-athlete, he was a two-time Old Dominion Athletic Conference champion in the discus during his four-year career at Lynchburg (Va.) College.
Prior to Richmond, Lawson held assistant coaching positions at the Ohio University (2005-07) and Lynchburg (1997-2003).
Lawson also has a variety of experiences in strength & conditioning, serving short stints with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs minor league affiliates in 2004 and 2005, respectively.
Lawson earned a bachelor’s in business management from Lynchburg in 1997, and returned to the school to earn a bachelor’s in exercise physiology in 2005. He received his master’s in coaching education from Ohio University in 2007.
Lawson holds several certifications from various organizations, including a USA Track & Field Level II Certification in throws, jumps and combined events.