Coach Steve joined SWOCC in December of 2022. In his first season he guided the 2023 Men’s Cross Country Team to 4th place in the NWAC, including Freshman All-American Justus Jackson (4th Place); earning Southern Region Men’s Coach of the Year honors. In 2024 the Men finished 5th in team scoring while the first Women’s team narrowly missed having a scoring group.
2025 saw the hard work of building the program start to blossom with a class of stellar recruits. The Men were Southern Region Runners-up and the Women claimed the Region Championship (26 points) with freshman Lydia Montes De Oca as Regional Champ. At Conference Championship the Men would achieve the podium in 3rd place for the highest finish in school history since joining the NWAC in 1970. Meanwhile the Women would hold their team ranking winning the programs first NWAC Championship (45 points) with 5 freshmen, behind overall winner Taylor Dickey (Runner of the Year, All-American) and Lydia Montes De Oca in second (All-American).
Prior to Southwestern, Coach Steve was Head Coach of Cross Country at Marshfield High School (Coos Bay, OR) for 8 seasons. While at Marshfield he led the Boys team to the State Meet in 2016, 2017, and 2022. Standout XC State athletes include Kaylee Delzotti (9th), 4 Time State podium finisher Jazmin Chavez (9th, 5th, 3rd, 6th), Aaron Prince (11th), and two-time 4A State Champion Alexander Garcia-Silver. Garcia-Silver set the 4A State Course Record 15:22 and the Prefontaine Memorial 5k course record (14:45). He was the Nike Portland Jim Danner Boys Champion (14:55) and was an All-American at the Nike Cross Nationals (17th Place 15:20). He is also the U18 Colombian National Record holder in the Track 5k (14:40) and the U18 South American Games 3k Champion.
Coach Steve has coached Jumps, Sprints, Hurdles, Relays, and Distance for the Marshfield Track & Field Team as an Assistant Coach since 2016. Top performers have included Isaac Smith, Boys Runner-up (6-5) and Jaycee Smith, Girls 3rd place (5-3) in the High Jump and Ravyn Miranda, Girls Runner-up in the Long Jump (16’ 10.5”). In 2022 and 2023 Steve coached all running events for the track program. The seasons culminated in back-to-back 4A State Team Title for the Boys. 2022 scorers coached by Steve included Ismael Rodriguez (6th Place 800), Alexander
Garcia-Silver (2nd Place in the 3000 & 1500), Boys 4x100 (2nd Place), and Boys 4x400 (3rd Place). 2023 Scorers coached by Steve Included Alexander Garcia-Silver (1st Place in 3000 with new State Meet Record of 8:31.08 & 1st Place in the 1500, 4:03.68), Bodey Lutes (1st place in the 400m with a new State Meet Record of 48.29 & Runner Up in the 800m) and the Boys 4x400 (1st Place 3:26.27, 3rd fastest in school history).
Steve holds coaching certifications from USATF (Level One) and the USTFCCCA. He is a Prefontaine Memorial Run Committee Member. He is a native Oregonian (North Medford HS) and competed in Cross Country, Track & Field, and competitive road cycling. Steve also serves the college as the Director of Student Life and Recreation; working with the Rec Center staff and student government and clubs on campus. He and his wife Karla have three children, Hannah, Gabriel, and Elizabeth.
