Erik Stevens - Cross Country Coach - University of North Texas Athletics

Erik Stevens

Title:
Assistant Coach (Distance)
Email:
Larry.Stevens@unt.edu
Phone:
940-565-2641
Alma Mater:
Arizona, 2005

Erik Stevens was announced as North Texas Track & Field Assistant Coach on August 9, 2022.

Stevens serves as head coach of the UNT Cross Country teams, while also working with the distance runners on the track. Since taking over the cross country program, Stevens has seen Victor Neiva become one of the best runners in program history, holding both the 8K and 10K school records and making two appearances at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. In 2023, the Mean Green took major steps forward in cross country as the men placed 12th at the regional meet after finishing 24th in 2022. The women's team made similar strides finishing 16th, marking their highest finish at the meet since 2018.

The 2024-25 athletic year was one of the best in recent memory for Mean Green cross country and distance runners. Led by a trio of transfers, the women's cross country team placed fifth at the conference meet, marking it's highest finish since 2017. Betty Bajika and Ximena Lopez de Escalera collected all-conference honors, while Neiva went on to become the first runner in program history to earn four career all-region finishes. Stevens' also played an integral role in the recruitment and coaching of highly-touted transfer London Culbreath, who won the 1,500 meters at the AAC Outdoor Championships.

He came to the Mean Green from Texas State, where he led the men’s cross country team to a fourth-place finish at the Sun Belt Championships in his first and only season in San Marcos. His top finisher on the men’s side, Kwanele Mthembu, placed third individually at the conference meet and went on to finish as the runner-up at the NCAA South Central Regional Championships to qualify for the NCAA Cross Country Championships.

Stevens saw several podium finishers as the Bobcats finished second on both the men’s and women’s sides at the Sun Belt Indoor Championships and third and fourth, respectively, at the Sun Belt Outdoor Championships.

A graduate of the University of Arizona (2005) Stevens started his coaching career at in Centennial, CO at Arapahoe High School. While there he helped rebuild the boys’ and girls’ cross country program to a perennial state championship contender. In his time as the head coach of the Warriors he led the women’s program to three consecutive Centennial League championships, and five straight regional championships. On the track he guided Connor Winter to six consecutive state titles (800m, 1600m, 3200m). After 5 years at Arapahoe Stevens joined UCLA Track and Field and Cross Country as a volunteer assistant coach in 2013. While at UCLA he assisted in bringing several athletes to NCAA and USA Championship levels of competition. After 3 seasons assisting Forest Braden and helping lead both the men and women to the NCAA cross country championships in 2013, he stepped away from the college ranks to coach at the high school level again. He returned to Colorado and again helped to bring prominence back to two different programs in three years. In his two final years coaching at Vista Ridge High School in Colorado Springs, Stevens led the program to a dominating performance while winning its first state championship in school history.

Wanting to be back in the collegiate ranks, Stevens joined the coaching staff at the University of Georgia in 2018. While working under Coach Patrick Cunniff he continued to develop his coaching philosophy and add to his understanding and passion to bring athletes to their highest level of development.

Stevens spent the 2021 cross country, indoor and outdoor seasons with Florida State University as a volunteer assistant in charge of developing the 800m program.

In total Stevens has coached eight years at the NCAA Division I level.