Pine Bluff, Ark. – Head Coach Christopher McCoy has announced the hiring of Gabriel Crawford as the new Assistant Coach for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Men's and Women's Cross Country and Track & Field programs. Crawford enters his first season with the Golden Lions and will assist in all aspects of the program, including training, recruiting, and coaching across multiple event groups.

Crawford arrives in Pine Bluff following an eye-catching tenure as Head Coach at Highland Community College (KS), where he led both the men's and women's track and field programs. Widely known for his versatility, Crawford has coached sprints, hurdles, mid-distance, distance, jumps, and relays — a skillset that helped drive rapid program growth. In just two months, he expanded Highland's roster from 25 to 55 student-athletes, and under his leadership, the men's program earned the highest national ranking in school history at #14.

During his time at Highland, Crawford built an elite track record of athlete development, producing:
33 JUCO National Qualifiers
4 JUCO All-Americans
6 Academic All-Americans
14 active school record holders
A JUCO All-American 4x100 relay (40.28)
Athletes who qualified for the Jamaica Olympic Trials (46.73) and U20 100m Championships (11.70)

Crawford oversaw the breaking of multiple historic records — including five dating back to 1999 — and guided relay units to national prominence. His women's 4x100 relay finished Top-10 nationally in consecutive seasons, while the men's 4x100 relay secured a Top-8 national finish and earned All-American distinction.

Individually, Crawford coached standout performances across several events, including record marks in the:
60m – 6.56 (#2 all-time in JUCO history; former #1 national JUCO ranking)
200m (indoor) – 21.57
400m – 46.73 outdoor / 47.48 indoor (Top-6 national finisher)
800m (indoor) – 1:51.71
His sprint group also achieved a Top-25 world ranking in the 60m among professional competitors — one of the rarest accomplishments at the JUCO level.

A native of Conway, Arkansas, Crawford graduated from Conway High School in 2019 before competing collegiately at Mississippi Valley State University. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Health, Physical Education, and Recreation in 2023 with a 3.82 GPA, graduating as an honor scholar. As a student-athlete, he was named MVP and Athlete of the Year, competing in the 800m, 400m, and 4x400m relay under the guidance of three-time All-American and former SEC 400m Champion Alonzo Banks. Crawford also holds a USATF Level 1 certification.

Coach McCoy expressed enthusiasm for the newest addition to his staff: "Gabriel brings a rare combination of energy, technical knowledge, and proven success across multiple event groups. His ability to develop athletes at a high level is exceptional, and he's a perfect fit for the direction our program is headed."

Crawford begins his duties immediately as the Golden Lions prepare for the upcoming indoor season.