Franz Holmes joined the Lipscomb University Track and Field and Cross-Country program prior to the start of the 2018-2019 season. Coach Holmes serves as the assistant coach at Lipscomb, primarily working with cross-country and middle-distance athletes. Along with coaching, Holmes serves as the recruiting coordinator for the program.
Holmes has helped the Bisons produce four consecutive NCAA DI Cross Country Championship Individual Qualifiers (Brent Leber 2019, Courtney Brenner 2021, Grant O'Callaghan 2021, Lydia Miller 2022) before helping coach the women's cross country team to their first team appearance at the national meet in 2023. The squad earned 11th place out of 31 teams with 353 points behind Lydia Miller's program-record-setting 38th place finish from a time of 20:06.3 to claim the highest finish by any Lipscomb runner at the meet in program history and the second-best finish by a women's runner from the Atlantic Sun in conference history.
Prior to Lipscomb, Holmes was an assistant coach at Georgia Southern University for four years. During his time there, Holmes led a resurgence in distance and Cross-Country with the Eagles breaking eleven school records in three years and practically rewriting the record book in the distance events by capturing multiple top five all-time program performances in events ranging from the 800 meters to the 5000 meters. While at GSU, the team also broke multiple record times in the indoor Mile, 3000m, 5000m, steeplechase, as well as earning two third-place record performances in the distance medley relay.
In Cross-Country, the Eagles placed the highest ever at conference under Holmes. They also competed in three consecutive Cross-Country regionals as a team, a program first, while breaking the school team record and individual record for performance on a 6K course his final year. In the classroom during Holmes tenure, the Eagles achieved a program high GPA of 3.25, produced four Academic All-American teams and were recognized by the NCAA for achieving a perfect 1000 APR score, all program firsts as well.
Holmes has also coached at Middle Tennessee State University and Tennessee State University, his Alma Mater. While being a part of both the MTSU and TSU coaching staffs, 99 student-athletes were conference finalists with twenty-six winning individual titles. In the extremely competitive East Region, nineteen qualified for the NCAA preliminary round with seven advancing to NCAA National competition and two earning All-American honors.
Coach Holmes became a US Paralympic Guide Runner for Visually Impaired Athletes in 2009-2014. As a member of the United States Paralympic Staff, he helped coach three Paralympic national champions and two 2012 finalists.
Holmes is a student of the sport and throughout his ten years of Division I coaching, Holmes has earned numerous certifications. He started his coaching education journey with a Level 1 USA Track & Field certification, and has since advanced to a Level 1 Instructor. Some of his certifications include: IAAF Level V Youth Specialization, USATF Level II Endurance, USATF Level II Sprints/Hurdles/Relays, USTFCCCA Strength & Conditioning Specialist, and Level I USA Triathlon. In addition, he was also selected to attend the USTF Emerging Elite Camps for both Sprints and Endurance.
A Nashvillian, Holmes attended Tennessee State on a full Presidential Scholarship and graduated, with honors, in 2008 with his bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science. He completed his master’s degree in Exercise Science in 2010. A former walk-on, he was named captain of the Tigers’ team his final year, advancing to the 400m finals at the Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Championships and was the Tennessee State nominee for the 2008 OVC scholar-athlete award. He is married to Alishia Holmes, and they reside in Nashville, Tennessee area.
