Staff Directory
- Title:
- Director of Cross Country and Track & Field
- Email:
- Phone:
- (615)-966-7152
Nick Polk is entering his eighth season as the Director of Cross Country and Track & Field at Lipscomb University after being hired in June 2019.
During his tenure at Lipscomb, Polk has elevated the Bisons into one of the premier cross country and track & field programs in the ASUN Conference. He has coached three of Lipscomb's first four NCAA Division I All-Americans in any sport—Shane Streich (800 meters, 2021), Jonathan Schwind (800 meters, 2022), and Lydia Miller (cross country, 2023). Under his leadership, the program has also become nationally recognized in the middle-distance events, producing five sub-four-minute milers: Levi Streeval (3:55.27), Shane Streich (3:58.03), James Schmidt (3:58.02), Wesley Meyer (3:59.69), and Max Hooper (3:59.89).
Polk has coached four NCAA Division I Cross Country Championship individual qualifiers before leading the Lipscomb women's cross country team to its first NCAA Division I Women's Cross Country Championship team appearance in program history in 2023. The Bisons finished 11th nationally among 31 teams behind Lydia Miller's program-record 38th-place finish, marking the highest finish by a Lipscomb runner at the NCAA Championships and the second-highest finish by an Atlantic Sun Conference women's runner in league history.
Since arriving in Nashville, Polk has guided the women's cross country program to four consecutive ASUN Championships while helping the men's and women's programs consistently compete among the conference's elite. His student-athletes have earned NCAA East First Round berths, conference championships across cross country, indoor and outdoor track & field, numerous school records, and more than 100 ASUN postseason honors.
Polk has overseen unprecedented growth across every event group within the program. While Lipscomb has long been known for its distance tradition, the Bisons have also emerged as conference contenders in the sprints, hurdles, relays, and field events, producing ASUN champions, NCAA qualifiers, and program record holders across multiple disciplines.
Polk was named the ASUN Men's and Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2019 after leading the Bisons to both conference championships while Brent Leber became the first athlete in program history to qualify for the NCAA Cross Country Championships.
He earned ASUN Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year honors again in 2022 after guiding Lydia Miller to the NCAA Division I Women's Cross Country Championships, where she recorded the highest finish by a Lipscomb runner in program history at the time.
Following another dominant performance at the 2023 ASUN Cross Country Championships, Polk earned his third ASUN Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year award. Kiara Carter and Harley Kletz swept the conference's top individual honors as the Women's Runner of the Year and Women's Freshman of the Year, respectively. The program has continued to build on that success in the seasons since, highlighted by four consecutive women's conference championships and continued excellence across all three seasons.
Prior to arriving at Lipscomb, Polk spent two years as the Sports Science and Medicine Manager at USA Track & Field. In that role, he oversaw the USATF Talent Protection Program, managed Sports Performance Workshops in conjunction with leading track and field sports scientists, administered USATF High Performance Programs, and coordinated IAAF Diamond League Medical Services across 13 countries.
Before his time with USATF, Polk spent seven years on collegiate cross country and track and field staffs across the country.
During three seasons leading the cross country program at Elon University, Polk guided the Phoenix to 12 all-conference honors, three consecutive Colonial Athletic Association men's individual champions, and the program's first NCAA All-American in Luis Vargas.
In 2014, Polk coached Vargas to the finest season in Elon cross country history. Vargas became the program's first NCAA All-American after finishing in the top 25 at the NCAA Championships. Prior to the national meet, he went undefeated in six races while earning the CAA Men's Cross Country Championship, CAA Athlete of the Year honors, and NCAA Southeast Region Athlete of the Year recognition.
A three-time NCAA Division II All-American and national champion at Grand Valley State University, Polk spent three seasons (2011-13) as an assistant cross country and track & field coach at his alma mater. During his tenure, he helped coach 43 All-Americans while contributing to numerous NCAA and school records.
Polk helped guide Grand Valley State's women's cross country team to back-to-back NCAA Division II national championships in 2012 and 2013 while also helping the Lakers capture NCAA Division II women's indoor and outdoor national championships in 2012. He coached multiple NCAA record holders, including Rachel Patterson in the 5,000 meters, the distance medley relay squad, and Betsy Graney in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Prior to returning to Grand Valley State as a coach, Polk competed professionally for ZAP Fitness from 2009-10 while serving as a graduate assistant coach at John Carroll University in 2011. He has also worked in various capacities for Nike and USA Track & Field.
As a student-athlete at Grand Valley State, Polk earned three NCAA Division II All-America honors, helped lead the Lakers' distance medley relay team to the 2008 NCAA national championship, and held school records in the 1,500 and 10,000 meters.
The Indianapolis native holds USATF Level I, II, and III coaching certifications and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). He earned a bachelor's degree in business economics from Grand Valley State University in 2008 before completing his Master of Business Administration at Lipscomb University in 2023.
Polk and his wife, Tauri, have two daughters, Mairin and Gabrielle.
