The University of Akron Athletics
Staff Directory
Randy Overby
- Title:
- Assistant Track and Field Coach (Relays/Sprints)
- Email:
- Phone:
- (330) 972-7964
Randy Overby joined The University of Akron track and field program as an assistant coach overseeing the Zips' sprints and relays in November 2022.
Entering his fifth season with Akron in 2026-27, Overby brings more than two decades of collegiate coaching experience and a proven track record of developing championship-caliber student-athletes at every level.
Since arriving at Akron, Overby has played an integral role in the continued growth of the Zips' sprint and relay programs, bringing a wealth of technical expertise, championship experience, and a relentless commitment to student-athlete development. He has been named Mid-American Conference Men’s Assistant Coach of Year twice indoors (2025,2026) once outdoor (2026)
Before joining Akron, Overby spent three successful seasons as the head track and field and cross-country coach at Quincy University. Under his leadership, the Hawks reached unprecedented heights, recording the highest conference and regional team finishes in program history. His student-athletes captured conference championships, earned multiple All-America honors, and achieved one of the greatest milestones in school history with Quincy's first-ever NCAA National Champion. Overby's athlete-centered approach transformed the program into a perennial contender while fostering both athletic and academic excellence.
Prior to Quincy, Overby served five seasons as the Head Track and Field Coach before being elevated to Director of Cross Country and Track & Field and at Knox College, where he elevated both the men's and women's programs to new levels of success. During his tenure, he coached an indoor conference champion, guided athletes to 40 Midwest Conference All-Conference honors, and helped the Prairie Fire earn four USTFCCCA All-Academic Team recognitions. His athletes also collected 55 Midwest Conference Indoor Academic All-Conference honors and 58 Outdoor Academic All-Conference selections. Under his leadership, Knox athletes shattered 61 school records while placing 101 performances among the program's all-time top-10 lists.
Overby previously spent two seasons as an assistant track and field and cross-country coach at Capital University. During that time, Capital athletes earned 44 All-Conference honors, claimed two conference championships, and established 15 school records.
His collegiate coaching career began at Long Beach City College before he joined The Ohio State University as an assistant coach, where he trained under legendary head coach and Olympic sprint coach Russ Rogers. That experience helped shape Overby's coaching philosophy and laid the foundation for his continued success developing elite sprinters and relay teams.
Throughout his coaching career, Overby has worked with athletes who have competed and excelled on the sport's biggest stages, including USA National Team medalists, Olympic gold medalists, and World Championship medalists.
As a competitor, Overby was an all-conference performer in college before qualifying for the USA Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships and the U.S. Olympic Trials. He also competed on Team USA-sponsored relay teams during his post-collegiate career.
Overby earned a master's degree in sports administration from Columbia Southern University and a bachelor's degree in social psychology from Park University. He holds certifications as a USATF Level II coach in the sprints, and combined events. Additionally, he is a certified strength and conditioning coach by the USTFCCCA
Entering his fifth season with Akron in 2026-27, Overby brings more than two decades of collegiate coaching experience and a proven track record of developing championship-caliber student-athletes at every level.
Since arriving at Akron, Overby has played an integral role in the continued growth of the Zips' sprint and relay programs, bringing a wealth of technical expertise, championship experience, and a relentless commitment to student-athlete development. He has been named Mid-American Conference Men’s Assistant Coach of Year twice indoors (2025,2026) once outdoor (2026)
Before joining Akron, Overby spent three successful seasons as the head track and field and cross-country coach at Quincy University. Under his leadership, the Hawks reached unprecedented heights, recording the highest conference and regional team finishes in program history. His student-athletes captured conference championships, earned multiple All-America honors, and achieved one of the greatest milestones in school history with Quincy's first-ever NCAA National Champion. Overby's athlete-centered approach transformed the program into a perennial contender while fostering both athletic and academic excellence.
Prior to Quincy, Overby served five seasons as the Head Track and Field Coach before being elevated to Director of Cross Country and Track & Field and at Knox College, where he elevated both the men's and women's programs to new levels of success. During his tenure, he coached an indoor conference champion, guided athletes to 40 Midwest Conference All-Conference honors, and helped the Prairie Fire earn four USTFCCCA All-Academic Team recognitions. His athletes also collected 55 Midwest Conference Indoor Academic All-Conference honors and 58 Outdoor Academic All-Conference selections. Under his leadership, Knox athletes shattered 61 school records while placing 101 performances among the program's all-time top-10 lists.
Overby previously spent two seasons as an assistant track and field and cross-country coach at Capital University. During that time, Capital athletes earned 44 All-Conference honors, claimed two conference championships, and established 15 school records.
His collegiate coaching career began at Long Beach City College before he joined The Ohio State University as an assistant coach, where he trained under legendary head coach and Olympic sprint coach Russ Rogers. That experience helped shape Overby's coaching philosophy and laid the foundation for his continued success developing elite sprinters and relay teams.
Throughout his coaching career, Overby has worked with athletes who have competed and excelled on the sport's biggest stages, including USA National Team medalists, Olympic gold medalists, and World Championship medalists.
As a competitor, Overby was an all-conference performer in college before qualifying for the USA Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships and the U.S. Olympic Trials. He also competed on Team USA-sponsored relay teams during his post-collegiate career.
Overby earned a master's degree in sports administration from Columbia Southern University and a bachelor's degree in social psychology from Park University. He holds certifications as a USATF Level II coach in the sprints, and combined events. Additionally, he is a certified strength and conditioning coach by the USTFCCCA
| MEN | WOMEN | |
| 2026 OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD | • 2026 USTFCCCA All-Academic Team recipient • 12 Zips earn Academic All-MAC honors • MAC Champions (12th title in program history) • Andrew Styles named MAC Most Outstanding Track Performer • Randy Overby named MAC Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year • Andrew Styles named MAC Most Valuable Performer • Eight MAC titles • Andrew Styles (200m, 400m, 4x400 relay) named First-Team All-MAC • Seven Second-Team All-MAC performances |
• 2026 USTFCCCA All-Academic Team recipient • 12 Zips earn Academic All-MAC honors • MAC Champions (12th title in program history) • One MAC title • Jackline Nanjala (400m) named First-Team All-MAC • Four Second-Team All-MAC Performances • Set three school-record marks (4x400 relay) as part of 19 top five all-time performance in outdoor program history |
| 2026 INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD | • MAC Champions (10th title in program history) • Nine Zips earn Academic All-MAC honors • Andrew Styles named MAC Most Valuable Performer • Nine MAC titles • Tayven Crump (4x400 relay), Braylyn Farrington (4x400 relay), AJ Jordan (4x400 relay), Andrew Styles (200m, 400m, 4x400 relay) named First-Team All-MAC • Three Second-Team All-MAC performances • Set nine top five all-time performances in indoor program history |
• 10 Zips earn Academic All-MAC honors • Placed Second at MAC Championships • Jackline Nanjala named MAC Freshman Track Performer of the Year • Five MAC titles • Vanessa Horn (4x400 relay), McKenzie McNitt (4x400 relay), Mariyah Moore (4x400 relay), Jackline Nanjala (400m, 4x400 relay) named First-Team All-MAC • Three Second-Team All-MAC performances • Set one school-record marks (4x400 Relay) as part of 16 top five all-time performances in indoor program history |
| 2025 OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD | • 2025 USTFCCCA All-Academic Team recipient • 6 Zips earn Academic All-MAC honors • Eight MAC titles • Andrew Styles (400m) named First-Team All-MAC • Two Second-Team All-MAC performances |
• 2025 USTFCCCA All-Academic Team recipient • Vanessa Horn and Joy Nwokike earn USTFCCCA All-Academic honors • Vanessa Horn and Joy Nwokike earn CSC Academic All-District accolades • 13 Zips earn Academic All-MAC honors • Placed fourth at MAC Championships • Rukia Omulisia named MAC Freshman Track Performer of the Year • Two MAC titles • Vanessa Horn (4x100 relay), Joy Nwokike (4x100 relay), Rukia Omulisia (100m hurdles, 4x100 relay), Ayanna Stafford (4x100 relay) named First-Team All-MAC • Two Second-Team All-MAC Performances • Set two school-record marks (400m, 4x100 relay) as part of 12 top five all-time performance in outdoor program history |
| 2025 INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD | • MAC Champions (ninth title in program history) • Eight Zips earns Academic All-MAC honors • Randy Overby named MAC Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year • Six MAC titles • Braylyn Farrington (4x400 relay), Jimmy Harkelroad (400m, 4x400 relay), AJ Jordan (4x400 relay) and Andrew Styles (4x400 relay) named First-Team All-MAC • Five Second-Team All-MAC performances |
• 11 Zips earns Academic All-MAC honors • Placed Second at MAC Championships • Four MAC titles • Eve Clark (4x400 relay), Vanessa Horn (4x400 relay), Joy Nwokike (60m, 4x400 relay), Rukia Omulisia (60m hurdles, 4x400 relay) named First-Team All-MAC • One Second-Team All-MAC performance • Set three school-record marks (60m, 200m, 400m) as part of 17 top five all-time performances in indoor program history |
| 2024 OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD | • 2024 USTFCCCA All-Academic Team recipients • Jimmy Harkelroad earns USTFCCCA All-Academic honors • Nine Zips earns Academic All-MAC honors • MAC Champions (10th title in program history) • Nine MAC titles • Tysean Baronette (4x400 relay), Braylyn Farrington (4x400 relay), Jimmy Harkelroad (400m hurdles, 4x400 relay) and Charles Sanders (400m, 4x400 relay) named First-Team All-MAC • Six Second-Team All-MAC performances |
• 2024 USTFCCCA All-Academic Team recipients • Vanessa Horn, Adaeze Nwokike Joy Nwokike earn CSC Academic All-District accolades • Nine Zips earns Academic All-MAC honors • Placed fourth at MAC Championships • Joy Nwokike named MAC Most Outstanding Track Performer • Two MAC titles • Joy Nwokike (200m, 400m) named First-Team All-MAC • Three Second-Team All-MAC Performances • Set two school-record marks (400m, 4x400 relay) as part of seven top five all-time performance in outdoor program history |
| 2024 INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD | • Placed Third at MAC Championships • Eight Zips earns Academic All-MAC honors • AJ Jordan named MAC Freshman Track Performer of the Year • Five MAC titles • Jimmy Harkelroad (4x400 relay), AJ Jordan (4x400 relay), Charles Sanders (400m, 4x400 relay) and Andrew Styles (4x400 relay) named First-Team All-MAC • Five Second-Team All-MAC performances • Five top five all-time performances in indoor program history |
• 10 Zips earns Academic All-MAC honors • Placed Eighth at MAC Championships |
| 2023 OUTDOOR TRACK | • 2023 USTFCCCA All-Academic Team recipients • Earning USTFCCCA All-Academic honors was Jimmy Harkelroad • 10 Zips earns Academic All-MAC honors • MAC Champions (9th title in program history) • Charles Sanders (400m) named Honorable Mention All-America recipient • Jimmy Harkelroad (400MH | 4x400), Charles Sanders (400m | 4x400), Jameel Williamson (4x400), Quentin Woodall (4x400) named First-Team All-MAC • Set school-record marks (400MH) as part of seven top-five all-time performances in outdoor program history |
• 2023 USTFCCCA All-Academic Team recipients • Nine Zips earns Academic All-MAC honors • Amya Clarke (100m | 200m) named First-Team All-MAC • Recorded one top-five all-time performance in outdoor program history |
| 2023 INDOOR TRACK | • Placed third at MAC Championships • Nine Zips earns Academic All-MAC honors • Jimmy Harkelroad (400m) named First-Team All-MAC |
• 10 Zips earns Academic All-MAC honors • Amya Clarke (60m) named First-Team All-MAC • Posted one top-five all-time performance in indoor program history |
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