Jake Poyner was recently hired as the new head coach of the Point Loma Nazarene University cross country team. After a successful stint leading Louisiana Monroe to multiple NCAA Division I championships, Poyner has brought his experience and winning mentality to the Sea Lions program, and the results have been immediate.
Senior cross country runner Kellis Hein said, “He’s super ambitious and is really pushing us to become the best cross country team we can. His passion for the sport and coaching is very evident and has made our team camaraderie look different than in previous years..”
Poyner, along with his impact on the team’s physical capabilities, has created an environment that fosters teamwork through individual sacrifice.
Third-year runner Maddie Reeves said, “He has changed our team culture for the better; he emphasizes that cross country is most definitely a team sport rather than simply an individual one. We run as a team; when we win we all celebrate and when we lose we all share the loss. He’s made a positive impact on everyone on our team and we are really grateful for his leadership.”
Since joining PLNU, Poyner has elevated the team’s performance across the board, improving their placements at every meet. Placing fifth in their Sept. 6 meet, fourth in their Sept. 13 meet and most importantly first in their Sept. 28 meet. Compared to one second place finish last year, it is evident Poyner has a positive impact on these runners.
“Team success is the direct result of individual sacrifice, and we’re starting to see that progression in opinion and thought-process,” said Poyner.
His leadership has also propelled standout performances, including guiding PLNU junior Maddie Reeves to tie the school’s 6K record with a time of 21:09.7 in the same meet they placed first. For their performance, the cross country team received PacWest Team of the Week for the first time in program history.
Reflecting on the team’s transformation under Poyner, Reeves said, “Coach works to make sure that we all know that we are so much more capable of achieving things than we may think. He pushes our limits in order to expand them.”
Poyner’s love and passion for running bleeds into his coaching as he pushes camaraderie, competing for something bigger than yourself and he inspires ambition.
“I’ve really enjoyed watching them compete. That sounds cliché, but truly, we see all of the work they put in behind the scenes so for them to go out and celebrate all of their hard work like they’ve been doing so far this season is really memorable for me as a coach,” Poyner said. “We also haven’t been afraid to set ambitious goals for this team. I think that’s been a big motivator on race day – to really see how good we can be and to do it for one another.”
With Poyner as the coach, the Sea Lions are setting a new standard for success, raising expectations not just for their meets but for the future of the program. As they continue their season, all eyes will be on PLNU’s cross country team to see how far this new era of leadership can take them. What other program history records will this team add to their list?
Cade Michaelson