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Earlier today, the University of Tennessee announced that they have hired Justin Duncan to be the team's next head cross country coach. The hiring comes roughly a week after Coach Sean Carlson left the Volunteers to join Colorado as the team's newest Director of Track & Field and Cross Country.
For the last five years, Duncan coached at Oklahoma State in an assistant capacity to Coach Dave Smith. During his time in Stillwater, the Cowboys won the 2023 cross country national team title as well as the 2023 and 2024 DMR national titles. On the women's side, Duncan assisted in the development of multiple national-caliber stars such as Taylor Roe (a 3k national champion), Billah Jepkirui, Molly Born, Gabija Galvydyte and more.
By landing the Tennessee job, Duncan will now step into the first head coaching role of his career. In doing so, he will be tasked with reassembling a roster which just had five men -- Simon Kelati, Dean Casey, Chris Cherry, Jake Liebert and Ethan Edgeworth -- either transfer out of the program or flip their commitment to Colorado.
Gabe Sanchez, one Tennessee's lead scorers from last fall, was/is entered in the transfer portal. However, it's not entirely clear if he will actually transfer out of the program.
It also unclear whether certain women will follow Coach Sean Carlson to Colorado. Should enough of last year's 6th place national meet team decide to stay in Knoxville, then the Lady Vols will emerge as possible podium threats in 2024. That, of course, will require them to replicate and build upon last year's postseason magic.