ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Jake Shaver has been promoted to serve as Augustana College's Director of Cross Country and Track & Field, director of athletics Mike Zapolski announced.
 
The decision comes following a move to restructure the cross country and track & field programs into a blended staffing model, rather than operating two distinct and separate programs by gender. 
 
"Following careful consideration of potential options and extensive dialogue internally and with administrative colleagues at other schools, I am confident that our decision to move toward a blended coaching model will reap significant benefits for our student-athletes and better position Augustana cross country and track and field for competitive excellence," Zapolski said of the decision. "The blended staffing model has been implemented at multiple NCAA Division III schools with tremendous success, and I anticipate similar results as we will be able to provide quality coaching coverage for all events plus assemble a robust recruiting effort to sell the value of the Augustana student-athlete experience to prospects."
 
The new model places the school's full-time, part-time and graduate assistant coaches under a uniform reporting structure in order to build a unified program culture, enhance across-the-board coaching coverage of various events, improve programmatic competitiveness and provide a robust recruitment team. This model is common within the CCIW and many other regionally ranked NCAA Division III programs.
 
Shaver, a 2006 Augustana graduate and Viking cross country captain in 2005, was hired in January of 2018 to succeed Paul Olsen as head coach of the college's men's track & field and cross country programs. Olsen announced his retirement after 52 years as the Vikings' cross country head coach and 50 years leading the track & field program.
 
In Shaver's first year (2018-19), his harriers placed third at the CCIW Championship. His track & field outfit finished second in the conference both indoors and outdoors, bested 27 teams to win the Viking Olympics and crowned a total of three All-Americans. In 2019-20, Augustana was fifth at the CCIW Cross Country Championship and fourth at the CCIW Indoor Track & Field Championship. The 2020 indoor national meet and entire outdoor season were canceled by fears over COVID-19, as were the 2020 cross country season and 2021 indoor track championship. Normal competition finally returned outdoors in the spring of 2021, and Shaver's squad hosted and placed fourth at the CCIW Championship.
 
"Jake is well-prepared to assume the Director of Cross Country and Track & Field position, and our collective task moving forward is to best utilize our available resources to hire additional full-time and graduate assistant coaches who are passionate about educating, mentoring and recruiting young people," said Zapolski. "Jake has done a wonderful job leading the Augustana men's cross country and track programs the last three-plus years. As an alum, Jake has a thorough understanding of Augustana, and is fully committed to providing the best possible competitive experience for our student-athletes."

Shaver returned to Rock Island from Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois, where he had been an assistant coach in track & field and cross country for both the men and women Redbirds since 2014. Prior to his time at Illinois State, Shaver held track and cross country head coaching positions for both the men and women at Fontbonne University in St. Louis, Missouri (2012-13) and Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois (2013-14). From 2006-10, he served as an assistant coach in both sports at the University of Chicago.

"The move to a combined model is an exciting step forward that will benefit both our women's and men's programs," Shaver stated. "I am grateful to Mike Zapolski, Wes Brooks, and our administration for being trusted to lead Augustana cross country and track & field through this transition. The combined staffing model will allow for greater cooperation and resource sharing, plus the addition of full-time coaches in the jumps and throws areas as well as graduate assistant coaches which will be a tremendous benefit for all our student-athletes.
 
Shaver's duties will begin immediately. The Vikings' cross country teams will host the Augustana Invitational on Saturday at the Saukie Golf Course. The men's race is schedule to start at 10:30 a.m., with the women's race to follow beginning at 11:15 a.m.
 
Augustana will start its fall track and field practices on October 25.
 
"This is an amazing opportunity for Augustana cross country and track & field," Shaver added. "I am excited for the future of the program."