Bio

Garrick Larson
Men's Cross Country Head Coach
Phone: 218-299-4304
E-Mail: gzlarson@cord.edu

Garrick Larson took over as the Concordia men's cross country head coach in 1997. Since that time he has coached numerous MIAC All-Conference award-winners. He has guided two athletes to the NCAA Division III National Cross Country meet.  In 2004, Nick Myran ('05, Kenyon, Minn.) earned All-Conference and All-Region honors and was the Cobbers first NCAA cross country qualifier since 1992.  In 2011 and 2012, Tom Sederquist (’12, Moorhead, Minn.) earned back-to-back NCAA appearances, narrowly missing All-American status by four seconds finishing 39th.  In 1999, Larson was named the MIAC Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year.

Before being named as the head coach for the cross country team, Larson also led the men's track and field beginning in September of 1993.  In his 19 years as men's Track coach, Garrick coached 14 All-Americans and 31 National Qualifiers in men’s track and field, including three NCAA Champions and the Indoor Shot Put National Record Holder.  Larson also assists the women’s program where he has directly coached 51 NCAA Qualifiers and 23 All-Americans in his event groups.

Larson has a diverse background within track and field. With the exception of the 3000 Meter Steeplechase and the Hammer, Garrick has competed in every event in track and field. As a student-athlete at St. Olaf College he focused on the Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump, Javelin, and Decathlon earning 20 All-Conference Honors, 3 Conference Titles, and 2 trips to the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships. Larson held the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Record in the Javelin from 1991-2000.

Larson showed his breadth of athletic ability by competing in marathons beginning in 1997.  In 2009 and 2010, he reached qualifying times for the Boston Marathon.  Larson’s best of 3:03 in the Twin Cities Marathon placed him in the top 5% of all runners.  Larson has also made one attempt in a 50-mile ultra-marathon.

After completing a Biology degree at St. Olaf College in 1991, Garrick went on to graduate school at the University of Minnesota (1991-1993), specializing in Exercise Science (Kinesiology). He has been a Licensed Certified Athletic Trainer, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and is currently a Certified Level I and Level II USA Track and Field Coach.

In addition to his coaching duties, Larson works as an Instructor in the Department of Physical Education, Health, and Exercise Science.

Garrick lives in Moorhead with his wife Mary, who works as a Nutritionist at a local clinic. They have two children, Mathias and Greta.