In his ninth year at Navy, Jamie Cook has won 24 Patriot League Championships, an equal amount of Coach of the Year awards, and 26 consecutive Star victories in track & field. As the director of T&F, he has worked hard to bring the cross country and track & field teams together, both men and women: 6 squads, 3 sports, 1 TEAM. Fresh off two more stars over Army, Coach Cook sat down with the Letterwinners Association to talk about the legacy of Navy cross country and track & field.

Letterwinners: What makes this team a perennial favorite in the Patriot League?

Coach Cook: We are focused on competing every day in practice. We put ourselves in the best position to win and be ready for those big moments, the conference championships, and obviously, against Army as well. We've built a culture between the 3 sports: indoor, outdoor, and cross country. Six total championships, where you're just trying to do your best every day.

Letterwinners: As the director of Navy track & field, in charge of both the men's and women's programs, what were the major changes you instilled when you arrived in Annapolis?

Coach Cook: When I first got here, it was a segmented program, between men's and women's track & field and also cross country. So, I was focused on getting everybody on the same page and to buy into what we were trying to do collectively. We are now one team, supporting each other and pushing our limits together. We brought some new coaches on board, but Chris Campbell '89 has been here through it all and has been the glue that holds everything together. Aaron Lanzel '03 and Kim Lewnes have done an amazing job with our cross country teams, along with Chris Johnson, who is our director of recruiting. We have been focused on supporting each other to meet our objectives.

Letterwinners: How have your current team captains helped lead and inspire the team?

Coach Cook: We have six captains between indoor, outdoor, and cross country and they have all done an amazing job. It's a collective effort. Sophie Compton '26, Jackson Nguyen '26, Jia Anderson '26, Nathan Kent '26, Tyler Yurich '26, and Mia-Claire Kezal '26 are focused on supporting each other to get the most out of each of our athletes. They have always been great athletes, but now they have transformed into tremendous leaders. They understand the philosophy of the program and have done a really good job, building a strong culture within the team.

Letterwinners: In 2024, you sent four athletes to compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials. How does that experience help with the midshipmen's development and future recruiting?

Coach Cook: I think it's important because the athletes recognize that they can be at the highest level of athletic competition while coming to the Naval Academy. We want to keep pushing the envelope to be great. We want to put that message across to every athlete that's on our team and every recruit that's looking at the Navy. If you're good enough, we can give you the resources to get you to where you want to go. 

Letterwinners: What makes the Army/Navy Meet so special?

Coach Cook: First, it's an exciting event that's designed to be close. You can only have three competitors in each event and only two of those athletes score points. It keeps the margins tight throughout the meet. For track & field dynamics, Army/Navy is the ultimate team event. The athletes are competing for stars on their sweaters. They're competing for their teammates. They're competing for their friends, their families, and their companymates who come out to support them. It's such a unique environment and it's really the essence of pure competition. Times do not matter. Distances do not matter. Heights do not matter. It's really just about pure athletic competition.

Letterwinners: As a former coach at track-powerhouse University of Oregon, what was the most important thing you learned from your time in Eugene?

Coach Cook: I think it only reinforced my coaching style. No matter your talent, people still respond to feedback, coaching, and support. I learned that sometimes you have to be critical and sometimes you need to be a little bit more supportive. It was a learning environment and I was able to work with some amazing people, particularly Jimmy Radcliffe, the strength and conditioning coach for the University of Oregon. Developing the entire athlete was always my focus before I got to Oregon and that was reinforced during my time with Jimmy.

Letterwinners: As a former decathlete and All-American at Penn State, what are your favorite track & field events?

Coach Cook: That's a good question! It's probably the hurdles because it encapsulates the entirety of our sport. You have to be fast, aggressive, coordinated, fearless, and flexible. It's all those things that I love about our sport. But, I really enjoy every event. I love the toughness of our distance runners. I love the explosiveness and power of our sprinters. I love the mental strength of our throwers. I love the fact that it's the individual on the stage. There's no place to hide. You're not one of 11. You are not one of five. It's on you and you have to make the most of your opportunity.

Letterwinners: What do you want our alumni to know about your program?

Coach Cook: We have a pretty large alumni network and we would love for them to come back and celebrate and support our team. I would like them to know we are a combined program now, and we're supporting each other to create the best athletes possible. We are all proud to be a part of Navy's cross country and track & field legacy.