Chris Campbell has been a member of the Navy men’s track and field coaching staff since 2008, working primarily with the throwers. In 2017, the 1989 Academy graduate was promoted to associate head coach.
During his tenure, Campbell has assisted in directing the men’s track and field team to 24 Patriot League Championships (indoor – 2008, ‘11, ‘13, ‘14, ‘15, ‘16, ‘17, ‘18, ‘20, ‘22, ‘23, ‘24, ‘25; outdoor – 2008, ‘14, ‘15, ‘16, ‘17, ‘18, ‘19, ‘21, ‘22, ‘23, ‘24, ‘25), while helping the women claim eight titles (indoor – 2019, ‘20, ‘22, ‘23, 24; outdoor – 2019, ‘21, ‘22, ‘23, ‘24). Since Campbell joined the coaching staff, the men’s team have swept the indoor and outdoor league crowns 10 times (2008, ‘14, ‘15, ‘16, ‘17, ‘18, ‘22, ‘23, ‘24, ‘25), while the women have swept the league championship four times (2019, ‘22, ‘23, ‘24).
In addition, Campbell has helped the Midshipmen to a 39-9 (.812) overall record in the Army-Navy Star Series, which is part of the overall Star Series presented by USAA.
Following a historic 2023 outdoor season where Navy finished No. 1 in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) rankings, Campbell was recognized as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year.
Campbell has mentored a total of 10 NCAA All-Americans, one junior national All-American, one junior Pan-American Championship competitor, 30 NCAA Championship qualifiers (shot put, discus, hammer, javelin), four Intercollegiate Association for Amateur Athletes of America (IC4A) champions, 45 All-East IC4A performers and one IC4A Athlete of the Meet. In conference competition, Campbell has helped Navy throwers win 55 Patriot League championships and three Patriot League Field Athletes of the Meet (Outdoor).
In addition, Campbell has mentored two NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship winners and two Patriot League Scholar-Athletes of the Year.
Campbell has also completed USATF Coaching Education Schools through Level III and has been an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist since 1996. He served as president of the IC4A in 2013 and was a member of the USTFCCCA Ethics Committee from 2008-10.
2024-25
Navy captured the men’s indoor Patriot League Conference Championship for the fifth consecutive season, marking the 15th win in program history.
The Mids swept Army in the annual Indoor Star Meet for a pair of stars (men – W, 99–82; women – W, 94–87), part of the overall Army-Navy Star Series presented by USAA.
Campbell worked with Keyshawn Dolford, who opened the season with his first collegiate victory in the shot put (15.09m / 49' 6.25") at the Navy Indoor Invitational. Dolford went on to throw a career-best mark of 17.83m (58' 6") in the weight throw, earning second place at the Army-Navy Star Meet.
On the women’s side, senior Jordynn Hutchinson had her best collegiate season under Campbell, highlighted by the program’s fifth-best shot put mark of 14.38m (47' 2.25") at the Patriot League Indoor Championship. Hutchinson played a key role in the women’s victory over Army, placing fourth in the shot put (14.04m / 46' 0.75") and second in the weight throw (17.64m / 57' 10.5").
Navy’s dominance over Army continued into the outdoor season with another star sweep in the Army-Navy Star Series presented by USAA. The men posted a score of 104–99 for their 13th consecutive outdoor victory over the Black Knights, while the women earned their 10th straight outdoor star with a 107–96 victory.
Campbell coached two athletes who reached the podium at the Patriot League Outdoor Championship. Javelin throwers Caleb Walker (62.22m / 204' 1") and Renny Murphy (44.98m / 147' 7") each finished in third place. Jordynn Hutchinson also had a strong showing at the league championship, placing fourth in both the shot put (14.51m / 47' 7.25") and hammer throw (51.58m / 169' 3").
Five athletes earned All-IC4A/ECAC East honors for placing in the top eight of their events under Campbell. Highlighting the meet was Malachi Cummings, who finished second in the javelin with a career-best throw of 64.84m (212' 8"), helping the men’s team secure their third straight IC4A title. Reilly Payne (48.06m / 157’ 8”) and Adam Szatanek (46.27m / 151’ 9”) finished fourth and seventh, respectively, in the discus. Nalina Smith shined at the ECAC Championship with a third-place finish in the discus (45.02m / 147’ 8”) and hammer throw (51.23m / 168’ 1”), while she also placed fifth in the shot put (12.72m / 41’ 8.75”). Emma Miller finished fifth in the javelin with a distance of 39.10m (128’ 3”) in her ECAC Championship debut.
Campbell coached a pair of javelin throwers - Malachi Cummings and Layne Rivera - to the NCAA East Region First Round in Jacksonville, Fla. Cummings threw a distance of 61.23m (200’ 10”) in his first time as a regional qualifier to finish in 35th place. Rivera also made her debut as a regional qualifier and recorded a mark of 36.49m (119’ 8”) to place 48th.
2023-24
The Navy Track & Field program continued its run of dominant seasons, combining to win four Army-Navy Star Meets and five Patriot League conference titles. During the indoor season, Navy swept both the men’s and women’s indoor Patriot League Conference Championships for the third consecutive year.
Helped guide the men’s team to a perfect undefeated dual record for the fifth-straight season with a 3-0 record.
On the men’s side at the Patriot League Indoor Championship, the Mids scored 242.5 points as a team, which was 90 points ahead of second-place Army. Navy placed first in 11 of the 18 events. The women posted 188 points to beat second-place Boston University by 40 points. Navy placed first in seven of the 18 events.
Navy captured both the men’s and women’s Patriot League Outdoor Conference Championships. It was the sixth-straight title for each the men’s and the women’s team.
Navy had a combined 21 student-athletes (12 men and nine women) named to First-Team All-Patriot League honors.
Guided senior shot put and hammer thrower Joshua Boamah to a sensational season winning four Patriot League Championships (indoor / outdoor shot put, weight throw and discus). Boamah was named Patriot League Indoor / Outdoor Men’s Field Athlete of the Meet as well as the Top Point Scorer. Boamah qualified for the NCAA Championship where he earned honorable mention All-American in shot put and hammer throw. Boamah shattered the meet record in the weight throw with a winning mark of 21.91m (71' 10.75"). Boamah's distance bested the championship record by 0.38m, which Army's Cameron Smith had set at last year's championship.He also broke a pair of records that had stood for 51 years. His shot put mark of 18.71m (61’ 4.75”) earned him a victory in the Army-Navy Indoor Star Meet. He won the weight throw at the Patriot League Championship by posting a record-breaking distance of 21.91m (71’ 10.75”). Scott Haney (shot put) and Ted Bregar (weight throw) set the previous records during the 1973 season.
Javelin thrower Braden Presser was named Second Team All-American at the NCAA National Championship and qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Ore. Presser won his second career javelin event at the Patriot League Championship.
At the IC4A / ECAC Championships the men’s team claimed its ninth title in program history including five of the last six years with six throwers earning IC4A / ECAC All-East accolades for placing in the top-eight in their events: Joshua Boamah (shot put and hammer throw), Collin Greene (shot put), Braden Presser (javelin), George Kalkanis (javelin), Jordynn Hutchinson (shot put, hammer throw and discus) and Renny Murphy (javelin).
2022-23
Campbell led another successful campaign from Navy’s throwers to help Navy sweep the Indoor and Outdoor Patriot League Track and Field Championships for the second-straight season and compile a 4-0 record against Army in the Army-Navy Star Series.
Campbell was named the 2023 USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Region Outdoor Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year for helping Navy finish the season as the top-ranked program in the region. Campbell’s throwers recorded eight marks that ranked in the top 10 in four events during the season, including the second-best hammer throw (66.20m / 217' 2") and javelin (73.08m / 239' 9") marks.
Junior Joshua Boamah was one of the best throwers during both the indoor and outdoor seasons in the Patriot League. He won the shot put (17.36m / 56' 11.5") and placed second in the weight throw with the second-best distance in Navy history (20.42m / 67' 0") at the Patriot League Indoor Championship. Boamah was named the Patriot League Men’s Field Athlete of the Meet and was the highest point scorer at the outdoor championship. He won the shot put (17.67m / 57' 11.75") and discus (54.71m / 179' 6") and posted the fourth-best hammer throw mark (66.20m / 217' 2") in school history to finish in second place. Boamah also claimed the men’s athlete-of-the-meet honor at the IC4A Championship by winning the shot put (17.10m / 56' 1.25") and placing second in the discus (51.73m / 169' 9"). Boamah qualified for the NCAA East Preliminaries in three events thanks to a season-best shot put throw (17.75m / 58' 3"), discus mark (54.71m / 179' 6") and hammer throw distance (66.20m / 217' 2").
Campbell once again guided junior javelin thrower Braden Presser to the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Presser qualified for the NCAA East Preliminaries with a top mark of 73.08m (239' 9") during the regular season. He finished in second place at the East Preliminaries with the second-best mark in Navy history at 75.95m (249' 2") to qualify for nationals for the second-straight season. Presser set a new school-record distance of 76.00m (249' 4") to finish sixth overall and earn First Team All-America accolades at nationals. Presser also collected hardware at the Patriot League Championship by placing second in the javelin with a throw of 69.60m (228' 4"). His accomplishments during the collegiate season earned Presser an opportunity to compete at the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships. He placed 11th at the event (68.93m 226' 1") and earned a spot on the U.S. U23 National Team. He competed as a member of Team USA at the NACAC U23 Championships and placed third with a throw of 72.60m (238' 2").
Sam Kwatkosky had a breakout senior campaign under Campbell. He placed third at the indoor conference championship in the weight throw (19.64m / 64' 5.25"). Earlier in the season, Kwatkosky recorded a weight throw mark of 20.00m (65' 7.5"), which is one of only nine throws of at least 20.00m in Navy history. Kwatkosky’s outdoor season was highlighted in the hammer throw. He placed fourth at the Patriot League Championship with a distance of 58.83m (193' 0"). Kwatkosky registered a career-best hammer throw distance of 61.75m (202' 7") to earn IC4A All-East honors with a third-place finish at the IC4A Championship. Additionally, his mark qualified him for the NCAA East Preliminaries.
Another scoring contributor on the men’s team was junior Collin Greene. At the indoor conference championship, Greene placed second in the shot put (16.35m / 53' 7.75") and fourth in the weight throw (19.53m / 64' 1"). He continued to excel in the shot put during the outdoor season, placing second at the IC4A Championship (16.67m / 54' 8.25") to claim IC4A All-East accolades. Additionally, he placed fifth at the Patriot League Championship (16.69m / 54' 9.25").
Senior Autumn Nicholas highlighted the women’s team’s season with a victory in the weight throw at the Patriot League Indoor Championship (18.72m / 61' 5"). She scored in all three of her events at the outdoor championship, placing second in the hammer throw (57.82m / 189' 8"), fifth in the discus (48.45m / 158' 11") and seventh in the shot put (13.27m / 43' 6.5").
Another NCAA East Preliminaries javelin qualifier under Campbell during the season was sophomore Renny Murphy. Murphy posted a season-best mark of 47.08m (154' 5") to place second at the Patriot League Outdoor Championship. She also earned All-ECAC accolades for a third-place finish at the ECAC Championship (43.85m / 143' 10").
Also earning All-ECAC honors was sophomore Jordynn Hutchinson, who placed sixth in the hammer throw (52.61m / 172' 7"). She also claimed fifth place in the shot put (13.46m / 44' 2") and weight throw (17.21m / 56' 5.75") at the indoor conference championship and sixth in the discus (17.21m / 56' 5.75") at the outdoor championship.
2021-22
Navy captured both the men’s and women’s indoor Patriot League Conference Championships. It was the men’s 12th win in program history and the eighth time in the last nine meets that the Midshipmen won the title. The women took home the sixth indoor title in program history and marked the third consecutive win for the Mids.
Navy had another dominant indoor season against Army in the annual Indoor Star Meet by sweeping for a pair of indoor stars (men – W, 101-80; women – W, 94-87) which is part of the overall Army-Navy Star Series presented by USAA.
Campbell worked with First team All-Patriot League indoor recipient Joshua Boamah (Weight Throw). Boamah ended with a distance of 20.18m (66’ 2.5”) at the Patriot League Indoor Championships, the fourth-longest weight throw distance in program history. Boamah set a new personal record and the third longest distance in the weight throw in Navy history of 20.20m (66' 3.25") at the 2022 Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational.
Navy also won the men’s and women’s Patriot League Outdoor Conference Championship. It is the fourth consecutive season that the Midshipmen have swept the Outdoor Championships. The men won their ninth title in program history and eighth in a row. The women’s victory was their sixth outdoor championship and fourth consecutive.
Navy earned another pair of stars in the Army-Navy Star Series presented by USAA after the men and women defeated Army in the annual Outdoor Star Meet. The men posted a 107-93 for their 10th consecutive victory versus Army. The women earned their seventh straight win versus Army after a 117-86 victory.
Campbell coached four athletes who earned All-Patriot League honors. Braden Presser (Javelin) earned First Team All-Patriot League honors and Boamah (Shot Put, Discus) earned Second Team honors for the men. Jadyn Tiracave (Javelin) received First Team All-Patriot League honors and Renny Murphy (Javelin) received Second Team honors for the women.
Campbell sent Boamah (Hammer Throw), Presser (Javelin), and Hayden Fox (Javelin) to Bloomington, Ind. 2022 NCAA East Preliminaries. Presser took sixth in the Javelin, which qualified him for the NCAA Outdoor Championship in Eugene, Ore. Presser finished with a distance of 72.17m (236' 9"), which stands as the third best distance in Navy history since 1986.
Presser ended the outdoor season with three of the best javelin throws in Navy history, including the second farthest distance at 73.55m (241' 4") since 1986. He was also a two-time Patriot League Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week recipient during the 2022 outdoor season (March 22; April 5).
2020-21
Despite COVID difficulties throughout the year, Navy went undefeated in 2021.
The Midshipmen competed in three intercollegiate meets during the indoor season. Navy posted a sweep of Army for a pair of indoor Stars (men – W, 101-80; women – W, 98-83). Despite no team score, Navy won 8 of 13 events against William & Mary on the men’s side, while sweeping all 13 events at the Patriot League Indoor Challenge. The women’s team claimed 10 of 14 events versus William & Mary and won 14 of 15 events at the PL Indoor Challenge.
During the outdoor season, Navy swept Army for two outdoor Stars (men – W, 103-100; women – W, 111.5-88.5), while also sweeping the Patriot League Outdoor Championships and IC4A / ECAC Outdoor Championships.
At the PL Outdoor Championship, the men trailed by 19 points with two events remaining. The Midshipmen claimed first, third, and fourth in the high jump to earn 21 points and take a two-point advantage into the final race – the 4x400m relay – which Navy won to seal the victory. On the women’s side, Navy won the PL Championship by nearly 80 points, notching the most points scored in Patriot League history (295) and smashing the previous high of 237 points set in 1994 by Army.
The Midshipmen swept the IC4A / ECAC Outdoor Championships for the first time in program history. For the men, it was the third consecutive win for the Mids in the meet, matching Navy's stretch of three straight titles in 1944, 1945, and 1946. For the women, it was the second ECAC Outdoor Championship in program history and the first since 1989 when the Mids claimed the Division II ECAC title.
Campbell worked directly with eight of Navy’s 16 student-athletes who competed at the 2021 NCAA East Preliminaries – Emma Foster (’21), Hayden Fox (’22), David Huizenga (’23), Skyler Mason (’21), Sarah Morris (’21), Sam Orie (’21), Braden Presser (’24), and Jadyn Tiracave (’22).
In addition, Foster qualified for the 2021 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Track and Field at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
Campbell’s athletes finished the 2021 campaign with five school records. Orie finished her senior campaign with the Navy record in the shot put (indoor and outdoor), weight throw, and hammer throw, while Foster set the school mark in the javelin. On the men’s side, Presser became the first javelin thrower to top 70m since 2016.
2019-20
The 2019-20 season saw Navy capture both the Patriot League Men’s and Women’s Indoor Championship titles. For the men, it was the 11th win in program history and the seventh time in the last eight years that the Midshipmen won the title. On the women’s side, it was the fifth indoor title in program history and marked the second consecutive win for the Mids.
As a team, Navy scored more points on the men's side (245 pts) in the conference meet than any other Division I school in the country, and as a collective team, the Mids scored more points combined between the men's and women's side (449.5 pts) in the conference meet than any other Division I school in the country. The Navy men won 11 of 18 events, including eight individual events and three relays. The women's team was able to finish with 204.5 points, claiming first or second in 10 of 18 events.
Aside from winning the 2020 Patriot League Indoor Championship, the Midshipmen also claimed a pair of indoor Stars by winning the annual Army-Navy Indoor Star Meet. The men’s team won 13 of 17 events to post a 109-71 victory over Army West Point. The Midshipmen recorded maximum points in eight events to cruise to the victory in America’s Meet. The women’s team posted a 93-80 victory over the Black Knights. The indoor victory was the first for the Midshipmen since 2014. Navy women won eight of the 17 events on the day. In addition, the Mids posted five school records – 60m dash, 200m dash, 4x400m relay, triple jump, and weight throw – en route to the victory.
During the season, the Navy men broke a pair of school records on the season, setting new benchmarks in the 1-mile run and the 60m hurdles, while the Mids’ women broke the school record in eight events – 60m, 200m, 400m, pole vault, triple jump, weight throw, pentathlon, and 4x400m relay. Campbell worked directly with Ariana McKenzie (’21) who set the new school record in the weight throw (19.04m / 62-05.75).
In the classroom, Navy had five student-athletes named to the 2020 Patriot League Indoor All-Academic Team. The men’s team posted a league-best three student-athletes, Ashwin Briggs (’22), Jake Brophy (’20), and Sean Casey (’22), while Kara Kakascik (’20) and Sam Orie (’21) were selected to the women’s team.
Navy competed in one meet during the 2020 outdoor season before competition was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mids swept the San Diego Collegiate Championship at Triton Stadium on the campus of UC San Diego.
2018-19
The 2018-19 season marked the first time that the men’s and women’s track and field programs were combined. Campbell helped direct the women’s track and field team to the Patriot League Indoor Championship for the first time since 2011. The outdoor season saw the women’s team win its second consecutive title.
Thrower Sean Brennan (’19) was named the Field Athlete of the Meet, as well as the Top Point Scorer on the men's side during the outdoor meet. Brennan won the shot put, hammer throw, and the discus to earn Navy 30 points by himself.
For the second consecutive season, the Navy men's track and field team won the IC4A Outdoor Championship. The men's team posted a combined score of 109 points to win the 2019 title by 42. It was the first time that Navy has won back-to-back IC4A titles since the Midshipmen won three straight in 1944, 1945, and 1946. At the IC4A Championships, Navy tallied 16 All-East performances (top 8 finishers).
The 2018-19 season saw throwers Sean Brennan (‘19), Emma Foster (‘21), Hayden Fox (‘22), Skyler Mason (‘21), and Jadyn Tiracave (‘22) compete at the 2019 NCAA East Preliminaries. Fox (javelin) advanced to the NCAA Championship, and for his efforts finishing in the top 24, he earned honorable mention All-America honors.
2017-18
During the 2017-18 season, Sean Richards (‘18) advanced to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore. in the javelin. The outdoor captain received Honorable Mention All-American honors after finishing in the top 24 (22nd). He finished 11th at the NCAA East Preliminaries to advance to the national competition.
Prior to Associate Head Coach
During the 2015-16 season, Campbell coached Jay Stell (‘16) to his second First Team USTFCCCA All-America honor as Stell placed sixth in the javelin at the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championship. Stell improved at each big event as he set the program record at the NCAA East Regionals with a third-place throw of 234-1. He then went on to cap off his career with a sixth-place program record-breaking throw of 242-2 at the NCAA Championship.
Campbell watched Navy throwers dominate during the 2013-14 season. Campbell guided Stell to a First Team USTFCCCA All-America laurel by finishing third in the javelin at the NCAA Outdoor Championship. Stell also placed fourth at the NCAA's East Regional Championship, won the Patriot League title, and set a new school record in the event. Stell became Campbell's second All-American and first since Zack Duncavage (‘14) in 2013 at Navy.
Campbell led the Navy throwers to a banner year in 2011-12. Campbell helped Duncavage earn All-America Second-Team honors by placing 16th in the discus at the NCAA Outdoor Championship. Duncavage also placed seventh in the discus at the NCAA's East Regional Championship, won the Patriot League title, and set a new school record in the event. Duncavage became Campbell's first All-American while at Navy.
Also, in 2011-12, Miles Snelgrove won the javelin at the Patriot League Outdoor Championship, placed fifth at the IC4A Championship to earn All-East honors, and claimed 18th place at the NCAA's East Regional Championship. Chris Ricks also earned IC4A All-East honors in the hammer throw and Chris Boniwell won the Patriot League shot put title.
Campbell's throwers won the indoor league weight throw and the outdoor shot put during the 2010-11 season and Duncavage qualified for the NCAA East Regional in the discus.
In both 2008 and 2009, Navy throwers earned Field-Athlete-of-the-Meet honors at the Patriot League Outdoor Championship, with team captain and Academic All-American Mark Van Orden (‘09) sweeping the conference's hammer and weight throw titles to earn the distinction in 2009. Van Orden won two league titles as a senior and was named to the ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-American First Team.
College Career
Campbell, himself, was a four-year letter winner on the Midshipmen track and field team. A javelin thrower and former school record holder, he was elected team captain his senior year. Upon graduation, Campbell was assigned to the San Diego-based naval warship, USS COPELAND, which completed CARAT operations during Desert Storm and counter-narcotic operations off the coast of Central America in 1993.
Campbell completed his military obligation as an Operations Officer at Naval Station Annapolis and achieved the rank of Lieutenant before resigning from the Navy in 1995. While completing his military obligation, he served as a volunteer coach at Navy while completing an M.S. in Education at Johns Hopkins University.
Ball State
Campbell's second coaching stop came at Ball State University, where he served as field events coach for the Cardinals program from 1996-99. During his tenure, Campbell directed student-athletes to NCAA qualifying marks in the hammer throw and high jump, four school records, and a Mid-American Conference hammer throw championship. In addition, he helped lead the 1998 Ball State women's squad to both the Indoor and Outdoor MAC team titles.
Fresno State
Following his three-year stint at Ball State, Campbell spent six seasons at Fresno State, including two as the associate head coach. There he mentored All-Americans in the decathlon, javelin, and shot put, while helping the women's team to the 2005 California-Nevada Coaches Association Team Championship, and the Bulldog men to the same title in 2000. The women's squad also captured the WAC title in 2002, its first conference championship in 10 years.
Campbell also held the role of recruiting coordinator while at Fresno State, inking several blue-chip athletes, including the nation's top-ranked high school javelin thrower in 2003. Additionally, he served as Vice President of the California-Nevada Coaches Association and as Men's and Women's Development Chairperson for the Central Valley Chapter of USA Track and Field. While there, he also completed a Master of Arts in Kinesiology in 2003.
Michigan State
Prior to Navy, Campbell served as an assistant for the combined men's and women's program at Michigan State. Working primarily with the throwers and multi-event athletes, he tutored nine Spartans to 16 scoring positions at the Big Ten Championships, four NCAA regional qualifying marks, a pair of NCAA provisional marks in the women's pentathlon and heptathlon, and four school records. In addition to his coaching duties, Campbell served as assistant meet director for the 2006 Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Championships and directed the 30-team Spartan Invitational.
Personal
Campbell and his wife, Julie, and son, Mark, reside in Annapolis.
