Mark Rinker, the 2025 CAA Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year, is in his second year as the head coach of the Elon men’s and women’s cross country programs and also serves as an assistant coach for the Phoenix women’s track & field team. He arrived at Elon in July 2024 and has quickly helped elevate the Phoenix to new heights, guiding the program to three Coastal Athletic Association championships — the 2025 Outdoor Track & Field title, the 2025 Women’s Cross Country championship and the 2026 Indoor Track & Field crown — during his first two seasons.
After the Phoenix placed third at the 2024 CAA Women’s Cross Country Championships, Rinker led Elon back to the top of the conference in dominant fashion in 2025. The Phoenix women — led by CAA Runner of the Year and individual champion Katie Blount — showcased their depth with a program-record seven runners finishing among the top 15 individually in the 2025 women’s 6K race in Lakewood, New Jersey. Elon finished with 28 points, besting the field by 40 points in the most lopsided victory at the CAA Women’s Cross Country Championships since 2020.
Rinker was named the 2025 CAA Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year following the victory.
Rinker’s distance group also played a pivotal role in the Phoenix capturing both the 2025 CAA Outdoor Track & Field championship and the 2026 CAA Indoor Track & Field title. Quinn Smith and Mikayla Jones won the 1500-meter and 5,000-meter titles, respectively, at the 2025 outdoor championships, while Abby Beville claimed the mile title at the 2026 indoor championships to highlight 10 top-five finishes by Elon distance runners at the meet.
Prior to joining the Maroon and Gold, Rinker spent four seasons in the same role — head cross country coach and assistant track & field coach — at Eastern Michigan. During his tenure, the Eagles captured five conference team titles, including four Mid-American Conference indoor championships and the 2021 MAC Men’s Cross Country title. Rinker coached 19 individual MAC champions, 38 All-MAC selections, two NCAA Cross Country Championship qualifiers and one NCAA track & field All-American. He was named the 2021 MAC Cross Country Coach of the Year and earned three MAC Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year honors, along with MAC Outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year recognition in 2023.
A native of Brevard, North Carolina, Rinker was familiar with the state prior to his arrival at Elon, having served as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the 2019–20 season with a focus on cross country and distance events. He assisted with the Tar Heels’ recruiting efforts alongside Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Chris Miltenberg and helped UNC achieve its highest combined team finishes at the ACC Cross Country Championships in the previous decade.
Rinker also spent two seasons (2017–19) at Louisiana State University as an assistant coach for cross country and track & field. In Baton Rouge, he oversaw the men’s and women’s cross country programs as well as the middle-distance and distance groups.
During his time at LSU, Rinker helped develop 10 All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) performers and guided 10 student-athletes to top-10 marks in the program’s record book. The LSU men’s track & field team captured the 2019 SEC Outdoor Championship — the program’s first men’s outdoor conference title since 1990. Nationally, the middle-distance group produced four NCAA Championship participants and three NCAA All-Americans. In 2019, LSU was the only program to qualify two athletes in the 800 meters at the NCAA Indoor Championships. That season, the LSU men finished third at the NCAA Indoor Championships while the women placed third at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Rinker began his collegiate coaching career at Northeastern University, where he served from 2014–17. His athletes helped lead the Huskies to three consecutive CAA Outdoor Track & Field championships from 2015–17, with four different athletes winning individual CAA titles during his tenure.
Rinker also previously worked at ORRECO Limited, including serving as vice president of North America from 2014–15, where he oversaw the company’s expansion into North American professional sports markets. From 2008–13, Rinker worked directly with the head coach of Oregon Track Club Elite (OTCE) to coach 25 professional Nike-sponsored athletes in national and international competition while also overseeing the strength and conditioning programs for the team’s distance runners.
Rinker earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with minors in business and coaching from James Madison University in 2008. A three-time letterwinner for the Dukes, he competed as a distance runner on the cross country and track & field teams. Rinker received his Strength and Conditioning certification from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) in 2017.
He and his wife, Lauren, have a son, Sebastian, and a daughter, Charlotte.
Collegiate Coaching Experience
| YEARS |
SCHOOL |
POSITION |
| 2014-17 |
Northeastern |
Assistant Coach (XC, T&F), Recruiting Coordinator |
| 2017-19 |
LSU |
Assistant Coach (XC, T&F) |
| 2019-20 |
North Carolina |
Volunteer Assistant Coach (XC, T&F) |
| 2021-24 |
Eastern Michigan |
Head Coach (Men’s XC) / Assistant Coach (T&F) |
| 2024-Present |
Elon |
Head Coach (M/W XC) / Assistant Coach (Women’s T&F) |
Collegiate Coaching Accolades
2025 CAA Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year
2024 MAC Indoor Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
2023 MAC Outdoor Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
2023 MAC Indoor Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
2022 MAC Indoor Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
2021 MAC Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year
Last updated: March 12, 2026
