Evans joins Tech Track and Field/Cross Country coaching staff
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech head cross country and track & field head coach Peter Dalton announced the hiring of Accaiya Evans as an assistant coach for the Golden Eagles.
By Jonathan Caudle, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech head cross country and track & field head coach Peter Dalton announced the hiring of Accaiya Evans as an assistant coach for the Golden Eagles.
A Richmond, Va. native and letterwinner at George Mason University, Evans arrives in Cookeville after serving in the role as "acting" head coach at Mississippi Valley State, a member of the Southwestern Atlantic Conference. Prior to assuming her most recent roll in October 2019, Evans spent a year at MVSU as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.
Evans assisted with the men's and women's cross country programs, as well as the indoor and outdoor track and field programs, overseeing hurdles, jumps, mid-distance, and distance. She helped coach five Panthers to 2019 East Regional qualifications during the 2019 cross country season.
Prior to her time at MVSU, Evans was an assistant track & field and cross country coach at Virginia Union University from 2012-14, where she led the distance and cross country programs. The Panthers distance program won seven cross country all-conference awards, finished 2013 men's cross country runner-up, and the 2014 men's cross country team championship. Evans also led the Panthers to five indoor/outdoor all-conference awards and five individual gold medalists.
In her time at VUU, Evans coached Frank Charles to a pair of individual championships during the 2013 season in the 5,000-meter and 1,600-meter races, helping guide him to capture the 2013 CIAA Indoor Runner of the Year award. She also helped lead fellow Panther Emmanuel Nelford to the 800-meter indoor individual championship during the same season. During the 2012 indoor season, Evans coached Charles to an individual conference championship in the 5,000-meter run, before helping guide Charles to win both the 5,000-meter and 1,600-meter events for the Panthers during the 2012 outdoor season.
She also served for an 11-year tenure as the assistant head coach, female coordinator, and team recruiter with the East End Lightning Youth Track, a prolific track and field program in Virginia, while working at VUU. She has also served as the meet director of several USATF and AAU youth level competitions.
Prior to her coaching career, she double-majored at George Mason University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in psychology, alongside a Bachelor of Arts in integrative studies in 2010. Evans was a member of the Patriots women's track and field program from 2006-08.
