University of Missouri head track and field coach Rick McGurie announced yesterday that Jared Wilmes is stepping down from his position as head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach. Wilmes will step down in July when current cross country and track and field assistant coach Rebeccas Wilmes will be named interim head men’s and women’s cross country coach.
During his 11 years as the head cross country coach at Mizzou, Wilmes coached at least one runner to each of the past six NCAA Cross Country Championships and has mentored 11 combined track and field and cross country All-Americans. Wilmes also coached five teams to NCAA Cross Country appearances and mentored two NCAA Regional Champion teams.
Wilmes has led the men’s cross country team to top-six Big 12 finishes in five of the last seven seasons and the mentored the women’s team to top-six finishes in four of the last nine seasons.
Wilmes, a Hopkins, Missouri, native, has been a mainstay at the University of Missouri. Involved in Mizzou athletics for nearly 20 years as a student-athlete, coach and staff member, Wilmes competed at Mizzou from 1990-95 and developed into one of the best middle distance athletes in program history.
In addition to earning four All-American titles, the three-time team captain was a Big Eight champion in the 800m run and claimed multiple wins at the prestigious Drake, Kansas and Florida relays.
The winner of several Academic All-America awards, Wilmes was a magna cum laude 1994 honors graduate at Mizzou, earning a dual degree in agricultural economics and business.