J.D. Evilsizer is in his seventh full year as head Cross Country coach at Columbus State University and his third year as head Track and Field coach entering the 2011-2012 year. He also serves as a CSU faculty member teaching a variety of math courses.

Evilsizer took over a men’s cross country program that produced just two top five finishes at the Peach Belt Championship and had never had an individual PBC Champion in the 14 years prior. In just six seasons, Evilsizer has put Columbus State cross country on the national map. The men’s program has not lost a PBC title since 2006 and has qualified for the NCAA Regional every year since 2005. In addition to the five straight PBC titles, Evilsizer has produced four individual PBC champions.  In 2008, the program made its first trip to the NCAA Championship and has gone back every year since, including a program’s best 18th place finish in 2010.

On the women’s side, Evilsizer had an equally challenging task to turn CSU into a winner.  Evilsizer wasted no time winning the Peach Belt Championship in his first season at the helm. He has not lost a women’s cross country title since he has arrived at CSU, winning six in a row. Just like the men, Evilsizer has produced three individual PBC Champions. The Lady Cougars have gone to the NCAA Regional every
season under Evilsizer including winning the 2009 Regional in Wingate, NC., which was a program’s first. In that same season, CSU made its only appearance in the NCAA Championships.

In total, Evilsizer has won four Peach Belt Conference Coach of the Year awards, including sweeping both the men’s and women’s honors in 2010.

In 2010, Evilsizer was given the task of up-starting a Track and Field program from the ground up. He has not disappointed as he produced an All-American in the program’s first season. In 2011, CSU competed in three events in the NCAA Championships and produced its second All-American on the track.

Prior to coming to CSU, Evilsizer coached the Smiths Station High School program for 15 years and amassing 10 State Team Championships, 12 runner-up finishes, and coached some 150 individual state champions. Among those individuals were six national All-America runners.

Evilsizer was a two-year letterman at Livingston University (now the University of West Alabama) where he was the first-ever Gulf South Conference Cross Country champion in 1971. After Livingston dropped its program, he transferred to Auburn University where he earned a scholarship and set a school record in the steeplechase event. He went on to obtain his bachelor’s degree in 1977, followed by a master’s
degree in 1984, and an advanced sixth-year degree in 1987, all from Auburn University.

As a runner, Evilsizer was the Grand Prix Series runner-up in 1980 and has set personal records of 2:19:01 in a marathon, 29:20 in a 10K, 14:10 in a 5K, 49:50 in a 10-mile, and 23:55 in an 8K.

Evilsizer and his wife Debra have two adult children - James and Michelle, who both ran in the CSU program. In addition to his duties at CSU, Evilsizer will continue working with the Smiths Station program.

David Marley is entering his first year with the Columbus State University cross country program as a graduate assistant coach in the 2011-2012 season.  

Marley graduated from CSU in 2010 and was a three-year member of the Columbus State cross country program. He was successful right out of the gate for Coach J.D. Evilsizer. In 2008, his first season, Marley won the individual Peach Belt Conference championship as the Cougars won another conference title. Marley finished seventh at the 2009 PBC Championship and had a sixth place finish last season.

Marley was selected as a first team All-PBC member in 2008 and again in 2010. For his seventh place finish in 2009, he was a second team all-conference honoree. He was a member of the USTFCCCA All-Academic team in 2009 and the Peach Belt All-Academic team as well.

Marley will be working with both the men’s and women’s program this season.