Mike Owens, Head Coach

Mike Owens is beginning his fourteenth season as Head Coach of both the Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Teams and eight of both the Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Teams.

During his tenure at Mars Hill Owens has coached 11 Conference MVP’s, 161 All-Conference performers, eight SAC Freshman of the Year and 11 SAC Scholar Athletes of the Year. On the Regional level he has coached two Region Runners of the Year, 29 All-Region runners and 31 NCAA D-II Individual All-Academic Team members. In addition his Women’s Teams have been named an NCAA D-II Coaches All-Academic Team in each of the last nine seasons. The Men’s Teams have been honored so five times. Most importantly, 12 of Coach Owens’ former runners are now coaching Cross Country or Track and Field.

Overall his Men’s and Women’s Teams have earned 22 Conference Championships in addition to six Southeast Region Championships. Coach Owens has been honored as the Conference Coach of the Year 22 times as well as the NCAA Southeast Region Coach of the Year six times in his career.

Coach Owens is an avid runner and has been running for over 25 years which includes participation in over 470 road races and 13 marathons. He lives in Weaverville, NC with his daughter Rebekah.

Stacy Mark, Assistant Coach

Stacy Mark returned to her alma mater in 2004 after assistant coaching for a year at Catawba College. Graduating from Mars Hill in 2003, Mark earned a degree in biology and a minor in mathematics.

While attending Mars Hill, Mark was a four-year performer in cross country and track. Throughout her four years, she earned numerous awards and honors and was a member of the three-time South Atlantic Conference championship team. In 1999, she earned SAC Freshman of the Year honors and was the Runner of the Year in 2001 and 2002. Mark was also named the Southeast Region Runner of the Year in 2002, the only Mars Hill female to earn that honor. She holds the SAC record for the 5k at 18:11 and the school record for the 6k. Mark was a four-time first team All-SAC performer and three-time all-region selection. She was a National Meet qualifier in 2000 and 2002.

Mark also holds school records in track and field. She became just the second athlete at Mars Hill to provisionally qualify for nationals, in the 3000m steeplechase. Mark was also an outstanding student, earning All-Academic honors in 2002.

Mark is currently working towards her master’s degree in Athletic Coaching Education through the distance-learning program at West Virginia University. She also is USA Track & Field Level 1 and Level 2 certified. Mark remains an active runner and continues to compete in local road races and marathons. She resides in Mars Hill.