Montreat College

Jacob Simms was announced as the Montreat College head men's and women's track & field coach in July of 2022 before being promoted to Director of Cross Country/Track & Field in April of 2024. He enters his fifth season as head coach of the track & field programs in 2027.

YEAR-BY-YEAR HIGHLIGHTS 

2026 (Men's Track & Field)

• Set eight new indoor track & field records.
• Rated as high as No. 8 in the USTFCCCA NAIA Men’s Indoor Track & Field Rating Index, which is a program-best (84.39 points on 2/24/26).
• Coached Nathan Cremin to a USTFCCCA Men’s NAIA Athlete of the Week honor, the first in program history for a Montreat College track & field student-athlete during the indoor season.
• Finished runner-up at the AAC Indoor Track & Field Championships (110 points).
• Placed eighth out of 68 scoring teams at the 2026 NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships, marking the best indoor nationals finish in program history (25 points).
• Aided Nathan Cremin and Ryan Stade on becoming the second and third indoor, and third and fourth overall, NAIA national champions in program history. 
• Set three new outdoor track & field records.
• Rated as high as No. 9 in the USTFCCCA NAIA Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Rating Index (167.54 points on 5/5/26).
• Finished third at the AAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Black Mountain, N.C. (105 points).
• Tied for 16th out of 73 scoring teams at the 2026 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Asheville, N.C. (16 points).
• Concluded eighth overall in the 2025-26 USTFCCCA Jack Hazen NAIA Men’s Program of the Year standings (out of 22 programs).
• Athlete achievements: 1 NAIA Indoor Track Athlete of the Week, 3 AAC Indoor Track Athletes of the Week, 2 AAC Outdoor Track Athletes of the Week, 2 USTFCCCA Men’s NAIA Indoor Athlete of the Week, 1 USTFCCCA Men’s NAIA Outdoor Athlete of the Week, 2 Indoor NAIA National Champions, 7 Indoor NAIA All-Americans, 2 Outdoor NAIA All-Americans, 9 Indoor NAIA National Qualifiers (4 events), 4 Outdoor NAIA National Qualifiers (4 events), 5 Indoor AAC Event Titles, 6 Outdoor AAC Event Titles, 9 Indoor All-Conference Performances, 8 Outdoor All-Conference Performances, 8 Indoor All-Conference Athletes, 5 Outdoor All-Conference Athletes, 1 AAC Indoor Most Outstanding Performer, 1 AAC Indoor Newcomer of the Year, 1 AAC Outdoor Newcomer of the Year, 1 USTFCCCA NAIA South Region Men’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Year, 1 USTFCCCA NAIA South Region Men’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, 1 CSC Academic All-America® Track & Field/Cross Country Second Team, 4 CSC Academic All-District® Track & Field/Cross Country Team selections, 6 NAIA Scholar-Athletes and 8 AAC All-Academic Team members.

2026 (Women's Track & Field) 

• Set six new indoor track & field school records.
• Rated as high as No. 32 in the USTFCCCA NAIA Women’s Indoor Track & Field Rating Index (35.05 points on 1/27/26).
• Finished third at the AAC Indoor Track & Field Championships (119 points).
• Tied for 36th out of 68 scoring teams at the 2026 NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships (8 points)
• NAIA Scholar Team (Indoor).
• Set eight new outdoor track & field school records.
• Rated as high as No. 14 in the USTFCCCA NAIA Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Rating Index (5/22/26).
• Finished fourth at the AAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Black Mountain, N.C. (123 points).
• Tied for 14th out of 75 scoring teams at the 2026 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Asheville, N.C. (20 points).
• Coached Heather Murphy to become the first NAIA women’s national champion and the first NAIA two-time national champion in Montreat College history with her 10k and 5000m titles at the 2026 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
• Aided Heather Murphy in becoming the first student-athlete in Montreat College history to be named USTFCCCA NAIA Women’s Outdoor National Track Athlete of the Year (5/28/26).
• Concluded ninth overall in the 2025-26 USTFCCCA Fred Beile NAIA Women’s Program of the Year standings (out of 22 programs).
• NAIA Scholar Team (Outdoor).
• Athlete achievements: 3 AAC Indoor Track Athletes of the Week, 2 AAC Indoor Field Athletes of the Week, 2 AAC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week honors, 2 AAC Outdoor Field Athletes of the Week, 1 Outdoor NAIA National Champion (Heather Murphy x2 (10k & 5000m)), 1 Indoor NAIA All-American, 1 Outdoor NAIA All-American, 2 Indoor NAIA National Qualifiers (2 events), 3 Outdoor NAIA National Qualifiers (5 events), 3 Indoor AAC Event Titles, 5 Outdoor AAC Event Titles, 11 Indoor All-Conference Performances, 9 Outdoor All-Conference Performances, 9 Indoor All-Conference Athletes, 8 Outdoor All-Conference Athletes, 1 AAC Indoor Field Athlete of the Year, 1 AAC Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year, 1 USTFCCCA NAIA Women’s Outdoor National Track Athlete of the Year, 1 USTFCCCA NAIA South Region Women’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year, 1 NAIA Marathon Runner-Up Finish, 1 Cavalier of Excellence Award recipient, 6 CSC Academic All-District® Track & Field/Cross Country Team selections, 12 NAIA Scholar-Athletes and 16 AAC All-Academic Team members.

2025 (Men's Cross Country)

• Rated as high as No. 16 in the NAIA Men’s Cross Country Coaches’ Top 25 Rating (9/25/25).
• Finished runner-up out of 13 squads at the AAC Cross Country Championships (54 points).
• Qualified for nationals as a team for the eighth consecutive year.
• Finished 21st out of 37 teams at the 2025 NAIA Cross Country Championship (490 points)
• Coached Ryan Stade (19th place) and Brock Lauer (26th place) to join Ethan Stamey (Montreat ‘25) as the only NAIA All-Americans in program history at the 2025 NAIA Cross Country Championship.
• Concluded eighth overall in the 2025-26 USTFCCCA Jack Hazen NAIA Men’s Program of the Year standings (out of 22 programs)
• Program named an NAIA Scholar Team.
• Named a USTFCCCA All-Academic Team
• Athlete achievements: 2 AAC Runner of the Week honors, 2 NAIA All-Americans, 1 AAC Champion, 1 AAC Runner of the Year, 1 AAC Newcomer of the Year, 2 First Team All-AAC, 2 AAC All-Freshman Team, 1 CSC Academic All-America® Track & Field/Cross Country Second Team, 4 CSC Academic All-District® Track & Field/Cross Country Team selections, 4 NAIA Scholar-Athletes, 7 AAC All-Academic Team members and 5 USTFCCCA All-Academic Athletes

2025 (Women's Cross Country)

• Rated as high as No. 10 in the NAIA Women’s Cross Country Coaches’ Top 25 Rating (8/21/25).
• New program 5k record time (17:10.2) and 6k time (20:33.5).
• Finished runner-up out of 14 squads at the AAC Cross Country Championships (65 points).
• Qualified for nationals as a team for the sixth straight year.
• Finished 19th out of 36 teams at the 2025 NAIA Cross Country Championship (500 points)
• Coached Heather Murphy to achieve the best individual nationals finish in program history at the 2025 NAIA Cross Country Championship (3rd place; 20:46.1)
• Concluded ninth overall in the 2025-26 USTFCCCA Fred Beile NAIA Women’s Program of the Year standings (out of 22 programs)
• Program was named an NAIA Scholar Team.
• Named a USTFCCCA All-Academic Team.
• Athlete achievements: 1 AAC Runner of the Week, 1 NAIA Runner of the Week, 1 USTFCCCA Women’s NAIA National Athlete of the Week, 1 NAIA All-American, 1 First Team All-AAC, 2 Second Team All-AAC, 6 CSC Academic All-District® Track & Field/Cross Country Team selections, 8 NAIA Scholar-Athletes, 10 AAC All-Academic Team members and 6 USTFCCCA All-Academic Athletes

2025 (Men's Track & Field)

• Ranked as high as No. 43 in the USTFCCCA NAIA Men's Indoor Track & Field Rating Index.
• Set one indoor school record.
• Finished runner-up out of 10 programs at the AAC Indoor Track & Field Championships (2nd; 105 points).
• Qualified for two events at the NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships.
• Finished tied for 43rd out of 66 scoring programs at the NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships (6 points).
• Ranked as high as No. 30 in the USTFCCCA NAIA Men's Outdoor Track & Field Rating Index.
• Set three outdoor school records.
• Finished third out of 11 squads at the AAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships (123 points).
• Qualified for three events at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
• Finished tied for 62nd at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships (2 points).
• Appeared in the Jack Hazen Program of the Year standings for the fifth straight year (21st; 129.5 points).
• Athlete achievements: 1 NAIA Indoor All-American, 1 NAIA Outdoor All-American, 2 AAC Indoor Champions, 1 AAC Outdoor Champion, 8 Indoor All-Conference performances, 8 Outdoor All-Conference performances, 1 AAC Outdoor Track & Field Newcomer of the Year, 1 AAC Indoor Track Athlete of the Week, 1 AAC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week, 1 CSC Academic All-American Second Team® selection, 5 CSC Academic All-District® Team honorees, 1 AAC Colonel John Sullivan Male Student-Athlete of Character, 10 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes, 13 AAC All-Academic Team members, 2 USTFCCCA All-Academic Athletes.

2025 (Women's Track & Field)

• Ranked as high as No. 3 in the USTFCCCA NAIA Women's Indoor Track & Field Rating Index, which is a program record.
• Set 10 indoor school records.
• Won the program's first AAC Indoor Track & Field Championship (1st; 197 points).
• Set the AAC Women's Indoor Track & Field Championships record for the most points score (197) and the largest margin of victory (60 points).
• Named AAC Indoor Track & Field Staff of the Year.
• Qualified for six events at the NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships.
• Achieved the program's top team placement at the NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships (10th; 27 points).
• Ranked as high as No. 7 in the USTFCCCA NAIA Women's Outdoor Track & Field Rating Index, which is a program record.
• Set or tied 14 outdoor school records.
• Finished runner-up out of 13 teams at the AAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships (2nd; 137 points).
• Qualified for five events at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
• Achieved the program's best finish at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships (8th; 26 points).
• Student-athlete Heather Murphy was selected to represent Ireland at the European Athletics U23 Championships.
• Achieved the program's best finish in the Fred Beile Program of the Year standings (4th; 23 points).
• Program garnered USTFCCCA All-Academic Team status.
• Athlete achievements: 8 NAIA Indoor All-Americans, 4 NAIA Outdoor All-Americans, 6 AAC Indoor Champions, 5 AAC Outdoor Champions, 16 Indoor All-Conference performances, 11 Outdoor All-Conference performances, 1 AAC Indoor Co-Track Athlete of the Year, 1 AAC Indoor Track & Field Newcomer of the Year, 1 AAC Outdoor Track & Field Newcomer of the Year, 1 USTFCCCA NAIA Women's National Athlete of the Week, 2 AAC Indoor Track Athlete of the Week, 1 AAC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week, 2 AAC Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week, 1 AAC Colonel John Sullivan Female Student-Athlete of Character, 2 CSC Academic All-America® First Team selections, 5 CSC Academic All-District® Team honorees, 17 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes, 26 AAC All-Academic Team members, 10 USTFCCCA All-Academic Athletes.

2024 (Men's Cross Country)

• Ethan Stamey achieved a new program record individual 8k time (24:02.5) and the program's best individual finish at nationals (16th).
• Finished runner-up at the AAC Cross Country Championships (2nd; 43 points).
• Qualified for nationals as a team for the seventh consecutive year.
• Placed 21st at the NAIA Cross Country Championships (501 points).
• Ranked as high as 10th in the NAIA Men's Cross Country Coaches' Top 25 Rating.
• Named the AAC Men's Team of Character.
• Named a USTFCCCA All-Academic Team.
• Appeared in the Jack Hazen Program of the Year standings for the fifth straight year (21st; 129.5 points).
• Highest GPA among Montreat College men's athletic programs (3.49 GPA).
• Athlete achievements: 1 NAIA All-American, 4 All-AAC athletes (2 First Team All-AAC, 2 Second Team All-AAC), 1 AAC Runner of the Week, 1 AAC Colonel John Sullivan Male Student-Athlete of Character, 1 CSC Academic All-America® Second Team selection, 5 CSC Academic All-District® Team honorees, 5 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes, 11 AAC All-Academic Team members, 5 USTFCCCA All-Academic Athletes.

2024 (Women's Cross Country)

• New program record 5k time (17:18.5) and 6k time (20:33.5).
• New program record team 5k time (1:29:51) and team 6k time (1:48:08).
• Finished runner-up at the AAC Cross Country Championships (2nd; 34 points).
• Qualified for nationals as a team for the fifth consecutive year.
• Placed fifth at the NAIA Cross Country Championships (176 points).
• Set three program records at the national meet: highest team finish (5th), highest individual finish (Heather Murphy in 4th), most All-Americans at a single national meet (3).
• Ranked as high as No. 5 in the NAIA Women's Cross Country Coaches' Top 25 Rating, a program-best.
• Named a USTFCCCA All-Academic Team.
• Achieved the program's best finish in the Fred Beile Program of the Year standings (4th; 23 points).
• Highest GPA among Montreat College athletic programs (3.82 GPA).
• Athlete achievements: 3 NAIA All-Americans, 1 USTFCCCA South Region Athlete of the Year, 1 NAIA Runner of the Week, 2 USTFCCCA NAIA Women's Athlete of the Week, 2 AAC Runner of the Week, 1 AAC Champion, 1 AAC Runner of the Year, 1 AAC Freshman of the Year, 7 All-AAC athletes (2 First Team All-AAC, 5 Second Team All-AAC), 1 AAC All-Freshman Team, 1 AAC Colonel John Sullivan Female Student-Athlete of Character, 2 CSC Academic All-America® First Team selections, 5 CSC Academic All-District® Team honorees, 9 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes, 12 AAC All-Academic Team members, 7 USTFCCCA All-Academic Athletes.

2024 (Men's Track & Field)

• Third consecutive runner-up finish at the AAC Indoor Track & Field Championships (2nd; 157 points).
• Tied for 20th out of 67 scoring teams at the NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships.
• Men ranked as high as 13th in the USTFCCCA NAIA Men's Indoor TFRI.
• Finished runner-up at the AAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships (2nd; 163 points).
• Tied for 15th out of 78 scoring teams at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
• Coached student-athlete Dustin Blevins to program's second individual national title in team history (outdoor long jump).
• Men ranked as high as 12th in the USTFCCCA NAIA Men's Outdoor TFRI.
• Finished 8th in the USTFCCCA's NAIA Jack Hazen Program of the Year standings (47.5 points).
• Women ranked as high as 28th in the USTFCCCA NAIA Women's Outdoor TFRI.
• Athlete achievements: 4 NAIA Indoor All-Americans, 1 AAC Indoor Most Outstanding Athlete, 6 AAC Indoor Champions, 14 All-Conference Indoor honors, 1 AAC Indoor Field Athlete of the Week, 1 NAIA Outdoor National Champion, 3 NAIA Outdoor All-Americans, 1 AAC Outdoor Most Outstanding Athlete, 6 AAC Outdoor Champions, 12 All-Conference Outdoor honors, 1 USTFCCCA NAIA Outdoor Athlete of the Week, 1 AAC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week, 3 CSC Academic All-District® Track & Field/Cross Country Team honorees, 8 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes and 12 AAC All-Academic Team members.

2024 (Women's Track & Field)

• Finished third out of 13 teams at AAC Indoor Track & Field Championships (3rd; 149 points).
• Secured runner-up team finish at the AAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships (2nd; 139.5 points).
• Tied for 53rd out of 68 scoring teams at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
• Women's athlete achievements: 5 AAC Indoor Champions, 10 All-Conference Indoor honors, 1 NAIA Outdoor All-American, 1 AAC Outdoor Champion, 14 All-Conference Outdoor honors, 1 AAC Outdoor Newcomer of the Year, 5 CSC Academic All-District® Track & Field/Cross Country Team members, 15 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes and 18 AAC All-Academic Team members.

2023 (Men's Track & Field)

• Second consecutive runner-up finish at the AAC Indoor Track & Field Championships (2nd; 189 points).
• Tied for 39th out of 64 scoring teams at the NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships.
• Won third straight team title at the AAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships (1st; 190 points).
• Tied for 70th out of 78 scoring teams at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
• Program garnered AAC Men's Team of Character recognition.
• Captured AAC Outdoor Track & Field Coaching Staff of the Year.
• Tied second-highest mark in the USTFCCCA NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Rating Index (4th; 238.19 points).
• Finished 21st in the USTFCCCA's NAIA Jack Hazen Program of the Year standings (128.5 points).
• Athlete achievements: 1 NAIA Indoor All-American, 1 AAC Indoor Field Athlete of the Year, 1 AAC Indoor Track & Field Newcomer of the Year, 4 AAC Indoor Champions, 16 All-Conference Indoor honors, 3 AAC Indoor Field Athlete of the Week awards, 1 AAC Indoor Track Athlete of the Week, 1 NAIA Outdoor All-American, 5 AAC Outdoor Champions, 15 All-Conference Outdoor honors, 2 AAC Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week awards, 4 AAC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week awards, 3 CSC Academic All-District® Team honorees, 7 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes, 14 AAC All-Academic Team members and 6 USTFCCCA All-Academic Athletes.

2023 (Women's Track & Field)

• Program-best finish at AAC Indoor Track & Field Championships (2nd; 152 points).
• Tied for 53rd out of 55 scoring teams at the NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships.
• Captured program's first team title at the AAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships (1st; 155.33 points).
• Tied for 54th out of 62 scoring teams at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
• Achieved highest mark in the USTFCCCA NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Rating Index (9th; 194.97 points).
• Captured AAC Outdoor Track & Field Coaching Staff of the Year.
• Saw Jenna Mallory named 2022-23 Colonel John Sullivan AAC Female Champion of Character.
• Finished 24th in the USTFCCCA's NAIA Fred Beile Program of the Year standings (131.5 points).
• Women's athlete achievements: 1 NAIA Indoor All-American, 1 AAC Indoor Champion, 13 All-Conference Indoor honors, 2 AAC Indoor Track Athlete of the Week awards, 3 AAC Indoor Field Athlete of the Week nods, 1 NAIA Outdoor All-American, 1 AAC Outdoor Champion, 14 All-Conference Outdoor honors, 2 AAC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week awards, 1 CSC Academic All-America® First Team, 5 CSC Academic All-District® Team members, 14 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes, 18 AAC All-Academic Team members and 6 USTFCCCA All-Academic Athletes.

PRIOR TO MONTREAT
 
Simms joined the Cavaliers following a 6-year stint as a cross country and track & field coach at Southern Wesleyan University, an NCAA Division II institution located in Central, S.C. During the first part of his tenure with the Warriors, Simms helped run the cross country teams' day-to-day operations while also working with the distance runners on the track team. For the final three years of his tenure at SWU, Simms not only continued to run point for cross country, but also he held extensive duties with the track & field team as well, coaching the aspects of distance, sprints and jumps for the program. 
 
Prior to his time at Southern Wesleyan, Simms served as the head coach of the North Greenville University men's and women's track & field programs for two years. Before being named head coach, Simms also spent a few years assisting the NGU cross country and track & field programs.
 
Across his two coaching stops, Simms saw his athletes achieve a plethora of success. During his near-decade long run, Simms aided North Greenville and Southern Wesleyan athletes to more than 30 individual conference titles, over 50 all-conference performances, more than 40 NCAA All-Region showings, over 20 NCAA qualifying marks and seven NCAA Division II All-American efforts.
 
A college athlete himself, Simms competed at both the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and North Greenville. Simms helped the UT-Chattanooga distance medley relay win a Southern Conference Championship, and he did the same with the Crusaders’ 4x400 meter relay team in the Conference Carolinas Championship. Individually, Simms claimed eight all-conference honors between the two schools, and he held the North Greenville men’s indoor 800-meter record until the 2022 season with a time of 1:56.03. 
 
Academically, Simms graduated from North Greenville with a bachelor’s degree in history.
 
A native of Nashville, Tenn., Simms lives in Black Mountain, N.C. with his wife, Whitney, and their two children, Cooper and Milly.