Upcoming Event: Men's Cross Country versus SDSU Classic on October 3, 2025 at 6:40 p.m.
/
6:40 p.m.
Men's Cross Country
vs SDSU Classic
South Dakota State University Athletics
Men's Cross Country
DeHaven, Rod
Rod DeHaven
- Title:
- Bargmann Endowed Head Coach for Track & Field/Cross Country
- Email:
- Rod.DeHaven@sdstate.edu
Bargmann Endowed Head Coach for Track & Field/Cross Country, Rod DeHaven enters his 20th year at the helm of the Jackrabbit Men’s and Women’s Track and Field and Cross Country programs.
During his tenure, DeHaven has been named a conference Coach of the Year 15 times. In 14 of those 15 seasons, he has led teams to titles. Twice he was named NCAA Division I Independent Cross Country Coach of the Year for leading both the men’s and women’s team to titles during SDSU’s transition from NCAA Division II to Division I status. In 2008 the Jackrabbit women claimed their first Summit League title under his tutelage. The men’s cross country team pulled the upset of traditional league power Southern Utah in 2009 for their first league title and many others followed (2010, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023). On the track, he has been named the men’s Summit League indoor track and field coach of the year thrice: in 2017, 2019 and 2022. In 2019, Jackrabbit men surged to their first team title in indoor track and field since 1991.
DeHaven has directly coached eight individuals to ten individual league or conference championships in cross county. Eleven individuals have earned all-region honors for their top 25 finishes at the NCAA Midwest Region. On the track, 29 individuals and 6 relay teams have claimed league or conference titles. DeHaven has coached 100 individuals to All-League accolades in cross country. On track athletes directly coached by him have earned 129 individual honors and additional 52 awards via the distance medley relay.
His student athletes have rewritten the record books in the middle distance and distance events on the track. 121 top ten marks have been established those events between indoors and outdoors and 17 current school records.
Trent Lusigan and Joel Reichow both earned All-American status in cross country twice. Lusignan finished 12th in 2013 and 25th in 2015 and Reichow finished 36th in 2015 and 20th in 2016. On the track Kyle Burdick earned 2nd team All-American honors in the 1500 meters. Rachel King twice qualified for the NCAA Finals in the 3000 meter steeplechase where she earned honorable mention All-American honors in 2018 and 2019.
DeHaven’s teams have also earned distinction in the classroom as teams and individuals routinely place themselves on the US Track and Field Coaches association honor rolls. He has directly coached three NCAA Post Graduate Scholars in Brad Lowery, Becka Manshiem and Rachel King.
DeHaven, who graduated from SDSU in 1989 with a bachelor of science degree in computer science, ended his collegiate career as one of the most decorated runners in Jackrabbit history. During his four years of cross country competition, he ran to an unprecedented four North Central Conference individual championships and four top-10 finishes at the NCAA Division II national meet. With DeHaven leading the pack, SDSU also captured four conference team championships and the 1985 NCAA Division II National Championship. On the track, DeHaven established seven school records in the middle distance events. Four of those records still stand: the indoor 1,500 meters (3:47.4), indoor mile (4:00.96), outdoor 800 meters (1:48.67) and outdoor 1,500 meters (3:40.17). In 1985, DeHaven was the 1500-meter champion at the NCAA Division II indoor championships and was third at the U.S. Junior championships, earning a spot on the national team where he ran the seventh-fastest U.S. junior 1500-meters all-time (3:42.34).
The following year, he earned a Division I All-America award in the mile run, finishing eighth at the NCAA Division I indoor meet. All told, DeHaven earned 16 All-America certificates and won 20 individual North Central Conference championships. After graduation, DeHaven moved to Madison, Wis., and continued to compete in cross country, track and road racing while working full-time as a computer programmer. As a self-coached athlete, he earned a spot on the 1991 US team that competed at the World Cross Country Championships. Later that year, he finished ninth at U.S. Track and Field championships in the 10,000 meters. In 1994, he debuted in marathon competition, posting a time of 2:14:48 at the Twin Cities Marathon. The following year, DeHaven established his personal bests at 5,000 (13:40) and 10,000 meters (28:06), finishing fourth at the U.S. Championships at 10,000 meters. Injuries hampered an Olympic bid in 1996 as he finished 10th in the 10,000 meters. However, in 1998, DeHaven emerged as one of the top Americans on the roads, winning the U.S. Half Marathon Championship, posting a time of 2:13:01 at the Chicago Marathon and winning the USA Road Running Circuit. In 1999, DeHaven represented the United States in the World Championships in the marathon, finishing 24th in Seville, Spain. On a hot, steamy day in Pittsburgh, Pa., DeHaven came from behind to win the Olympic Marathon trial. Illness slowed DeHaven to a 69th place finish at the Sydney Olympic Games, but he came back in 2001 to finish sixth in the Boston Marathon (2:12:41) and sixth at the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon (2:11:40). In 2002, DeHaven qualified for his fourth Olympic Trials with a 2:13:16 finish at the Cal International marathon. An injury suffered in late 2003 kept him from starting the marathon trials in Birmingham, Ala.
He lives in Brookings with his wife Tamila Fraser and he has three grown children Addison, Graham and Quinn
Cross Country Weekly Update (09.23.2025)
Tuesday, September 23
Cross Country Weekly Update (09.16.25)
Tuesday, September 16
Cross Country Weekly Update (09.09.2025)
Tuesday, September 09
Cross Country Weekly Update (09.03.2025)
Wednesday, September 03
