Jill McCartney, Kenyon College's Director of Athletics, Fitness, and Recreation, announced today that Kirk Shellhouse will lead both the men's and women's cross country teams as head coach of the Owls. Shellhouse is the fifth individual to take the helm of the cross country programs over their 41-year history at Kenyon. Additionally, Shellhouse is set to serve as an assistant coach for Kenyon's track and field teams.
"I am very pleased to welcome Kirk Shellhouse as our new Head Cross Country Coach and Assistant Coach for Track and Field," said McCartney. "He brings experience, enthusiasm, and energy to Kenyon and to cross country and distance running. Coach Shellhouse impressed us with his commitment to the Division III experience and his ability to build a competitive cross country program."
Shellhouse, who comes to Gambier after seven years at NCAA Division III Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Georgia, succeeds interim head coach Kim Clark, who led the Owls in 2022. Both the men's and women's teams finished fourth in the North Coast Athletic Conference this season, and both squads boasted a pair of All-NCAC runners.
"I am honored and grateful for this wonderful opportunity to be selected as the next head cross country and assistant track and field coach at Kenyon College," Shellhouse said. "I would like to thank Celestino Limas, Jill McCartney, and the rest of the search committee for the chance to be a part of the Kenyon community."
While at Oglethorpe, Shellhouse served as the head coach for both the track and field and cross country programs. He coached the men's cross country team to runner-up finishes in the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) in 2018, 2020-21, 2021, and 2022. During his tenure with the Stormy Kestrels, Shellhouse coached individual male and female athletes to a combined 89 All-SAA honors, 15 SAA individual titles, eight SAA Newcomer of the Year honors, one SAA Field Athlete of the Year honors, 18 All-Region honors, five NCAA Championship appearances, and seven U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic honors.
Prior to Oglethorpe, Shellhouse served as an assistant coach at Trinity University and a graduate assistant coach at Defiance College. Before entering the collegiate ranks full-time, he coached at New London High School and Wellington High School after serving as the volunteer assistant coach at Oberlin College and a student assistant coach at Heidelberg University, his alma mater.
Shellhouse graduated from Heidelberg in 2010, where he competed on the cross country and track and field teams. While at Heidelberg, his team captured Ohio Athletic Conference cross country and track and field championships in 2009 and 2010. Shellhouse was on teams that took part in four NCAA Division III cross country championships and one Division III track and field championship as a student-athlete.
"I am excited and eager to work with a great group of student-athletes this spring," Shellhouse said. "We hope to continue to build upon the cross country and distance program's past success and traditions."
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