| Associate Head Coach - Chris Parno |
Education:
- University of Minnesota Duluth (B.S. Physical and Health Education, 2010)
- Augustana University (Masters – Sports Administration and Leadership, 2012)
Competing Career:
- 2009 NSIC Champion 400m Hurdles
- 7-time NSIC All-Conference (heptathlon, decathlon, 400mh)
- Former UMD school record holder (heptathlon)
Coaching History:
- Minnesota State, 2012-Present
- Augustana University, 2010-2012
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Parno By-The-Numbers
at Minnesota State |
- 1 NCAA National Team Championship
- 4 NCAA National Team Runner-up
- 3 Olympians
- 24 Individual/relay NCAA National Champions
- 21 Individual/relay NCAA National Runner-Ups
- 225 NCAA All-Americans (176 first team, 49 second team)
- 4 USTFCCCA National Assistant Coach of the Year
- 4 USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Year
- 6 USTFCCCA National Championship High Point Scorer Award
- 13 USTFCCCA Assistant Coach of the Year - Central Region
- 12 NSIC Assistant Coach of the Year
- 39 NSIC Team Conference Championships (indoor, outdoor)
- 116 NSIC Individual/Conference Champions
- 41 NSIC Relay Conference Champions
- 516 All-NSIC performances
- 548 NCAA national qualifying performances (provisional/auto)
- 27 Drake Relay Championships
- DII Record – Women’s 4x200m (1:34.87)
- DII Record – Denisha Cartwright 60mh (7.93)
- DII Record – Myles Hunter 60mh (7.53)
- DII Record – Denisha Cartwright 100mh (12.60)
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Chris Parno enters his 14th season as the Associate Head Coach for Track and Field at Minnesota State University, where he leads the men’s and women’s sprint, hurdle & relay groups and serves as the program’s recruiting coordinator. Under his leadership, Maverick sprinters and hurdlers have achieved unprecedented success, consistently rewriting school records and establishing MSU as a national powerhouse in the sprints and hurdles within NCAA Division II.
Parno’s coaching philosophy blends technical instruction with a strong developmental approach, resulting in numerous All-American performances and National Champions. His impact extends beyond the collegiate level—as a respected educator in the coaching community, Parno serves as a lead instructor for USA Track & Field’s Level 1 certification program and contributes as an instructor for both Level 2 and Level 3 courses. His commitment to the sport and coach education has positioned him as a sought-after mentor and clinician nationwide.
Coaching Honors:
-2026 NSIC Indoor Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2025 USTFCCCA Outdoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2024-2025 NSIC Indoors Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2024 NSIC Outdoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2023-2024 USTFCCCA NATIONAL Indoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2023-2024 USTFCCCA Indoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2023-2024 NSIC Indoors Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2023 USTFCCCA Outdoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2023 NSIC Outdoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2022-2023 NSIC Indoor Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2022 USTFCCCA NATIONAL Outdoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2022 USTFCCCA Outdoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2022 NSIC Outdoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2021-2022 USTFCCCA NATIONAL Indoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2021-2022 USTFCCCA Indoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2021-2022 NSIC Indoors Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2021 NSIC Outdoor Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2020-2021 USTFCCCA NATIONAL Indoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2020-2021 USTFCCCA Indoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2019-2020 USTFCCCA NATIONAL Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year Finalist (top 3)
-2019-2020 NSIC Indoor Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2019 USTFCCCA Outdoor Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2018-2019 NSIC Outdoor Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2018-2019 USTFCCCA Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2018-2019 NSIC Indoor Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2017-2018 USTFCCCA Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2016-2017 USTFCCCA Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2015-2016 USTFCCCA Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2015 USTFCCCA Outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2014-2015 USTFCCCA Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
Coaching Certifications:
-USATF Level 1 Certification (2011)
-USATF Level 2 Sprint/Hurdle/Relays Certification (2015)
-USATF Level 2 Jumps Certification (2016)
-USATF Level 3 Sprints/Hurdles/Relays (2017)
-USATF Emerging Elite Sprints/Hurdle/Relay Clinic (2014)
-USATF Instructor Training (2018)
-IAAF Level 5 Sprints Certification (2017)
-USTFCCCA Technical Certification (2011)
-USTFCCCA Track and Field Program Management Certification (2013)
-USTFCCCA Sprint, Hurdle, and Relay Event Specialist (2013)
-USTFCCCA Combined Events Specialist (2014)
-USTFCCCA Strength and Conditioning Advanced Endorsement (2015)
-USTFCCCA Short Sprints Masters Endorsement (2017)
-USTFCCCA Hurdle Masters Endorsement (2018)
-Reflexive Performance Reset (RPR) Level 1 (2018)
-ALTIS Short Sprints Course (2020)
-ALTIS Short Hurdle Course (2021)
Coaching Education Instructor
- USATF Level 1 Coaching Certification (lead instructor)
- August 2021, August 2021, November 2021, January 2022, May 2022, June 2022, November 2022, March 2023, August 2023, October 2023, December 2023, March 2024, June 2024, February 2025, November 2025, March 2026
- USATF Level 2 Coaching Certification Instructor
- July 2022
- July 2023
- December 2025 (Lead Instructor)
- USATF Level 3 Coaching Certification Instructor
- December 2023
- December 2024
- USTFCCCA – Technical Certificate Instructor
- USTFCCCA – Advanced Hurdle Course Instructor
Symposium/Clinic Presentations:
-2016 Minnesota Track and Field Coaches Association Clinic
-2017 Minnesota Track and Field Coaches Association Clinic
-2018 Illinois Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association Clinic (ITCCCA)
-2018 Wisconsin Track Coaches Association Clinic – Madison, WI
-2018 North Dakota Coach Clinic (NDHSCA)
-2018 USTFCCCA National Convention – San Antonio, TX
-2020 Minnesota Track and Field Coaches Association Clinic
-2020-2025 Zoom Coaching Clinic Series – Mankato, MN
-2020 National All-Sports Virtual Coaches Summit - Online
-2020 Championship Virtual Track Coaches Clinic - Online
-2021 Indiana Virtual Coaches Clinic - Online
-2022 Wisconsin Track Coaches Association Clinic – Madison, WI
-2022 Virtual Speed and Power Clinic (VSPC) - Online
-2022 Illinois Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association Clinic (ITCCCA)
-2023 Minnesota Track and Field Coaches Association Clinic
-2023 Gold Medal Coaches Summit - Online
-2023 USTFCCCA National Convention - Denver, CO
-2024 North Polk Alleman Track and Field Clinic - Des Moines, IA
-2024 Indiana IATCCC Clinic - Indianapolis, IN
-2024 Gold Medal Coaches Summit - Online
-2024 Missouri High School Coaches Association HS Clinic – Columbia, MO
-2025 Iowa Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Clinic – Ankeny, IA
-2025 Glazier Track and Field Coaches Clinic - Online
Publications/Podcasts
-Techniques Magazine – Short Sprint Rhythm – November 2017
-Techniques Magazine – Young Coaches Roadmap – November 2018
-Simplifaster – Freelap Friday Five – 2017
-Simplifaster – When and When Not to Use Track Drills – 2018
-Simplifaster – Hurdle Technical Drills Simplified – 2019
-Gill Athletics: Track and Field Connections Podcast - 2020
-Simplifaster – Pet Peeves of Track and Field – 2021
-Championship Productions – Sprint Starts and Acceleration Series - 2021
-Championship Productions – Front-side Mechanics & Maximum Velocity in Sprinting Series - 2021
-Championship Productions – Developing Great Hurdlers Series – 2021
-Championship Productions – Speed of the Stick – Building High Performing Relays Series – 2021
-On The Track Podcast w/ JT Ayers – 2022
-USATF Track Coaches Magazine - Coaches Round Table 2023
-LANE LINES – Track and Field Newsletter – 2023
-Volume 1 – “You Only Know What You Know”
-Volume 2 – “The Pre-Meet/Meet-Day Warm-up”
-Volume 3 – “Just keep swimming.”
-Volume 4 - “Testing in Track and Field: Is It Truly Beneficial?”
-Volume 5 – “What Happens When the Boat Starts to Sink”
-Volume 6 – “Learn the Systems & Apply in The Trenches”
-Volume 7 – “The Battle of Absolutes”
-Volume 8 – “The Two Paths of Coaching: Buy Talent or Build It
-Volume 9 – “Upstream Coaching: Fixing Causes, Not Just Symptoms”
-CoachTube
-Hurdle Drills Webinar - 2023
-Sprint Drills Webinar - 2023
-Training Large Groups Webinar - 2023
-Companions of the Compendium Podcast - 2024
-UrAvgCoach Podcast - 2025
Parno and his wife Sarah reside in North Mankato with their children August and Madelyn.
