CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Former Campbellsville University cross country and track and field distance runner and current assistant coach for both programs Corbin Harris will be promoted to the head coach of the cross country team beginning in 2021-22.
 
Harris will be replacing his former coach and boss Hilary Lakes as Lakes has chosen to step down from her role as the head coach for Tiger and Lady Tiger cross country following the 2020-21 season to focus on her teaching efforts and become a full-time faculty member at CU.

"We have been fortunate to have had Hilary Lakes with leadership and guidance of our Men and Women Cross County it has grown to a program of national prominence," Athletic Director Jim Hardy said. "We are sad to see her go but know she will still be in our Tiger family as she moves to a full-time faculty position. "Sometimes, as the old saying goes, it's better to be lucky than good. We are very lucky to have someone the caliber of Corbin Harris to step into the role of head coach of both men and women's programs. Corbin is a passionate recruiter and devoted coach, he is everything we want in the next generation of leadership. We are extremely excited to watch him continue to develop this great program."

This past season with Harris working as the assistant, the cross country teams finished in second and third between the men's and women's teams respectively at the Mid-South Conference Championship as individuals Shawn Little, Gabrielle Velez, and Hallie LaMar qualified to run at the NAIA Championship.
 
His career on the course and the track saw him grow throughout his four seasons. But over the years, Harris turned himself into one of the best to ever come through the cross country program. He shaved a little over two minutes off his 8k time and finished his career with a career-best 8k of 25:57. The Tigers reached the NAIA Championship again in 2018 and Harris helped lead CU to its highest finish at 14th.
 
On the track, Harris has seen success in the 5000-meter run, 3000-meter run, javelin and the steeplechase. In 2017, he burst on the scene with a bronze finish at the Mid-South Conference championship in the steeplechase. He graduated as the second-fastest all-time run in the event.
 
He never ran the 5000 or 3000-meter races until his senior season but he won the conference and national title in the 5000m and finished All-American in the 3000m.
 
After his running career at CU was completed, Harris qualified for the 2020 Boston Marathon, however, the marathon was postponed and eventually cancelled due to the outbreak of COVID-19.
 
Harris was not only a strong runner in competition but just as strong of an individual away from competition. In November 2018, he earned his third straight Mid-South Conference Champion of Character award and was named the Campbellsville University Champion of Character, Mr. Tiger and the Alumni Association Scholar-Athlete of the Year during the inaugural Athletics Awards night in April 2019.
 
Harris was also a standout in the classroom as he finished his career with a 3.9 GPA, earned four NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors and six Mid-South Conference academic honors.
 
With his elevation from assistant to head coach, the cross country program will also begin a search for a new assistant, to be determined at a later date.