Duncan Elevated To Assistant Coach For Distance Events

June 24, 2019 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track, Cowgirl Cross Country & Track

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Dave Smith has announced Justin Duncan will serve as the program's assistant coach for distance events.

Duncan joined the program in January of 2019 on an interim basis, and has been integral in working with the Cowboy and Cowgirl middle-distance units.

With Duncan's help, Sinclaire Johnson was named a semifinalist for The Bowerman after winning the NCAA championship in the 1,500 meters, Ryan Smeeton earned NCAA runner-up honors in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and Hassan Abdi earned All-America honors. Johnson, Jenny Martinez and Molly Sughroue became the first trio of teammates to make the women's 1,500-meter final at the NCAA Championship since 2011.

"Justin has proved to be an invaluable member of our coaching staff and I'm excited to have him serve in this new role," Smith said. "I think he's very intelligent and well educated, and he knows his stuff. He is personable, easy going and he is a great communicator. He brings a fresh set of eyes and new ideas from his perspective as an accomplished collegiate middle distance runner. He will be a tremendous asset to our student athletes."

A native of Caledon, Ontario, Canada, Duncan previously served as a graduate assistant at the University of Toronto, where he worked with the track & field program's middle distance runners. He earned his Master's degree in exercise physiology in 2015 and continued to work with the program in a similar role until arriving in Stillwater in January of 2019.

"I'm extremely excited and fortunate to be in this position at Oklahoma State," Duncan said. "Having personally competed against national championship OSU squads, I know how strong this program is and how great of a coach Dave Smith is. He's elevated this program to new heights and continues to churn out very impressive accolades year-after-year. Having the ability to learn from coach Smith is such an honor. I count him as a mentor and I look forward to helping this program in any way I can."

An outstanding runner in his own right, Duncan was a nine-time All-C-USA selection in his career at Tulsa. He advance to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championships of the 1,500 meters twice, including a trip to the semifinals in 2009.

He finished his career with the school record in the 4x1,600-meter relay and also was in the top four of seven other categories, including the second-best mark in the indoor 800 and the outdoor 1,500.

Duncan graduated from Tulsa in May of 2011 with a degree in exercise sport science. He and his wife, Kristen, have a son named Cullen.