Jackie Kirby joined the University of Mount Olive in the fall of 2009 as an assistant coach for the Trojan men's and women's cross country and track and field teams. Kirby was promoted to associate coach in July 2014.
"I am honored to be appointed head coach of cross country and associate head coach of track and field. I am thrilled to work alongside our new Director and Head Coach Earl Graves and our other coaching staff members. I am eager to continue working with the distance runners and to keep our methods and traditions alive. My goal is to maintain our current development rate, strive for conference championship wins, and build on our success on the regional and national stage," said Kirby.
Since her time at Mount Olive, the men's cross country team has earned a berth in the NCAA Division II Men's Cross Country Championship in each of the last seven years, finishing in the top 20 in 2013 (16th), 2014 (19th), 2017 (11th), 2019 (15th). The women's team earned their first NCAA DII Women's Cross Country National Championship appearance in 2017, finishing 28th.
She has been a two-time Southeast Region Outdoor Track & Field Assistant Coach of the Year, two-time Southeast Region Indoor Track & Field Assistant Coach of the Year, and was the 2015 UMO Chaplain's Choice Coach of the Year.
Kirby has assisted in the Trojans' 36 Conference Carolinas Conference Championships, four Southeast Region Men's Cross Country Championships, 46 NCAA Division II All-America awards, 11 NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championship appearances, seven NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field National Championship appearances, and eight NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field National Championship appearances.
Kirby is a graduate of Keystone College, where she earned a B.A. in visual arts with a concentration in photography and graphic design.
Kirby was a decorated cross country and track and field athlete at Keystone. She was a three-time cross country conference champion (twice in the Northeast Athletic Conference, senior year in the Colonial States Athletic Conference) and still holds school records for the fastest time in both the 5k and 6k. Kirby was a two-time all-region selection and qualified for the NCAA Division III Women's Cross Country National Championship in her junior and senior years.
Kirby was the 2009 CSAC Track and Field Athlete of the Year and qualified for the 2009 NCAA Division III Women's Track and Field Championship in the 5,000 meters and the mile. Kirby also holds school records in 10 different events.
