Bio

Hometown - Sioux Falls, SD

High School - Sioux Falls Lincoln

College - Liberty University

Coaching Career

2016 - 2023 (Head XC/Assistant TF - NCAA Dl Abilene Christian University - Abilene, TX)

2015 - 2016 (Assistant XC/TF - NCAA Dll King University - Bristol, TN)

2014 - 2015 (Head XC - NCAA Dlll Cedar Crest College - Allentown, PA)

2013 - 2014 (Graduate Assistant XC/TF - NCAA Dl South Dakota State University - Brookings, SD)

2012 (Assistant XC - Sioux Falls Lincoln HS - Sioux Falls, SD)

2008 - 2009 (Assistant XC - Liberty Christian Academy - Lynchburg, VA)

Coaching Results

- 1 XC Conference Team Championship

2017 Women’s Cross Country (NCAA Dl Southland Conference)

- 2 XC Conference Team Runner-Up

2020 Women’s Cross Country (NCAA Dl Southland Conference)

2015 Men’s Cross Country (NCAA Dll Conference Carolinas)

- 2 XC Conference Team Third Place

2021 Women’s Cross Country (NCAA Dl WAC Conference)

2019 Men’s Cross Country (NCAA Dl Southland Conference)

- 2 XC Region Team Top 5 Finishes

2021 Women’s Cross Country (NCAA Dl South Central Region)

2017 Women’s Cross Country (NCAA Dl South Central Region)

- 6 XC Individual National Championship Qualifiers

2022 (1 Individual)

2021 (2 Individuals)

2020 (1 Individual)

2017 (2 Individuals)

- 7 Track & Field NCAA National Championship West Prelim Qualifiers

4 x Women’s 10k

2 x Men’s 3kSC

1 x Women’s 5k

- 10 XC/TF Individual All-Region Performances

2022 (1 Individual)

2021 (2 Individuals)

2019 (2 Individuals)

2017 (3 Individuals)

2015 (1 XC Individual, 1 Track Individual)

- 6 XC/TF Student-Athlete of the Year Awards

2021 (WAC Conference Cross Country)

2020 (Southland Conference Cross Country)

2019 (Southland Conference Outdoor Track & Field)

2018 (Southland Conference Indoor Track & Field)

2017 (Southland Conference Cross Country)

2017 (Southland Conference Indoor Track & Field)

- 11 XC/TF Individual Conference Champions

3 x XC

2 x 10k

2 x 5k

2 x 3k

2 x 3kSC

- 63 XC/TF Individual All-Conference Performances

- 10 Southland Conference All-Time Top 5 Performers

Men’s 3kSC

Women’s 5k

4 x Women’s 10k

W Indoor 3k

3 x Women’s Indoor 5k

- 30 ACU Top 10 All-Time Performers (As of 2023)

5 x Men’s Indoor 3000m

1 x Men’s Indoor 5000m

2 x Men’s Outdoor 3kSC

1 x Women’s Indoor Mile

6 x Women’s Indoor 3000m

3 x Women’s Indoor 5000m

1 x Women’s Outdoor 1500m

3 x Women’s Outdoor 5000m

6 x Women’s Outdoor 10,000m

2 x Women’s Outdoor 3kSC

- 9 x USTFCCCA XC All-Academic Team Awards

- 17 USTFCCCA All-Academic Individual Awards

- 38 Conference All-Academic Individual Awards

Personal

As a student-athlete, Jelen made the Big South's All-Decade Cross Country Team for the 2000's as he was a six-time all-conference honoree and an all-region selection for Liberty XC in 2007. He also made the league's Presidential Honor Roll on three occasions.

Jelen began his collegiate career at Augustana College, where he was a DII Academic All-America following the 2004-05 season.

At the high school level, Jelen was a three-time XC/Track state champion for Lincoln High School.

Jelen earned his Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology: fitness specialist from Liberty University in 2009. He is a certified USATF Level I coach.

Jelen and his wife, Emily, have three sons: Judah, Shepherd and Keane, and a daughter, Rosie.