From OCU Sports Info.
Rich Tortorelli, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University has elevated Matt Aguero into its men’s and women’s cross country and track & field head-coaching position.
Aguero takes over the Stars after Conor Holt left to become the cross country and track & field coach at Northwood (Mich.). Oklahoma City has won the past three NAIA men’s cross country championships.
In the past two years, Aguero helped the Stars win two men’s cross country national championships, two Sooner Athletic Conference men’s cross country titles and the 2015 SAC women’s cross country crown.
“We are excited to have Matt leading these programs,” OCU athletic director Jim Abbott said. “Matt has played an important role in building our successful programs over the past two years, and I have every confidence that he will continue to build on that success for the foreseeable future.”
With OCU, Aguero has aided in producing nine men’s all-Americans, one women’s all-American, 14 men’s all-conference runners and 10 women’s all-SAC performers in cross country. In track, Aguero coached 12 men’s indoor all-Americans, eight women’s indoor all-Americans, nine men’s outdoor all-Americans, four women’s outdoor all-Americans and the 2016 indoor national champion distance medley relay team. The Stars’ Arya Bahreini became a qualifier for the U.S. Olympic Trials marathon and a three-time NAIA marathon champion.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to move into the head coaching position,” Aguero said. “We have a great group of hard working student-athletes, and I look forward to the program’s continued success.”
Aguero has nine years of experience as a head coach at St. Gregory’s and Cameron. Aguero has coached 13 individual national champions, 69 all-Americans, 117 national meet qualifiers and 102 all-conference performers in his coaching career.
Aguero’s coaching career began in 2004-05 as an assistant at Virginia Intermont. Aguero helped Virginia Intermont to the 2004 NAIA men’s cross country championship. Aguero is a USA Track and Field level I and II certified coach.
Aguero has run two ultra marathons and more than 20 marathons, including the Boston Marathon these past two years. He won the 2005 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon.
During his college career, Aguero became an NAIA all-American while competing for Minot State (N.D.), setting the school record in the marathon. Aguero also set the East Central marathon record while becoming an all-region cross country runner and three-time national track and field meet qualifier.
Originally from Poteau, Okla., Aguero entered the Poteau High School athletics hall of fame after setting the 1,600-meter and 5,000-meter school records.
Holt guided three men’s cross country national title teams, three SAC men’s cross country champions and the 2015 SAC women’s cross country title team in five years with OCU.