Long-time assistant coach Kelly Beck named CMS Track & Field interim head coach

CLAREMONT, Calif. – Kelly Beck, the long-time assistant coach for Claremont-Mudd-Scripps track & field and cross country, has been named as CMS' interim track & field head coach, Director of Athletics Mike Sutton '76 announced on Aug. 26. Beck is in his 25th year coaching track & field and cross country at CMS and this is his 29th year being associated with the program. Beck, a Harvey Mudd College graduate, was a four-year member of both the track & field and cross country teams.

"With an interim position, what I was looking for was an individual who knew what it takes to lead a winning program and be successful," said Sutton, the William B. Arce Professor and George R. Roberts Fellow of CMS Athletics. "I wanted the next coach to be someone who knew the student-athletes, is connected with alumni and is passionate about the CMS program and with Kelly, we have that, and I am thrilled to have him step into this new role."

Beck's track coaching duties over the years have included work with the distance teams and he coached the sprinters from 1995-2010. He has coached 18 individuals and six relays who have achieved 35 All-American titles, including one NCAA national champion. 

"I am extremely honored and privileged to be able take over such an outstanding, successful program after being involved with the team for the last 24 years as an assistant coach," said Beck. "Our student-athletes and coaches over the years have been instrumental in building up a tradition of championship-caliber teams and I look forward to being a part of that tradition in an expanded role going forward."

Beck graduated from Harvey Mudd College in 1990 and started coaching at CMS that fall. In 1992 he earned a master's degree from the U.S. Sports Academy in sport management. The assistant coach for both cross country teams in the fall, Coach Beck also serves as the sports information director for CMS Athletics.

Beck takes over for Kendra Reimer who stepped down as head coach on Aug. 15 after four seasons leading the CMS program. Reimer left CMS to become the head coach at San Francisco State University.

In addition to Beck's new role, assistant coach Glenn Stewart will take over a larger role as an associate coach. Stewart will be in his third season at CMS as a coach for the men's and women's pole vault, along with assisting the sprints and hurdles. 

Coach Stewart comes to CMS after being at Cal Poly Pomona for five seasons. He joined the Broncos in the middle of the 2008 season where he coached the vaulters. Stewart served as the head coach of the Glendora High School track and field program from 2001-2008. He first started at Glendora in 1997 as an assistant coach and he took over the head coaching role in 2001. During his seven years as head coach, Stewart had six CIF Division I individual titles and trained more than 50 individual league champions.

As a student-athlete, Stewart attended and competed at UCI and Cal State L.A. During his time on the UCI and CSULA campuses, Stewart starred on the track and field teams. In 1994 while at CSULA, Stewart won conference championships in the 4x100 and 4x400 relay in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). At the NCAA Division II National Championships, he garnered two All-American titles in both relays. Stewart also qualified individually in the 200m (1994) and 400m (1993) as well. In 1986 as a freshman at UCI, he was a USA Jr. National Finalist in the 400 meters.