Brent Ewing, who built the Indian Hills Community College track and field and cross country programs into a national powerhouse over the past decade, has announced his resignation and will join the coaching staff at NCAA Division I Kansas State University, according to a press release from Indian Hills Community College.
Ewing arrived at Indian Hills in May 2016 and spent 10 years with the Warriors’ men’s and women’s cross country and track and field programs, serving as head coach for eight of those seasons. His tenure culminated in the program’s first-ever NJCAA Indoor Track and Field National Championship in 2024, when Ewing was also named the USTFCCCA Indoor National Coach of the Year. Over the course of his career at Indian Hills, he guided 13 individual national champions, captured six national and conference coach of the year honors, and produced numerous NJCAA and USTFCCCA All-Americans and national athlete of the year honorees. He helped cement the Warrior program as one of the premier junior college track and field destinations in the country, guiding the program to new heights in each of his eight seasons as head coach. Most recently, the Warriors placed fourth overall at the 2026 NJCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field National Championship in Hobbs, New Mexico, led by Raynier Galvez’s national championship in the 800 meter run — the third national title of Galvez’s career at Indian Hills.
Among Ewing’s most notable alumni is two-time Olympic silver medalist Kenny Bednarek, who began his historic career at Indian Hills and won three NJCAA National Championships in 2019 under Ewing’s guidance. Ewing’s recruiting and development work also produced numerous NCAA All-Americans and national champions who went on to compete at the next level. His teams also excelled in the classroom, highlighted by Kaden Banks being named the 2025 College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Male Team Member of the Year for the college division. Three additional Warriors — Kameron Hall, Tiffani Koonce, and Bailey Taig — were named to CSC Academic All-District teams in 2026.
On the cross country side, Ewing led the men’s team to seventh and tenth-place finishes at the NJCAA Cross Country Championships in 2020 and 2023, and the women’s team to 15th and 17th-place finishes in 2021 and 2025.
Ewing reflected on his decade at Indian Hills with gratitude. “When I arrived at Indian Hills in May of 2016, I was just a kid from Cincinnati, Iowa with a vision of creating something bigger than myself,” he said. “I wanted junior college track and field and Indian Hills to become synonymous. I had a vision for Indian Hills to become a destination spot. I was inexperienced and a touch naïve, but I put my head down and got to work. Ten years later, I pick my head up and cannot believe what we have created here at Indian Hills. I am so proud every time I talk with someone about our college and the people I get to work with. It’s the sense of community, the willingness to help and the overall level of support that makes Indian Hills one of a kind. Saying farewell to Indian Hills is the most bittersweet moment of my life. I’ve grown so much personally and professionally during these 10 years and I owe that to the staff and employees here at IHCC.”
At Kansas State, Ewing will serve as an assistant coach overseeing the middle distance program. The Wildcats placed fourth overall at the 2026 NCAA Men’s Outdoor National Championship. Ewing expressed excitement about the new challenge. “I am overjoyed with the opportunity to begin a new chapter at Kansas State University,” he said. “I will be tasked with creating an elite middle distance group with our sights set on contending for an NCAA national title as a team. I’m thrilled to be working with a staff of fellow Iowans led by Travis Geopfert, one of the greatest minds in the NCAA. I want to personally thank President Matt Thompson, Michael Wetrich, Taren Ferguson, Bianca Meyers, Ricky Webster, Zeke Flick, Ranae Molkenthin, Mallory Woltering, Bryan Stewart, the IHCC grounds and transportation crew and everyone else at IHCC who has made my career here so special. A piece of my heart will forever remain here at Indian Hills. Go Warriors!”
Kansas State Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Travis Geopfert praised the hire. “Brent has proved consistently that he’s one of the best developers of talent in the collegiate ranks today,” Geopfert said. “He’s identified and developed incredible men’s and women’s athletes from the 800 to the 10k as well as sprints and hurdles as head coach at Indian Hills. He’s a dynamic personality that cares about the kids. His passion shines through and I’m thrilled for our student-athletes to get the opportunity to work with him.”
Indian Hills has launched a national search for Ewing’s successor.
