North Carolina State University Athletics
Track
- Title:
- Assistant Coach (Jumps)
- Email:
- cscolema@ncsu.edu
- Phone:
- (919) 819-2416
Chris Coleman joined the NC State Track & Field program in 2007 as an assistant coach and has since established himself as a premier jumps coach, as he has guided numerous athletes to conference, regional and national success.
During the 2025-26 season, Coleman continued his tradition of excellence by coaching multiple athletes to ACC Championships honors and NCAA postseason appearances.
Indoors, Tyson Adams successfully defended his ACC long jump title, winning the conference crown for the second consecutive year with a mark of 7.76m.
Outdoors, Coleman guided Adams, Judd Armstrong, Mariama Hunt, Ryan John and Ryan Farness to the NCAA East First Round. John advanced to his first NCAA Outdoor Championships as a member of the Wolfpack after placing 10th in the triple jump.
At the outdoor championships, John earned an All-American honorable mention after finishing 22nd with a mark of 15.39m.
In 2025, Coleman helped Hunt make program history in her first season under his guidance as she became the first female jumper coached by Coleman at NC State to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
She secured her berth with a 12th-place finish in the long jump at the NCAA East First Round, recording a mark of 6.11m.
That same season, Coleman coached Tyson Adams to the ACC indoor and outdoor long jump titles. Outdoors, Adams earned first-team All-American honors with a fifth-place finish in the long jump at the NCAA Championships, becoming the fourth NC State athlete to earn All-American honors in the long jump.
From 2019-23, Coleman oversaw current assistant jumps coach Jirah Sidberry. Sidberry was a 3-time All-ACC performer and a three-time NCAA East Regional qualifier. She was also the indoor and outdoor ACC long jump champion during the 2023 season. At the 2023 indoor ACC Championships, she was named most valuable field performer.
Throughout his career, Coleman has developed some of the most accomplished jumpers in NC State history. From 2014-16, he coached Jonathan Addison to four All-America honors and three ACC individual championships.
Addison rewrote the program record book, setting the school indoor long jump record at 8.17m and earning NCAA Indoor Championship runner-up honors in 2016.
On the women’s side, Alexis Perry emerged as one of the nation’s top long jumpers. A two-time All-American and ACC Champion, Perry set the NC State long jump record with a mark of 6.57m before closing her collegiate career with a fourth-place finish at the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Addison and Perry shined for Coleman in 2015 as the duo collectively boasted three All-American honors, two ACC titles and six All-ACC honors in the jumping events. Addison was named the 2015 ACC Indoor MVP after placing first in the high jump, second in the long jump and fourth in the 60m dash.
Among Coleman’s most decorated athletes was Karimah Shepherd, whose 2013 campaign stands out in ACC history.
Shepherd earned four All-America honors between the long jump and triple jump, was named ACC Outdoor Field Performer of the Year and swept South Region Field Athlete of the Year honors during both the indoor and outdoor seasons.
She won the ACC Championships in both the long jump and triple jump, earned ACC Indoor Championships Field MVP honors and established a school record in the long jump.
Coleman has also produced standout high jumpers. Christopher Garrick earned All-ACC honors during both the indoor and outdoor season in 2017, while Kris Kornegay-Gober became a five-time All-ACC performer and set the school indoor high jump record at 2.24m. Kayla Lawson earned multiple All-ACC honors and advanced to the NCAA Championships under Coleman’s guidance.
Early in his NC State career, Coleman quickly elevated the jumps program. In his first season, he coached ACC outdoor long jump champion and NCAA qualifier Dexter Adams.
Adams continued his success in 2008, earning All-America honors, qualifying for the NCAA Championships and competing at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Coleman also guided DeMiracle Washington to an ACC indoor championship and national qualifier during that same season.
Prior to arriving at NC State, Coleman enjoyed a decorated collegiate career at St. Augustine’s College. He captured three NCAA Division II national championships in the triple jump, earned 14 All-America honors and helped the Falcons win six national team championships.
Following graduation in 1995, he began his coaching career as an assistant jumps coach under George Williams at St. Augustine.
In addition to his collegiate coaching accomplishments, Coleman is the founder and head coach of Carolina Allstars Youth Track & Field Team in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. He was also named Team USA’s jumps/multi’s coach for the 2025 NAACA Senior Track & Field Championships. A native of Fuquay-Varina, he resides in Raleigh with his daughters, Takira and Jordyn.
