Mahesh Narayanan

Mahesh Narayanan

Mahesh Narayanan '97/M '05 completed his 25th year as head women's cross country coach and assistant women's track and field coach at North Central College in 2024-25. He has guided the Cardinals to unprecedented success in cross country while earning multiple honors for his contributions to North Central's track and field success as the program's distance coach.

Bio Categories - Competitive Accomplishments
Cross Country
  • Three NCAA Division III National Championship appearances
    • 2006 (1st in school history), 2011, 2014
  • Six CCIW Team Championships
    • 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015
  • Four Division III All-Americans
  • Five Individual CCIW Championships
  • 99 All-CCIW Awards
Track & Field
  • Two Division III individual national championships
  • 30 Division III All-America awards
  • 43 individual CCIW Championships
Bio Categories - Awards & Honors
  • United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Track and Field Assistant Coach of the Year
    • 2011 (outdoor)
  • USTFCCCA Midwest Region Cross Country Coach of the Year
    • 2006
  • USTFCCCA Midwest Region Track and Field Assistant Coach of the Year
    • 2011 (outdoor)
  • Chair of NCAA Track & Field Championships Committee
    • 2014-2015
  • Meet Director, NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships
    • 2013, 2017
Bio Categories - Licenses
  • USA Track & Field (USATF) Level I Certification
  • USTFCCCA Endurance Certification
  • USTFCCCA Strength and Conditioning Certification
Bio Categories - Personal Info
  • Began coaching career as student assistant at North Central
  • Member of Cardinals' coaching staff which won three national titles in men's cross country (1997, 1998, 1999) and two championships in men's outdoor track and field (1998, 2000)
  • Assisted with coordination of all facets of 2000 Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships at North Central
  • Graduated from North Central with bachelor's degree in business management (1997) and master's degree in sports leadership (2005)
  • Lives in Warrenville with wife, Amy Kleinheksel '01 Narayanan, and their children Josiah, Daithan, Kaelin and Elijah