A native of Sautee Nacoochee, Ga., Anderson alum Caleb Stephenson assumed the role of Head Coach for Track and Field ahead of the 2025 season.
2025
In his first season at the helm, Stephenson led the Trojans to 4th/5th-place indoor/outdoor finishes at the SAC Championships on the men’s side, as well as 4th/6th-place results for the women’s team. The teams combined for 10 All-Conference and 12 All-Region honors from indoor competition, followed by 10 All-Conference and 8 All-Region in outdoor season.
Indoor
Eight program records were cracked by the Trojans in Stephenson’s first indoor season. The men broke records in long jump (Simeon Respress), pole vault (Tyler Farris) and heptathlon (David Brown), while the women earned new marks in 60m hurdles (Mackenzie Moretina), pole vault (Rylie Jenkins), 400m (Lacey Boozer), 3000m and 5000m (Kennedy Roush).
At Indoor SAC Championships, Boozer ran a personal best school record 400m as the fastest prelim time and provisional mark to secure herself a spot in the finals. Over the course of the season, she won the event at Camel City Sprints and JDL Last Chance Meet and finished 4th at Winston-Salem Kickoff.
AU took hom gold in both pole vault competitions at conference, with Jenkins and Farris winning on the women and men’s side respectively.
Outdoor
The Trojans combined for eight school records across the season, evenly split with four coming on both the men’s and women's teams. For the girls, the Trojans broke the program record for the 200m, 400m, 4x800m and pole vault, while the guys broke the reigning marks for 10k, 4x400m, pole vault and discus.
Anderson continued their pole vault success from indoor season, capturing the SAC Championship title for both sides, as Lambin Hardy won his third-straight Outdoor SAC title and Avery Marshall added the cherry on top of an outstanding freshman campaign, winning gold. The Trojans claimed five of the six PV podium spots at the season finale conference meet. Marshall also earned a provisional mark with a 3.79m jump at the Trojans’ home meet in April, an accomplishment never before reached by an Anderson women’s field athlete.
The Electric City Invite also saw the standing discus throw school record broken by Chase Brightharp, who earned three PR Top-10 finishes across his three throw events at the meet.
Boozer continued to shine in the outdoor campaign, earning a provisional mark in the 400m at Raleigh Relays where she finished 23 of 113 competitors as the fastest D2 athlete in the field. She claimed the 400m school record at SAC Championships and was a part of the 4x800m squad that broke that program record at UNC Charlotte. Boozer won the 400m race at the Electric City Invite, and finished 2nd at the 49er Classic and the App State Open.
The 4x400m squads shined at SAC, with the men’s squad breaking the school record and the women’s team having all four competitors qualify for finals in the respective individual events.
Stephenson came to Anderson following a seven-year stint as the Physical Education Teacher at Hone Path Elementary School, as well as the Head Coach for the Cross Country and Track & Field teams at Belton-Honea Path High School.
"I am super excited to be able to bring Caleb back to Anderson," said Director of Cross Country/Track & Field Kevin Eagle. "His passion for the sport and getting every athlete better no matter their level was the main thing I was looking for when filling this position. He brings a wealth of knowledge to AU after coaching at the high school level for the last several years. The relationships that he has created over those years with coaches will help when it comes to recruiting right away. Caleb will hit the ground running as he is a perfect fit for what we're looking to achieve in the future. I could not be happier with this hire."
In his final track and field season at BHP, Stephenson led the Bears to the State Track Meet in the boys' 4x800, 4x100 and pole vault, with both pole vault athletes earning All-State honors after finishing 2nd and 5th in the event. On the girls' side, Bears qualified for State in high jump, long jump, discus, shot put, javelin, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 4x400 and 4x800. Finishing 6th overall in the state, the Bears claimed a State Title in the 800, and All-State honors with a third-place finish in the 400 as well as the 4x400 and a fifth-place finish in the discus.
Stephenson attended Anderson (2014-18) where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education. Upon graduation, Stephenson was inducted into Anderson's chapter of Chi Alpha Sigma in recognition of his academic and athletic excellence. The 2018 Physical Education Teacher of the Year Candidate then went on to obtain a Master of Science in Coaching from the University of the Cumberlands.
"I am so excited to welcome Caleb to the AU Family!" said Vice President for Athletics Dr. Bert Epting. "He will be a tremendous addition to our team, and I am looking forward to seeing him lead our student-athletes both in and out of competition. His commitment to the Lord and to pouring into his student-athletes is something that separated him in our search. He will be a difference maker in leading and coaching our track and field teams."
A four-year sprinter for the Trojan Track & Field team, Stephenson competed in the men's 60m, 100m, 200m and 400m races individually, while also consistently being a part of the 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams. Stephenson currently owns three AU program records: indoor 400m (50.18), 4x100 (41:49) and outdoor 4x400 (3:26.04). His outdoor 400m time of 48.95 was also the school record until just last season (2024) when Trojan senior Ben Molitor narrowly bested it with a 48.85 mark.
"I'm super excited to get to return to AU and be a part of the team and family that made such a big impact on me," said Stephenson. "I would like to thank my wife for always being supportive of my decisions, as well as Coach Eagle and the AU staff for giving me this opportunity. I'm looking forward to a great season!"
Stephenson and his wife, McKenzie met while both attending AU. They have been married for four years and currently reside in Belton with their daughter, Chandler.
