Lander University

The Lander University Athletics Department announced hiring Aaron King as the head coach for the Cross Country and Track and Field programs in June 2023. King is entering his second year as head coach in the 2024-25 year. 

During his first year at the helm of the Bearcat men’s and women’s cross country programs, he led LU to four top-10 finishes, including a 6th-place finish for the men and an 8th-place finish for the women in the 2023 Peach Belt Conference Cross Country Championships. 

King guided both teams to record-breaking seasons in his first season as head coach of the men's and women's track and field teams. For the men, 19 school records were broken, and 17 for the women. The women's team found success in the 2023 PBC Championships, with two second-place finishes in the field events, high jump, and shot put.
  King comes to Greenwood off a successful 2022-23 year at Spartanburg Methodist where he coached both the men's and women's cross country teams to NJCAA Region 10 titles, qualifying them for the NJCAA National Championships. In his first season with the Pioneers, he coached four women and five men to qualification at the 2021 NJCAA Cross Country National Championships.

Prior to coming to South Carolina, King coached at his alma mater, Roosevelt University in Chicago, Ill. In his time with the Lakers he coached five national qualifiers across cross country and both indoor and outdoor track and field as well as two all-conference athletes.

A native of Fowlerville, Mich., King began his career at Lansing Community College before transferring to Roosevelt. As a Laker he was a 2012 NAIA Cross Country National Qualifier and an all-conference athlete in the 5000m. In 2014, he graduated with his Bachelors in Special Education and in 2019 he graduated with his masters in Public Administration.

King is currently engaged to Ms. Miranda Godfrey and they live together with their four dogs.