Aaron Combs - Assistant Coach - Men's Track and Field Coaches

Aaron Combs

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
agcombs@pfw.edu
Phone:
(260) 481-6643

Aaron Combs was named the head coach of the men's and women's cross country programs at Purdue Fort Wayne in September 2019. He is also an assistant coach for the men's and women's track and field teams.

The 2023 Mastodon women's cross country team earned a runner-up finish at the Horizon League Championships, the program's best finish at a league meet since 2007. Madison King won the individual title with Brooke Neal also earning a spot on the All-Horizon League First Team and Riley Tate earning a spot on the Second Team. King went on to earn All-Region honors for her 21st place performance at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional. King was also named the Horizon League Cross Country Athlete of the Year. after taking home two event titles in addition to her win at the league meet.

Combs' squads in 2022 put together some of the best seasons in program history. On the men's side, the 'Dons put together the program's best ever finish at a league meet with a third place performance at the Horizon League Championships. It was three spots better than the 'Dons were picked in the preseason poll. Andrew Whitinger earned All-League honors for a second straight season. Whitinger took 64th at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional, the best ever finish for a Mastodon men's student-athlete at regionals. On Mastodon women put together the program's best finish at a league meet in a decade thanks to taking fifth. Brooke Neal earned All-Horizon League honors.

Under Combs' guidance, the Mastodon men's all-time top 10 performers list in the 8K has eight additions and 10K has nine. Andrew Whitinger owns the men's cross country school records in the 5K (15:15.8), 8K (24:44.1) and 10K (31:28.6), all set during Combs' tenure. The Mastodons women's cross country team added three new performances to the top 10 5K and top 10 6K times.

Combs distance runners have been key to the Mastodon track and field team setting record team point totals at the Horizon League Championships for consecutive seasons. Madison King was named the outstanding performer of the 2024 indoor meet after winning the 3,000 and 5,000 meters. Ava Genovese took second in the 3,000 meters at the same meet. Harrison Niswander had earned the Horizon League Athlete of the Year for the 2024 indoor season. He capped his season helping the 'Dons win the DMR at the league meet. During the regular season he set individual program records in the 800, mile, 3,000 and 5,000. In the outdoor campaign he set school records in the 800 and 3000.

Prior to coming to the Summit City, Combs served as the assistant coach for track & field and cross country at Queens University of Charlotte. He began at Queens as a graduate student-athlete, moved to a volunteer coaching position and most recently got promoted to assistant coach (2016-2019). During his time at Queens, he helped lead the men's cross country team to two top-ten team finishes at the NCAA DII Cross Country Championships. In 2018, he led the women's cross country program to a top-ten finish at the NCAA DII Cross Country Championships as well. Combs led 11 individuals to become SAC champions. Combs also produced video content for Queens Track & Field YouTube channel and served as a liaison between brand representatives in the purchase of athletic gear.

He was a two-time qualifier to the USATF Indoor National Championships in the 600 meters and 1000 meters and was a professional runner post-college that still trains and competes today.

Combs was also a track runner at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington where he qualified for the NCAA Division I National Championships in the 800 meter and as the anchor for the 4x400 relay team. The relay team also won the Colonial Athletic Association title.

Track & Field Honors:
• 2025 Horizon League Indoor Track & Field Women's Coach of the Year

Cross Country Horizon League Student-Athlete Honors:
• Horizon League Individual Champion (1): Madison King (2023)
• Horizon League Cross Country Athlete of the Year (1): Madison King (2023)
• All-Region (1): Madison King (2023)
• All-Horizon League First Team (6): Riley Tate (2024), Madison King (2023, 2021), Brooke Neal (2022, 2023), Andrew Whitinger (2021)
• All-Horizon League Second Team (4): Ava Genovese (2024), Riley Tate (2023), Madison King (2021), Andrew Whitinger (2022)
• Horizon League All Academic Team (2): Madison King (2023), Nicholas Mills (2022)
• Horizon League All Academic Team Honorable Mention (1): Nathan Mills (2022)
• Horizon League Runner of the Week (4): Madison King (9/21/2022, 9/19/2023, 10/17/2023), Faith Allen (10/24/2023)
• Horizon League Freshman of the Week (3): Faith Allen (10/24/2023), Riley Tate (9/21/2022), Austin Hall (10/18/2022)

Track & Field Horizon League Student-Athlete Honors:
• Alfreeda Goff Horizon Athlete of the Year: Harrison Niswander (2024, Men's Indoor)
• Horizon League Most Outstanding Performer: Madison King (2024, Women's Indoor)
• Horizon League Freshman of the Year - Field: Makenna Dommer (2025, Women's Outdoor), Amelie Mach (2025, Women's Indoor)
• Horizon League Freshman of the Year - Runner: Lillian Hurd (2025, Indoor)
• Horizon League Sportsmanship Award: Brevin Miller (2025, men's outdoor)
• Horizon League Indoor Runner of the Week (5): Ezra Lewellen (2/4/2025), Jonas Morris (1/27/2025), Harrison Niswander (1/13/2024, 2/13/2024), Madison King (2/6/2024)
• Horizon League Indoor Women's Field Athlete of the Week (1): Ali Sparks (2/18/2025)
• Horizon League Outdoor Runner of the Week (2): Jordan Yanders (4/29/2025), Brooke Neal (4/4/2023)
• Horizon League Outdoor All-Academic Team (10): Riley Tate (2025), Marissa Van De Weg (2025), Owen Kaufman (2025), Harrison Niswander (2025), Nathan Mills (2025), Nicholas Mills (2025), Jack Mills (2025), Brevin Miller (2025), Colin Gasson (2025), Colten Gasson (2025)
• Horizon League Indoor All-Academic Team (6): Riley Tate (2025), Marissa Van De Weg (2025), Owen Kaufman (2025), Harrison Niswander (2025), Nathan Mills (2025), Nicholas Mills (2025)
• Horizon League Outdoor All-Academic Honorable Mention (2): Ali Sparks (2025), Ellie Zagel (2025)
• Horizon League Indoor All-Academic Honorable Mention (2): Colin Gasson (2025), Jack Mills (2025)
• Horizon League Outdoor Event Champions (9): Hunter Crew (Hammer Throw, 2025), Men's 4x400 (2025), Brevin Miller (Javelin Throw, 2025), Women's 4x100 (2025), Women's 4x400 (2025), Ali Sparks (Hammer Throw, 2025, Shot Put, 2025), Makenna Dommer (Discus Throw, 2025), Brooke Neal (3000 Steeplechase, 2023)
• Horizon League Indoor Event Champions (11): Ezra Lewellen (60 Meters, 2025), Jonas Morris (400 Meters, 2025), Men's 4x400 (2025), Lillian Hurd (400 Meters, 2025), Women's 4x400 (2025), Jordan Yanders (60 Hurdles, 2025), Ali Sparks (Weight Throw and Shot Put, 2025), Madison King (3,000 meters, 2024 - 5,000 meters, 2024), Men's DMR (2024)
• Horizon League Outdoor Event Runner-Ups (7): Owen Kaufman (Hammer Throw, 2025), Men's 4x100 (2025), Ezra Lewellen (100 Meters, 2025), Andrew Roman (Pole Vault, 2025), Harmony Johnson (100 Meters, 2025), Harrison Niswander (3000 Steeplechase, 2024), Riley Tate (10000 Meters, 2024)
• Horizon League Indoor Event Runner-Ups (9): Noah Morris (200 Meters, 2025), Zyler Johnson (Weight Throw, 2025), Men's DMR (2025), Lillian Hurd (200 Meters, 2025), Jai Reed (60 Meters, 2025), Louiza Kruiswijk (Long Jump, 2025), Women's DMR (2025), Ava Genovese (300 Meters, 2024), Riley Tate (5000 Meters, 2024)
• CSC All-District (10): Riley Tate (2025), Ellie Zagel (2025), Ali Sparks (2025), Marissa Van De Weg (2025), Haylee Hile (2025), Harrison Niswander (2025), Jarred Neff (2025), Colten Gasson (2025), Cody Loshe (2025), Owen Kaufman (2025)