Men's Track and Field
Combs, Carissa
Carissa Combs
- Title:
- Assistant Distance Coach
Carissa Combs was named the assistant distance coach at Purdue Fort Wayne in August 2019.
Combs' men's track and field program set all but two of the program's records. She also led the Mastodons to a fourth place finish in their first outdoor track and field Horizon League championships.
Combs was previously an assistant distance track/cross country coach at Queens University of Charlotte, N.C. She assisted in identification and recruitment of quality distance athletes and aided in setup and execution of three home meets each season and travel logistics for away meets. Combs managed all stats and record keeping as well as team social media platforms.
Prior to becoming an assistant coach at Queens, Combs ran track and cross country for the Royals. She was a five time Academic All-American, seven time First Team All-Conference and three time team captain. She was the runner-up in the 1500m at the South Atlantic Conference and the runner-up in the South Atlantic Conference Cross Country Championships.
Combs was an assistant manager at the Charlotte Running Company where she assisted runners in purchasing new, top of the line running gear as well as personalized coaching to local runners. She specialized in a full, gait analysis and is knowledgeable of all running shoe brands.
Combs currently resides in Fort Wayne, Ind.
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 Indoor Runner of the Week (3): Harrison Niswander (1/13/2024, 2/13/2024), Madison King (2/6/2024)
• Horizon League Outdoor Runner of the Week: Brooke Neal (4/4/2023)
• Horizon League Indoor Event Champions (3): Men's DMR (2024), Madison King (3,000 meters, 2024 - 5,000 meters, 2024)
• Horizon League Outdoor Event Champion: Brooke Neal (3000 Steeplechase, 2023)
• Horizon League Indoor Event Runner-Ups (2): Men's DMR (2025), Women's DMR, (2025), Ava Genovese (3000 Meters, 2024), Riley Tate (5000 Meters, 2024)
• Horizon League Outdoor Event Runner-Ups (2): Harrison Niswander (3000 Steeplechase, 2024), Riley Tate (10000 Meters, 2024)
Combs' men's track and field program set all but two of the program's records. She also led the Mastodons to a fourth place finish in their first outdoor track and field Horizon League championships.
Combs was previously an assistant distance track/cross country coach at Queens University of Charlotte, N.C. She assisted in identification and recruitment of quality distance athletes and aided in setup and execution of three home meets each season and travel logistics for away meets. Combs managed all stats and record keeping as well as team social media platforms.
Prior to becoming an assistant coach at Queens, Combs ran track and cross country for the Royals. She was a five time Academic All-American, seven time First Team All-Conference and three time team captain. She was the runner-up in the 1500m at the South Atlantic Conference and the runner-up in the South Atlantic Conference Cross Country Championships.
Combs was an assistant manager at the Charlotte Running Company where she assisted runners in purchasing new, top of the line running gear as well as personalized coaching to local runners. She specialized in a full, gait analysis and is knowledgeable of all running shoe brands.
Combs currently resides in Fort Wayne, Ind.
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 Indoor Runner of the Week (3): Harrison Niswander (1/13/2024, 2/13/2024), Madison King (2/6/2024)
• Horizon League Outdoor Runner of the Week: Brooke Neal (4/4/2023)
• Horizon League Indoor Event Champions (3): Men's DMR (2024), Madison King (3,000 meters, 2024 - 5,000 meters, 2024)
• Horizon League Outdoor Event Champion: Brooke Neal (3000 Steeplechase, 2023)
• Horizon League Indoor Event Runner-Ups (2): Men's DMR (2025), Women's DMR, (2025), Ava Genovese (3000 Meters, 2024), Riley Tate (5000 Meters, 2024)
• Horizon League Outdoor Event Runner-Ups (2): Harrison Niswander (3000 Steeplechase, 2024), Riley Tate (10000 Meters, 2024)
2025 HL Outdoor Championships
Monday, May 12
Horizon League Outdoor Championships 2024
Monday, May 06
‘Dons go 1-2 in the 3000
Monday, February 26
Feature Friday - Dylan Kirkwood (women's track & field)
Friday, November 17
