University of Dubuque

Chad Gunnelson, joined UD in 2011 and began leading the program. He is the first coach to lead the Spartans to back-to-back conference titles in over 50 years and their first-ever indoor championship. UD claimed Staff of the Year by the American Rivers Conference (formerly Iowa Conference) in 2014, 2017, 2018, 2022 and Gunnelson was named Region Coach of the Year by the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association in 2017, 2018, and 2022. Throughout his tenure, the Spartans have re-written the record books, breaking nearly 100 different school records in both track & field and cross country.

In 2022, the Spartan men won the American Rivers outdoor conference championship to claim their first outdoor title in 61 years. In 2019, the Spartans achieved their best collective performance on the national stage. The men's and women's program both competed for their share of top 10 team finishes at the NCAA Championships. The men's team placed 9th at the indoor championships and the women's team placed 9th at the outdoor championships. In 2018, the teams completed their best collective conference efforts as the Spartan men claimed their second straight Iowa Conference Championship indoors, a runner-up finish outdoors, the best in over 50 years at that time, and the women set a program record for points at the outdoor championships with 150.33 points.

During Gunnelson's tenure, the Spartans have earned 73 All-America honors, 7 NCAA runner-ups and 4 NCAA titles (Blaze Murfin, Outdoor Shot Put, 2018; Tanasha Atwater, Outdoor Shot Put, 2017; Rick Valcin, Outdoor Pole Vault, 2014, Kaitlyn Wilder Indoor weight throw, 2022). The Spartans have crowned 148 conference champions and earned almost 400 all-conference honors as well.

The team has excelled off the track and course as well earning consistent USTFCCCA All-Academic honors including the highest team GPA in the nation for women’s cross country in 2015. In 2022 and 2021, each freshman class has earned a first semester GPA over 3.5 to start their college careers. Current team GPAs in 2023 are 3.61 - women’ track and field, 3.54 - women’s cross country, 3.45 - men’s cross country, and 3.16 - men’s track and field. The track & field team has also earned the inclusive excellence award from University of Dubuque’s Multicultural Center and logs hundreds of ours of volunteer efforts in the community each year.

Prior to his arrival at UD, Gunnelson, a native of Madison, Wis., spent six seasons as the head boy’s and girl’s track & field coach at Madison East High School. At Madison East, Gunnelson coached 22 school record holders and back-to-back state champions in 2010 and 2011. In his final year with the Purgolders, the team earned a 3.24 GPA, had four sectional champions, and placed all four state qualifiers on the podium at the WIAA state meet, including a state champion in the 400 meters.

Along with coaching, Gunnelson was the owner and CEO of Athletic Republic, a sports performance training facility, from 2007 to 2011 where he built Athletic Republic into the largest training facility in the Madison area and trained youth, high school, college, Olympians, and professional athletes in football, baseball, basketball, hockey.

Outside of his duties at UD, Gunnelson is actively involved in the sport of track & field beyond coaching. He serves as Vice President on the USTFCCCA Division III track & field executive committee, the American Rivers Conference coaches' chair, he is a member of the American Rivers Conference championships sub-committee, and the college coaches’ representative for the Iowa Association of Track Coaches. He also leads FASST Track in Dubuque, a program that hosts a club and meets for kindergartners through post-collegians.

Gunnelson currently holds USTFCCCA Specialist Certifications in jumps, endurance, and strength & conditioning. He holds a USATF Level 1 certification and Level 2 sprints, hurdles, relays certification as well. Along with track & field coaching, Gunnelson is a member and certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength & Conditioning Association, a certified performance coach with USA Weightlifting, and certified in the Functional Movement Screen.

Gunnelson speaks at high school clinics around the country, coaching at various camps, and has presented at the USTFCCCA National Convention twice. He also instructs the USTFCCCA Track & Field Technical Certification course.

He resides in Dubuque, Iowa with his wife Melissa and their children, daughter Taylor, and sons Evan and Dash. They also have two dogs, Willow and Luna.

University of Dubuque Track and Field Coaching Record