Nolan Fife was introduced as South Dakota's head cross country coach on Aug. 17, 2022. He also serves as an assistant coach for the men's and women's track and field program, working with the distance and middle distance runners.
Fife had three all-conference runners during the cross country season, and saw even more success on the track during the 2024-25 season. The Coyote men had their best finish at the Summit League Cross Country Championships (third) since the 2019 season. For a second straight year, Madison Brouwer was named to the all-conference women's team, and two men's freshman runners, Natnael Kifle and Isaac Ochoa, were all-conference on the men's side.
The distance squad also had record setting performances across both the indoor and outdoor track seasons in 2024-25. In total the Yote distance squad broke seven school records and three Summit League meet records. On top of that, Fife's distance runners racked up five individual Summit League titles and 19 all-conference honors.Â
In 2023 Coach Fife lead the women's cross country team to a Conference Championship. Madison Brouwer was named Newcomer of the Year with Fife being named Coach of the Year. He ended the 2023 season by guiding the Coyotes to an eight place finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional meet and had an athlete (Abby Ripperda) awarded with All-Region honors.
In year one with the Coyotes, Fife was a part of a men’s and women’s sweep at the Summit League Indoor Track and Field Championships. His distance runner, Abrielle Jirele, garnered the Summit League Track Championships MVP honor after totaling the most points by a track athlete at the meet. On the men’s side, Merga Gemeda helped clinch the men’s team title with a strong finish in the 5,000 meters.
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Fife’s athletes have broken seven program records at South Dakota. In year one, records were broken in the women’s indoor mile (Jirele), women’s indoor 3,000 meters (Jirele), men’s outdoor 5,000 meters (Gemeda) and men’s outdoor 10,000 meters (Gemeda). During the 2024-25 season, records were broken in men's indoor 800 meters (Mason Sindelar), men's indoor 1,000 meters (Sindelar), men's indoor mile (Caleb Rivera), men's outdoor 800 meters (Sindelar), men's outdoor 1,500 meters (Rivera). Additionally, his athletes hold the records for women's indoor distance medley relay - which is also a conference meet record - women's outdoor sprint medley relay, and the women's outdoor 4x4. The 2024-25 distance squad added school records in the men's and women's outdoor distance medleys.
Prior to South Dakota, Fife spent six seasons as an assistant cross country coach at the University of Illinois. He helped guide both the men’s and women’s Illini programs to NCAA Championship appearances in his tenure. His athletes have combined for six Illinois school records, nine Big Ten Championship titles and nine All-America honors.
In 2016, Fife helped guide the Illini men to their first NCAA Championships appearance in 30 years. After placing third at the NCAA Midwest Regional, the men received an at-large bid to nationals where they went on to finish 23rd.
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Then in 2019, he coached the women’s cross country team to the NCAA Championships for their first appearance since 2009. The Illini won the 2019 NCAA Midwest Regional to earn an automatic birth to nationals. The Orange and Blue were led by four all-Midwest Region honorees.
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Fife also worked with the Illini track and field program as an assistant coach working with the distance and middle-distance runners. On the track, he coached Jonathan Davis to a silver medal at the 2022 U.S. Outdoor Championships in the 1500 as well as school records of 3:54.59 in the mile and 3:33.81 in the 1500. He also coached the Illini men’s distance medley relay to All-America status in 2019 and a school record of 9:29.19. His men’s distance medley relay team also won the Big Ten Title in 2022. On the women’s side, he trained Olivia Howell, a four-time Big Ten Champion and three-time All-American in the mile and 1,500 meters.
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Fife graduated from Indiana University in 2015 with a degree in kinesiology. He ran for the Hoosiers’ cross country and track & field teams from 2010-15. As a junior in 2013, he was a member of Indiana’s Big Ten team title in cross country. It was IU’s first Big Ten men’s cross country title since 1980.
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Fife and his wife, Rebecca, have two daughters, Abigail and Annalee.
Fife File:
- 1 Summit League Track Championship MVP
- 12 Summit League Champions
- 51Â All-Summit League honors in the distance events
- 1 Conference Coach of the Year
- Coach for two men’s and two women’s Summit League team titles
