Eric Heins Named Indiana Cross Country Head Coach
5/19/2023 1:00:00 PM | Cross Country, Track and Field
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Ed Beathea, who will take over as the Indiana Head Track and Field Coach beginning with the 2023-24 campaign, has named the first member of his coaching staff for next season.
Eric Heins, the 2016 NCAA DI Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year, was named Indiana's Head Cross Country Coach and Associate Track and Field Coach – Distance, as announced on Friday (May 19th).
A 27-time Big Sky Coach of the Year between men's and women's cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field while at Northern Arizona, Heins has spent the past three years as the Head Cross Country/Assistant Track coach at the University of Louisville.
"I am excited to have Eric join the staff. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to IU," Beathea said. "Eric will have a positive impact on all of the students in our program. His reputation and success speaks for itself. I look forward to working with Eric to achieve our program goals and providing our students with the tools to win!"
Heins has coached at five different schools including a 10-year stay at Northern Arizona, helping to turn the school into a distance powerhouse.
He led Northern Arizona to the team's first men's cross country national title in 2016, pushing four All-Americans across the line in his final race as the Lumberjack head coach. It was the school's first national title in any sport. In his nine appearances at the NCAA Men's Cross Country Championships, Northern Arizona podiumed on six occasions.
Heins won Big Sky Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year nine times including a run of eight straight from 2007-2014. He was named the USTFCCCA Men's Mountain Regional Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2013 and 2016 and wrapped up his stay as head coach of Northern Arizona by winning the USTFCCCA Men's National Cross Country Coach of the Year Award in 2016.
Over the past three seasons at Louisville, Heins helped lead Ian Kibiwot to a third-place finish in the 5000 meters indoors at the ACC Championships, the highest finish by an athlete in program history. Albert Kosgei finished third in the 3000-meter steeplechase at the 2021 ACC Outdoor Championships and went on to finish 18th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
During his career he has helped coach 64 conference champions, 14 All-Americans, two national champions and one Olympian. David McNeill swept the 2010 NCAA titles indoors and outdoors in the 5000 meters to give Heins his first national champion. He coached Diego Estrada to a spot in the 2012 London Olympics, representing Mexico in the 10,000 meters.
Familiar with the Indiana running landscape, Heins coached Indianapolis native (North Central High School) and eight-time All-American Futsum Zeinasellassie at Northern Arizona. Zeinasellassie finished third in the 2014 NCAA Cross Country Championships and second over 10,000 meters at the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
"I would like to thank Coach Ed Beathea, Deputy Director of Athletics Mattie White and Director of Athletics Scott Dolson for this amazing opportunity," Heins said. "The responsibility of coaching the cross country teams and middle & long distance groups at Indiana University is a great honor. I understand the significance of this role and I am excited to do my part in continuing to build upon the tradition and success of this program. "
Heins ran for the University of Cincinnati from 1995-1999 and spent one year on the Indiana Track and Field team (2000) while working on his graduate degree. He is the winner of the 2004 St. Louis Marathon and competed at the 2008 United States Olympic Marathon trials.
Coaching Journey
Heins has made five coaching stops prior to Indiana. He also took a three-year break from coaching to follow his wife to Houston. From 2016-2019 he served as an admissions officer for Northern Arizona.
2023-Present: Indiana, Head Cross Country Coach/Associate Track & Field Coach – Distance
2021-2023: Louisville, Assistant Track & Field/Cross Country Coach
2019-2021: St. Thomas-Houston, Head Track & Field Coach
2009-2016: Northern Arizona, Director of Track & Field and Cross Country
2007-2009: Northern Arizona, Head Cross Country Coach, Assistant Track Coach
2006-2007: TCU, Assistant Track and Cross Country Coach
2003-2006: SEMO, Assistant Track and Cross Country Coach
Accolades and Honors
• NCAA Division 1 Men's National Cross Country Coach of the Year: 2016
• NCAA Division 1 Men's Mountain Regional Cross Country Coach of the Year: 2013, 2016
• NCAA Division 1 Men's Mountain Regional Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year: 2013
• Big Sky Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year: 2007, 2009, 2014, 2016
• Big Sky Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016
• Big Sky Women's Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year: 2014
• Big Sky Men's Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year: 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
• Big Sky Women's Outdoor Track & Field Coach of the Year: 2014, 2016
• Big Sky Men's Outdoor Track & Field Coach of the Year: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Eric Heins, the 2016 NCAA DI Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year, was named Indiana's Head Cross Country Coach and Associate Track and Field Coach – Distance, as announced on Friday (May 19th).
A 27-time Big Sky Coach of the Year between men's and women's cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field while at Northern Arizona, Heins has spent the past three years as the Head Cross Country/Assistant Track coach at the University of Louisville.
"I am excited to have Eric join the staff. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to IU," Beathea said. "Eric will have a positive impact on all of the students in our program. His reputation and success speaks for itself. I look forward to working with Eric to achieve our program goals and providing our students with the tools to win!"
Heins has coached at five different schools including a 10-year stay at Northern Arizona, helping to turn the school into a distance powerhouse.
He led Northern Arizona to the team's first men's cross country national title in 2016, pushing four All-Americans across the line in his final race as the Lumberjack head coach. It was the school's first national title in any sport. In his nine appearances at the NCAA Men's Cross Country Championships, Northern Arizona podiumed on six occasions.
Heins won Big Sky Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year nine times including a run of eight straight from 2007-2014. He was named the USTFCCCA Men's Mountain Regional Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2013 and 2016 and wrapped up his stay as head coach of Northern Arizona by winning the USTFCCCA Men's National Cross Country Coach of the Year Award in 2016.
Over the past three seasons at Louisville, Heins helped lead Ian Kibiwot to a third-place finish in the 5000 meters indoors at the ACC Championships, the highest finish by an athlete in program history. Albert Kosgei finished third in the 3000-meter steeplechase at the 2021 ACC Outdoor Championships and went on to finish 18th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
During his career he has helped coach 64 conference champions, 14 All-Americans, two national champions and one Olympian. David McNeill swept the 2010 NCAA titles indoors and outdoors in the 5000 meters to give Heins his first national champion. He coached Diego Estrada to a spot in the 2012 London Olympics, representing Mexico in the 10,000 meters.
Familiar with the Indiana running landscape, Heins coached Indianapolis native (North Central High School) and eight-time All-American Futsum Zeinasellassie at Northern Arizona. Zeinasellassie finished third in the 2014 NCAA Cross Country Championships and second over 10,000 meters at the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
"I would like to thank Coach Ed Beathea, Deputy Director of Athletics Mattie White and Director of Athletics Scott Dolson for this amazing opportunity," Heins said. "The responsibility of coaching the cross country teams and middle & long distance groups at Indiana University is a great honor. I understand the significance of this role and I am excited to do my part in continuing to build upon the tradition and success of this program. "
Heins ran for the University of Cincinnati from 1995-1999 and spent one year on the Indiana Track and Field team (2000) while working on his graduate degree. He is the winner of the 2004 St. Louis Marathon and competed at the 2008 United States Olympic Marathon trials.
Coaching Journey
Heins has made five coaching stops prior to Indiana. He also took a three-year break from coaching to follow his wife to Houston. From 2016-2019 he served as an admissions officer for Northern Arizona.
2023-Present: Indiana, Head Cross Country Coach/Associate Track & Field Coach – Distance
2021-2023: Louisville, Assistant Track & Field/Cross Country Coach
2019-2021: St. Thomas-Houston, Head Track & Field Coach
2009-2016: Northern Arizona, Director of Track & Field and Cross Country
2007-2009: Northern Arizona, Head Cross Country Coach, Assistant Track Coach
2006-2007: TCU, Assistant Track and Cross Country Coach
2003-2006: SEMO, Assistant Track and Cross Country Coach
Accolades and Honors
• NCAA Division 1 Men's National Cross Country Coach of the Year: 2016
• NCAA Division 1 Men's Mountain Regional Cross Country Coach of the Year: 2013, 2016
• NCAA Division 1 Men's Mountain Regional Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year: 2013
• Big Sky Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year: 2007, 2009, 2014, 2016
• Big Sky Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016
• Big Sky Women's Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year: 2014
• Big Sky Men's Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year: 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
• Big Sky Women's Outdoor Track & Field Coach of the Year: 2014, 2016
• Big Sky Men's Outdoor Track & Field Coach of the Year: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
FB: Under the Hood with Indiana Football - Week 2 (Kennesaw State)
Thursday, September 04
FB: D'Angelo Ponds Media Availability (9/2/25)
Tuesday, September 02
FB: Pat Coogan Media Availability (9/2/25)
Tuesday, September 02
Indiana University Athletics: Hoosier the Bison's First Entrance
Saturday, August 30