Two-time Olympian and veteran sprints coach Ken Harnden comes to Auburn with 18 years of NCAA Division I coaching experience under his belt. Under his leadership, Harnden's student-athletes have earned 25 individual NCAA championships and 160+ All-American Honors. Additionally, Harnden has coached 15 Olympians and has been a part of five NCAA team championships and is a three-time winner of the USTFCCCA National Assistant Coach of the Year award.
Harnden was selected as the 2024 Division I Men's Outdoor Track & Field National Assistanct Coach of the Year and 2024 USATFCCCA South Region Men's Assistant Coach of the Year.
He helped lead the men to a second-place finish at the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Championships - of the 40 points the men earned at NCAAs, 26 of those came from his unit.
In three years at Tennessee, Harnden guided the Vols to multiple SEC medals in three events: the 60m, 200m and 4x400m relay. Harnden's group also contributed on the national stage, snagging points at NCAAs in each of his three seasons, highlighted by a bronze medal in the men's 4x4 at 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships.
Numerous student-athletes have achieved world-class times under Harnden's watch. Six of his sprinters have broken the 10-second barrier in the 100-meter dash. His short sprints coaching prowess is also exemplified in the 200 meters with six NCAA individual championships in the event.
Among that group is Walter Dix, a six-time NCAA champion and 18-time All-American for Florida State. He was a bronze medalist in the 100m and 200m at the 2008 Olympics and remains the NCAA record holder in the 200m (19.69).
Harnden also coached 2011 Bowerman Award winner Ngoni Makusha, who became the fifth man in NCAA history to win the 100m and long jump at the same championship. Makusha also set the then-NCAA record in the 100m (9.89).
Harnden represented Zimbabwe in the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games in the 400m hurdles, and he competed in the event three times at the IAAF World Championships, making the finals twice. He holds Zimbabwe's national record in the 400m hurdles (48.05).
On the collegiate stage, Harnden competed for North Carolina, where he won the 1995 NCAA title in the 400m hurdles. He was also part of the 1995 NCAA indoor champion 4x400m relay team.
Numerous student-athletes have achieved world-class times under Harnden's watch. Six of his sprinters have broken the 10-second barrier in the 100-meter dash. His short sprints coaching prowess is also exemplified in the 200 meters with six NCAA individual championships in the event.
Among that group is Walter Dix, a six-time NCAA champion and 18-time All-American for Florida State. He was a bronze medalist in the 100m and 200m at the 2008 Olympics and remains the NCAA record holder in the 200m (19.69).
Harnden also coached 2011 Bowerman Award winner Ngoni Makusha, who became the fifth man in NCAA history to win the 100m and long jump at the same championship. Makusha also set the then-NCAA record in the 100m (9.89).
Harnden represented Zimbabwe in the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games in the 400m hurdles, and he competed in the event three times at the IAAF World Championships, making the finals twice. He holds Zimbabwe's national record in the 400m hurdles (48.05).
On the collegiate stage, Harnden competed for North Carolina, where he won the 1995 NCAA title in the 400m hurdles. He was also part of the 1995 NCAA indoor champion 4x400m relay team.