Chris Bailey was named head coach of the College of Charleston men’s and women’s cross country programs in May 2024 after serving in that capacity on an interim basis during the 2023-24 academic year. He is also an assistant coach for the track and field teams, working primarily with the distance and mid-distance runners.
Bailey, a former standout athlete for the Cougars, returned to his alma mater as assistant cross country coach in January 2021 and was added to the track and field staff the following December. He previously served as an assistant cross country coach during the 2016-17 season.
Bailey has overseen the development of some of the top runners in Charleston history. Under Bailey’s coaching, there have been 33 new additions to the school’s Top 10 times for indoor and outdoor track. Four of those women have taken the top spot in the school record book. Leading the Cougars is current senior Cayden Crimson who holds the school record in the 10k (35:48.82) and holds the third best time in the 5k (17:20.64). Crimson also holds the fourth best time in the outdoor 3k with a time of 10:03.65.
Returning for Charleston is sophomore Jeorgie Gavalas, brought in by Bailey as a freshman. Gavalas cracked the Top 10 times in the indoor mile with a time of 4:55.31, putting her fourth on the list. Bailey helped Gavalas excel in the spring and the Cougar ran a school record setting time in the 1500m at 4:25.79. Gavalas also made the 800m Top 10 with a time of 2:12.73, putting her fourth.
Savannah Stoutt had a breakout 2025 track season, competing in the 3k steeplechase and earning a top two spot in the school record books with a time of 10:33.84. This time also earned Stoutt the silver medal at the CAA conference championship meet.
Four Cougars appear in the indoor 3k Top 10 times, leading the pack is Caroline Himstreet with a time of 9:48.41, followed by Sophia Brown (10:01.01), Savannah Stoutt (10:05.40), and Cayden Crimson (10:07.88).
On the men’s side in cross country, Mitchel Drees cracked the Top 10 in the 8k and 10k and broke the school freshman record at both distances. On the track, Hammer Blair (indoor mile), Ben Ashmore (indoor 5000) and Robert DiMedio (outdoor 3000 steeplechase) set school records.
The women’s cross country and track and field programs had the highest team GPA in the CAA for the 2022-23 school year and won the Cougar Cup for the most participation points in the NCAA Student-Athlete Development commitment areas of athletic excellence, academic excellence, personal development, career development and service.
The men’s cross country team had the highest Charleston GPA for any men’s program during the Fall 2023 semester, and both teams received All-Academic honors from the USTFCCCA in 2023.
Bailey was enrolled in the Honors College and graduated Summa Cum Laude in May 2012 with a double major in international business and Spanish. He went on to earn master’s degrees in public administration and environmental studies in May 2015.
Bailey graduated as the school record holder in the 8K and still ranks seventh at that distance. He was chosen an Academic All-American in 2011 and earned team MVP honors while with the Cougars.
His racing career after leaving CofC includes a Top 100 overall finish at the 2015 Boston Marathon, a Top 50 male finisher at the 2019 New York City Marathon and the Marcus Newberry Award as the top local finisher at the 2017 Cooper River Bridge Run.
Bailey was a volunteer assistant cross country/track and field coach at Academic Magnet High School in North Charleston, helping the boys’ team win SCHSL Class 2A state cross country titles in 2013 and 2014. During his time at Academic Magnet, he helped future Cougar Hayden DiBona to seven individual state titles in cross country and track and field.
A native of Charlotte, N.C., Bailey was director of marketing and admissions for the Honors College from January 2019 through December 2020 after serving as associate director the previous three years. He is currently on the executive committee of the Honors College Advisory Board and served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors from 2017-21.
Bailey is the founder and coach of Without Limits Charleston, working with runners of all ages and talent levels including numerous Boston Marathon and IRONMAN World Championship qualifiers. Bailey is a USATF Level 3 certified coach for endurance events.
