The Maryville University Department of Athletics and Campus Recreation announced Kayla Kregel as its new head cross country and track and field coach. She comes to the Saints from Keiser University in West Palm Beach, Fla.
“I am pleased to announce that Kayla Kregel has accepted our offer to become our new head coach for track and field/cross country,” Director of Athletics and Campus Recreation Lonnie Folks said. “Kayla emerged from a strong candidate pool and I look forward to having her on our team. She is currently preparing to compete in the NAIA National Championships with her team and will be joining us June 14th. Please join me in welcoming Kayla.”
With the Seahawks, Kregel was the head cross country coach and the assistant coach for the track and field program. She coached the women’s cross country program’s second ever national qualifier, and helped 90 percent of the men’s team post lifetime bests. Kregel helped Isaiah Boyd earn the Sun Conference Champion of Character award. With the track squads, she helped guide Philip Stromne to the national championship in the heptathlon, as well as Shyann Jackson earn All-America honors. Kregel coached eight qualifiers for the 2021 NAIA Outdoor Track Nationals. Kregel assisted Chris Grinley garner 2020 NAIA All-American honors for the second straight season in the 60-meter hurdles. In addition, she helped four individuals qualify for the NAIA National Championships and one indoor track All-American. Keiser saw three women and two men’s individuals earn Sun Conference All-Academic honors.
Prior to Keiser, Kregel spent two seasons as the head coach of the Cross Country and Track and Field programs at Waldorf University. During her tenure in Forest City, Iowa, she coached NAIA All-Americans in cross country and javelin and trained 18 National qualifiers. Kregel coached the North Star Athletic Conference’s women’s cross country record holder. In addition, the USTFCCCA awarded All-Academic Awards to the cross country and track and field teams. Kregel also coached two Academic All-Americans.
Kregel started her coaching career as an assistant coach at Penn State-Behrend. In her two years, she helped the Lions men's and women's cross country teams win two conference championships. She was named the 2016 USTFCCCA, NCAA Division III, and Mideast Region Women's Assistant Coach of the Year.
Kregel was also instrumental in the Lions capturing two CSAC outdoor track and field championships. She coached six All-Americans, 12 national qualifiers, and three Academic All-American honorees. In addition, both the cross country and track and field teams earned All-Academic recognition.
As a collegiate standout at Wartburg College, Kregel led the Knights to three straight NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field National Championships from 2012-14. She was a three-time outdoor All-American and two-time indoor All-American. Kregel helped Wartburg win four indoor and outdoor track and field Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships.
Kregel claimed five IIAC indoor individual titles and four IIAC indoor championships. Kregel graduated from Wartburg in 2015 with a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Fitness Management. She earned her Master's in Business Administration from Penn State Behrend in 2017.
