Brent Ericksen took over the Southern Oregon Cross Country and Track & Field programs as head coach in 2008. Since coming to SOU, Ericksen has taken the programs to new heights, highlighted by the men's program winning the 2010 NAIA Cross Country National Championship.
The 2010 women's cross country team finished a program-best seventh at the national meet, giving Southern Oregon the overall combined national championship. Ericksen earned NAIA National Men's Coach of the Year.
Prior to the 2010 national title, the SOU men won three-straight Cascade Conference titles from 2008-10 and finished fourth in the nation in 2008 and third in the nation in 2009. The 2009 squad was also ranked No. 1 in the final regular season poll. Ericksen was also named Cascade Conference Coach of the Year both years.
The 2009 women's cross country team finished the season ranked 25th in the nation and Ericksen also coached the first female NAIA All-American (Seena Frantz) in recent memory.
The track and field programs have also improved, with the SOU men finishing second in the conference in 2010 and 2011 and the overall number of student-athletes for both the men's and women's program increasing every year.
Ericksen came to SOU after serving as Associate Head Cross Country and Track and Field Coach at NCAA Division I Texas A&M Corpus Christi. He was responsible for all phases of a combined spint, hurdle, jump and multi-event program that set 13 new school records. He also helped the women’s cross country squad win the Southland Conference Championship.
Prior to Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Ericksen was the Head Men’s Track and Field Coach at Wisconsin-La Crosse (2006-07), leading them to the 2007 NCAA Division III Outdoor National Championship. Ericksen was named National, Regional and Conference Coach of the Year and during that year coached four National Champions, five National Runners-Up and 36 All-Americans. His team set the national record for largest margin of victory at the Nationals, winning by 65 points.
Ericksen was also the Head Cross Country and Track and Field Coach at NCAA Division II Texas A&M Kingsville from 2000 to 2006. During this time he coached five National Champions and 77 All-Americans, and his women’s cross country team was twice named Academic All-American. He also more than doubled the size of both squads.
He has also served as Head Cross Country and Track and Field Coach at Mount Mary College (1993-95) and as an assistant at California State University - Stanislaus (1998-2000), South Dakota State (1997-98), Marquette (1995-97) and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (1990-93).
Ericksen earned his Bachelor of Arts from California State University - Stanislaus in 1989 and his Master of Science Degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1992.