Jose Larios' Coaching History

Montreat College welcomes Jose Larios as the new cross country and track & field coach.  Coach Larios began his collegiate career as a cross country and baseball player for Warner Southern College (NAIA), in Lake Wales, Florida.  While at WSC, Larios was instrumental in leading the Royals to two back-to-back Florida Sun Conference titles, earning them two trips to the NAIA National Cross Country Championships. 

Upon graduating with a bachelors degree in English and Secondary Education, Larios began teaching and coaching at Lake Wales High School.  In four years at LWHS, Larios led his 3A Highlanders to county, district, and regional titles.  In 2000, he began recruiting for his first freshman class of runners at Warner Southern College, as he had been named the program's newly appointed head coach.  His Royals made an immediate impact in the Florida Sun Conference as the men's team won four consecutive FSC titles, while the women earned three straight of their own.  His men's track program also won three conference/regional titles in a row, with the Lady Royals winning two more outdoor titles in six seasons.

Nationally, Coach Larios' teams produced two NAIA National Outdoor individual titles in Anabell Montes (400m Hurdles) and two national runner-ups, Terrance Johnson (200m) and Fackson Nkandu (Marathon).  All in all, Larios' teams earned 23 All-American accolades, 92 All-Conference and All-Region awards, and earned a final 13th place NAIA National Ranking at the 2003 cross country finals. 

Voted NAIA Region Coach of the Year seven times, Larios also earned one of the NAIA's National MONDO Southeast Region Coach of the Year honors, when his team finished 13th at the cross country finals, after never being ranked in the top 30 all season.

Larios begins his duties at Montreat College in efforts to build the Cavalier program into a conference contender.  "I think Montreat is a perfect place to grow spiritually, personally, and definitely as a runner.  Conditions here really encompass growth in many areas.  I am blessed and excited to begin this process," says Coach Larios.