Assistant Coach
Nathan Christianson ’07 returns to University of Southern Indiana Cross Country/Track & Field after previously serving as an assistant coach for the Screaming Eagles from 2004-08.
During his absence from USI, Christianson was the head cross country/track & field coach at Brescia University from 2008-12 and at Missouri Valley College from 2012-14.
Christianson directed the women’s cross country program at Brescia to Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles in 2008 and 2011, twice earning the KIAC Coach of the Year honors. The 2008-09 season was the first year for cross country and track & field at Brescia.
During his time at Brescia, the Bearcats had a combined 28 national qualifiers on the cross country course and track.
At Missouri Valley, Christianson had a combined 11 national qualifiers in cross country and 30 national qualifiers in track & field. He directed the Vikings’ men’s cross country team to a Heart of America Athletic Conference title, earning HAAC Coach of the Year accolades, and their first-ever NAIA National Championship appearance in 2013.
During his previous tenure with the Eagles, Christianson assisted Head Coach
Mike Hillyard in all aspects of the program. The Eagles had 37 national qualifiers and four All-Americans during his time at USI.
A native of Charles City, Iowa, Christianson came to USI from Northwest Missouri State University (Maryville, Missouri) where he ran cross country after recovering from a career-threatening car accident. Christianson was a student assistant for NWMSU for two seasons prior to joining the Screaming Eagles.
Prior to his stint at NWMSU, Christianson was a four-time national qualifier in cross country and track at Colby Community College (Colby, Kansas). He also qualified for the NJCAA Marathon Championships. Christianson earned NJCAA All-America honors in the indoor 3,000 meters in 2000. He also was an Academic All-American in 2000 prior to earning an associate’s degree in history.
Christianson graduated from Charles City High School where he earned seven varsity letters in cross country, basketball, and track. He helped CCHS qualify for the state meet for the first time in school history in 1997 before helping his 4x800-meter relay team qualify for the state meet as a senior in 1998.
Christianson earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from USI in 2007.
