UCLA track and cross country coach to retire

Avery Anderson is retiring.

The UCLA Bruins Track and Field and Cross Country teams will be under new leadership for 2024-2025. Head coach Avery Anderson announced his retirement from coaching. In his release regarding his retirement, Anderson had this to say about his time with the Bruins:

“I’d like to thank Dan Guerrero for providing me with the opportunity to return to my alma mater, and to Martin Jarmond for his support over these past four years,” Anderson said. “I love this university, and I’ve been honored to lead these talented young men and women here in Westwood. I have been extremely blessed to have this chapter in my life, but I’ve chosen to retire from coaching. I’ve poured my heart and soul into UCLA’s track and field and cross country programs, and I would sincerely like to thank all of our hard-working student-athletes for their trust in me. I’ll always be a Bruin, and I’m forever grateful for my time here.”

Martin Jarmond, UCLA’s Alice and Nahum Lainer Family Direction of Athletics had this to say about Anderson’s time at the helm:

“We are grateful for Avery’s hard work and dedication to our track & field and cross country program over the past seven seasons. I would like to thank Avery for his commitment and service to his alma mater. In particular, he helped our track & field and cross country program navigate challenging circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic. He will always be a Bruin and we wish him and his family the very best in the future.”

The UCLA Track & Field X account was the first to announce the retirement:

Anderson was an athlete at UCLA and then returned in 2018. The programs produced five men’s Pac-12 individual champions and 7 women’s Pac-12 event champions. Anderson was named the 2019 Pac-12 Men’s Track and Field Coach of the Year.

His final season, Anderson’s women’s program finished third at the Pac-12 championship, and the men finished fifth. The school will begin a search for a replacement immediately.