CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cleveland State Vice President and Director of Athletics Kelsie Gory Harkey named Josh Poole the head coach of the Cleveland State Cross Country and Track & Field program.

"We are excited to welcome Coach Josh Poole as the next leader of our Cross Country and Track & Field programs," Gory Harkey said. "Throughout the search process, Coach Poole distinguished himself through his commitment to student-athlete development, competitive excellence, and building a championship culture. His proven ability to recruit, develop, and mentor student-athletes, combined with a clear vision for the future of our programs, made him the ideal choice to lead Cleveland State. Josh is committed to helping our student-athletes succeed at the highest level both in competition and in the classroom, and we are excited to see him build on the strong tradition of Vikings Cross Country and Track & Field."

Poole arrives at Cleveland State after spending nine seasons on the coaching staff at Mount St. Mary's, working in a multitude of roles with both the cross country and track and field teams. During his time, he coached 55 Top 10 Performances, six record holders, three conference championship teams, and three IC4A Champions.

"I am excited and honored to be named the new head cross country and track and field coach at Cleveland State," said Poole. "I want to thank Vice President and Director of Athletics Kelsie Gory Harkey and the entire administration for this incredible opportunity and belief in my vision for the program. Cleveland State has a rich tradition and a community that truly cares about its student-athletes, and I can't wait to get started building on that foundation."

Poole served as the head cross country coach for four seasons at The Mount, overseeing ten new top ten performances across both programs. In each of the three seasons in the MAAC, the women's team improved its team finish by a spot. In total, he coached two All-Conference honorees including a runner-up performance in 2021.

Poole continued to say, "I also want to thank Jay Phillips and everyone at Mount St. Mary's University for the guidance, trust, and opportunities they provided me. Everything I learned there as a student-athlete and coach prepared me for this moment, and I will always appreciate my time there. I'm thrilled for what's ahead, and I can't wait to get to work."

Poole started as the assistant track & field coach for five seasons before being elevated to the associate coach position in 2025. He was instrumental in coaching athletes in the long, triple, high jump, pole vault, as well as sprinting and distance events.

In his time as the jumps coach, he had four NCAA East Preliminary Round qualifiers with three in triple jump and one in high jump. Poole coached 15 top ten marks across both programs, three Indoor Most Outstanding Field Performers, and two Indoor Most Valuable Performer awards.

Poole received his MBA from Mount St. Mary's in 2020 and holds a B.A. in International Studies with minors in French and Philosophy.

During his time at The Mount, Poole competed in the sprints and relays events and was a multiple time NEC medalist, IC4A qualifier, and multiple All-Conference performer. He holds performances currently on The Mount's all-time top 10 list in the indoor and outdoor 400m, as well as the 500m.