Mark Napier

About Me

Mark Napier has been the Director of Track & Field at IMG Academy for the past 7 years. He has guided the program to national prominence, numerous relays and individual National Championships and All-American status. He had success at coaching every event discipline in track & field. Prior to IMG Academy Mark was the head Coach of Track & Field at Lakewood Ranch High School, one of the top high school programs in the state of Florida. During his 8-year tenure he coached 12 state champions / 2 state relay champions / girls’ state championship team, national champion, numerous National All-Americans and 3 years where both his boys and girls teams had the highest Academic GPA in the state of Florida. With 15 years of high school and 20 years of college experience, Napier also worked internationally with the KAAF National Junior Athletes in South Korea.

Mark’s college coaching career was at Mississippi State University, Blinn Junior College, University of Wisconsin, University of Oklahoma and University of Northern Iowa. He has been an integral part of 4 NJCAA National Track titles, 30 Big Ten titles in track and cross-country, 1 Big Twelve title, and 2 Missouri Valley conference titles. He has coached 21 NJCAA National Champions, 7 NJCAA National Field Event record holders, 34 NCAA Conference Champions, 27 NCAA All-Americans, 4 Olympians, and mentored 12 NFL football players on speed and performance.

Over the many years of coaching Mark has won numerous individual coaching awards and has achieved success at all levels from high school to college to professional. Mark’s extensive experience with both women’s and men’s teams has served him well in leading the IMGA boys’ and girls’ track & cross-country programs. As a collegiate athlete, Mark was a decathlete, triple jumper, hammer thrower, team captain and two-time Seminole Award Winner at FSU. Mark and his wife Karen have been married for over 31 years and have three boys Josh, Hunter, and Nick, all D1 college track athletes.

Coaching Experience

• KAAF National Junior Coach Liaison – Dague, South Korea
• Lead Instructor - South Korean Junior Team / Professional Athletes and KAAF Coaches
• Florida High School Coach of the Year / National Coach of the Year Finalist
  • Both boys and girls programs had back to back highest team GPA’s in Florida
• 22 NCAA & NJCAA National Champions, 26 NCAA & 51 NJCAA All-Americans, 36 Conference Champions, and 55 NCAA qualifiers.
• Responsible for coaching and recruiting 64 Academic All-Big Ten student athletes.
• Have coached on a total of 33 Conference Track & Field Championship teams in 3 conferences (MVC, Big XII, and Big Ten).
• NJCAA National Assistant Coach of the Year 4 times and 4 NJCAA National Titles
• Coached 4 Olympians (Long Jump/Triple Jump/Decathlon/400m)
• Coached 2 Visa Decathlon Members
• Coached 6 U.S. vs. Germany Decathlon Members
• Coached 1995 World Championship Bronze Medalist in Triple Jump
• Coached 2000 Indoor USATF National Runner-up in High Jump
• Coached and mentored 12 NFL players (most notably 10x All-Pro Joe Thomas)

Education/Accreditations

• Masters of Science, Mississippi State University
• Bachelors of Science, Florida State University