Jim Macnider (T&F 2023)

Jim Macnider

  • Position
    Interim Athletic Director, Head Coach
  • Email
    jmacnide@harpercollege.edu
  • Seasons
    XC: 2011-Current (12) T&F: 2018-Current (5)
  • Phone
    847-925-6467
  • XC/T&F Championships
    XC: 9 Men - 5 Women / T&F: 2 Women
Jim Macnider has been the head coach of the Harper College Cross Country programs since 2011 and Track & Field programs since 2018. He was also an assistant coach of the Track & Field programs since 2012 handling the distance crew before becoming the head coach.

As an assistant he helped Coach Renee Zellner guide both teams to national championships in 2011. The men were able to repeat in 2012.

In the fall of 2011, Macnider led the Hawks to their first ever NJCAA DIII National Championship in men's cross country. The men went on to win eight straight titles from 2011-2018. They won their ninth title in 2023.

Macnider has also revitalized the women's cross country program. The women's team took sixth place at nationals in 2013 and then finished runner-up back to back years in 2014 and 2015. In 2016 the women's team broke through to their first ever NJCAA DIII National Championship in cross country. The team went on to win two more championships in a row as they were able to three-peat from 2016-2018. In 2022, he led the Women's Cross Country team to their fourth title and repeated again in 2023 for their fifth.

In 2023, he led the Women's Track & Field program to their second title since 2011.

For men, Macnider has been named:
  • USTFCCCA Cross Country National Coach of the Year 5x (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2023)
  • USTFCCCA Cross Country Central Region Coach of the Year 5x (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2023)
  • NJCAA DIII Cross Country Region IV Coach of the Year 10x (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023)
  • USTFCCCA Outdoor Track & Field Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year 2x (2015, 2017)
For women, Macnider has been named:
  • USTFCCCA Cross Country National Coach of the Year 5x (2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023)
  • USTFCCCA Cross Country Central Region Coach of the Year 3x (2015, 2017, 2023)
  • NJCAA DIII Cross Country Region IV Coach of the Year 9x (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023)
  • USTFCCCA Outdoor Track & Field National Coach of the Year (2023)
  • USTFCCCA Outdoor Track & Field Central Region Coach of the Year 3x (2018, 2019, 2023)
  • USTFCCCA Outdoor Track & Field Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year 3x (2015, 2016, 2017)
The Hawks were awarded the Gary Moore Award for the Best Overall Cross Country Program in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2023 due to Macnider's leadership.

 
NJCAA National Championship Results
Year Women XC Men XC Women T&F Men T&F
2023
2023 Champions Champions Champions Sixth
2022 Champions Fifth Fourth Eleventh
2021 Fifth Ninth - -
2020 - - - -
2019 Runner-Up Third Third Third
2018 Champions Champions Third Fifth
2017 Champions Champions Runner-Up* Sixth*
2016 Champions Champions Third* Third*
2015 Runner-Up Champions Third* Runner-Up*
2014 Runner-Up Champions Tenth* Sixth*
2013 Sixth Champions Seventh* Third*
2012 - Champions Ninth* Champions*
2011 - Champions Champions* Champions*
*Assistant Coach


After graduating from Niles West High School in 1969, Macnider started his collegiate career at Harper College under Coach Bob Nolan. In 1969 and 1970, he was the Skyway Conference Cross Country Champion and also placed 21st at the NJCAA National Cross Country Championships his freshman year. He qualified again his sophomore year, but finished 88th. On the track, Macnider was the NJCAA Region IV mile and two-mile Champion in 1971.  At Nationals that year, he placed 12th in the two-mile.

Macnider transferred to North Central College in the fall of 1971. As a Cardinal, he placed 4th in the CCIW in 1971 and 1972. In 1972, Macnider finished 33rd in the NCAA Division III Championships.

After college, Macnider continued to run competitively. In 1977, he finished second in the Chicago Marathon. He was also the USATF National 10,000m champion. In 1980, Macnider was a United States Olympic marathon trials qualifier. His personal bests are 2:19:41 in the marathon, 29:54 in the 10,000m and 14:09 in the 5,000m.

Prior to arriving at Harper, Macnider was the physical education department chair at Schaumburg High School from 1973 to 2010. At Schaumburg, he also coached their boy's cross country team. Under Macnider's tutelage, the team was crowned State Champions in 1985, 1987 and 1988, runner-ups in 1981, 1991, and 1999, and third in 1992, 1998, and 2006. Other top 10 finishes included fourth in 1980 and 1995, fifth in 1984 and 1989, sixth in 1993 and 1996, seventh in 1997, and ninth in 1990. In all, Macnider guided the Saxons to 13 Mid-Suburban Championships, and he coached 125 All-Conference runners and 25 All-State runners. On the track, Macnider coached State Champions in the 3200m, 2x1600m, and the 2x3200m. For his efforts, Macnider was inducted into the Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1995.


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