Jared Deaton is in his second year as the Head Cross Country/Distance Track Coach at Hampden-Sydney College during 2026-27, additionally serving as the Director of Club Sports and Intramurals. He was named to his new position(s) on June 3, 2025, and also serves as a strength and conditioning coach for the athletic department. Jared has previously served as an assistant cross country and track & field coach at Hendrix (AR) College since 2022, following one year as a volunteer assistant coach for the two sports at Millsaps (MS) College (2021-22). Deaton enjoyed a successful undergraduate career in cross country and track & field at Berry (GA) College (2016-21).
H-SC cross country placed sixth at the 2025 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Championships to equal the team effort of 2024, which matched the highest placing at the conference championships since 2008. The Tigers finished 20th at the NCAA South Regional Championships, and Jackson Herndon '27 posted a team season-best 8K time of 27:16.9, also 12th-best among the program's Top 50. Herndon led distance track during both the indoor and outdoor campaigns, becoming the program's first All-ODAC honoree after his third-place finish in the indoor 800 at the ODAC Championships. He added four new school records, including the indoor 800 (1:55.80) and mile (4:28.20), and the outdoor 800 (1:54.58) and 1500 (3:57.86).
At Hendrix, Deaton created the cross country competition schedules during the fall and then planned, facilitated and conducted practices for all distance event groups for track. He assisted in hosting track meets, and planned and facilitated travel efforts for the two competitive seasons, as well. Deaton also served as the recruiting coordinator for the two programs. The Warriors finished fifth at the 2024 Southern Athletic Association (SAA) Cross Country Championship, and placed sixth at the 2025 SAA Track & Field Championships.
Deaton assisted in facilitating practice and travel at Millsaps, along with training and race strategies. He also served as an admission counselor while involved in all aspects of the admissions process at the College. The Majors were fifth at the 2021 SAA Cross Country Championship, and sixth at the 2022 SAA Track & Field Championships.
Deaton competed in cross country for three years at Berry, where his dad, Paul, has served as the head coach since 1992. He was named to the 2019 SAA Academic Honor Roll and Dean’s List and posted a collegiate-best 8K of 27:23 that year, as well. Deaton was a member of the Vikings’ track & field for four years with collegiate-best times of 4:36.00 in the 1500-meter run, 9:47.39 in the 3,000-meter run, 17:24.34 in the 5,000-meter run and 34:28.35 in the 10,000-meter run.
Jared graduated from Berry in 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and secondary education.
What's Being Said About New Hampden-Sydney Cross Country/Distance Track Head Coach Jared Deaton (June 3, 2025)
"Jared is a great hire and we are excited to see that Hampden-Sydney thinks so too! He is passionate about running and sharing that with student-athletes. He understands the role athletics play in the Division III and college experience as both the athlete and coach. His previous experience in admissions will also pay dividends. I’m excited for the current and future Tigers that will grow under his leadership!” – Berry (GA) Head Men's & Women's Track & Field Head Coach Luke Syverson
