John Hartpence enters his fourth season at the helm of the Defiance College track and field program, where he works primarily with athletes in the distance, hurdles, and field events.

Last season, Hartpence guided the men’s and women’s track and field teams to third and second-place finishes in the HCAC Championships respectively. The Yellow Jackets racked up the individual awards during the 2009-10 season as well, tallying 10 All-Ohio performers, eight All-HCAC honorees, four all-sportsmanship recipients and four academic all-conference recipients. Hartpence also saw two members of the women’s team receive HCAC Co-Most Outstanding Freshman Female Athlete of the Year honors following the HCAC Championships.

Hartpence came to Defiance after serving as the head track and field coach at Dickinson College for seven years, where he guided the women’s team to six Centennial Collegiate Conference championships, and saw the men’s team earn five runner-up finishes.

In addition to the teams’ success, Hartpence guided his Red Devils to 65 individual conference championships during his tenure at Dickinson, and was voted as the USTFCCAA Mid-East Women’s Indoor Coach of the Year in both 2002 and 2003

Hartpence earned his undergraduate degree in physical education from Cortland College, before completing a master’s of science degree in health and human performance from the University of Montana in 1996. He is certified as a Level II Track and Field Coach for throwing and jumping events.