At Murray State

The 2026-27 season marks the 16th for Adam Kiesler with Murray State cross country and track & field and his eighth as director of track and field and cross country.
In addition to oversight of the entire program, Kiesler works primarily with the sprinters,hurdlers and throwers at Murray State.
During his tenure, MSU has produced 33 school records (23 directly coached), 63 conference champions (31 directly coached) and 120 All-Conference selections (OVC (Top-2 Ohio Valley and Top-3 Missouri Valley, 73 directly coached).
Entering 2024-25, Kiesler's Racers have advanced five times to the NCAA Finals in the last three spring sessions among four student-athletes.
2022 - Rachel Hagans (Long Jump), 2023 - Meghan Fletcher (High Jump) & Kayla Bell (800M), 2024 - Meghan Fletcher (High Jump) & Chelby Melvin (400M Hurdles).
In 2024, 400M star Chelby Melvin advanced to the NCAA Finals after she set a new Murray State record with a time of 56.49 at the East Regional in Lexington, Kentucky as she shaved time off the record six times.
Melvin competed in the USA Olympic Trials as the Racer to do so since Alexis Love in 2012.
2024, also saw the Racers' 4X400M Relay team Simone Joseph, Kayla Bell, Chelby Melvin and Lucia Herrero Yanez win the MVC title with a record time of 3:36.88. Their time set a new MVC meet record, Terre Haute facility record and outdoor program record.
In 2022, he led the Racers to their first sweep of the OVC Indoor and Outdoor Championships since 1992
Named as 2022 Coach of the Year for both the indoor and outdoor seasons
Led the Racers in 2019 to their first OVC outdoor title since 1992
2019 OVC Track and Field Coach of the Year
From 2016-19 he coached sprinter Tamdra Lawrence to great accomplishments. Lawrence won four straight 100m titles in the Ohio Valley Conference as well as 200m outdoor titles in 2016 and 2019 and a 60m and 200m indoor title in 2019. She qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Regionals in both the 100m and 200m in 2017 and 2018 and the 100m in 2019.
In 2017 and 2018 Jabreuna Brimlett, set the MSU record in the 100m hurdles and qualified for NCAA competition twice and was OVC champion once.
Kiesler coached an American Olympic Trials qualifier Alexis Love who ran in the trials in 2012 and 2016 in the 100m and 200m events.
Love won three USTFCCCA All-America honors (200m Indoor, 100m Outdoor, 200m Outdoor, 2012) and was a NCAA Indoor Championship qualifier (200m dash, 2012) and NCAA Outdoor Championship qualifier (100m and 200m, 2012).
He coached Tonia Pratt (2011-14) who was the OVC Outdoor Athlete of the Championship in 2013.
Pratt left MSU after setting multiple school records in the shot put, hammer throw, discus and weight throw.
Under Kiesler’s guidance, his student-athletes have set records in most events including the 60m dash, 200m indoor dash, 300m indoor dash, 60m hurdles, 200m dash, 100m hurdles, 400m hurdles, 4x100m relay, indoor shot put, weight throw, outdoor shot put, hammer throw, and discus.

Before MSU

He came to the Racers after spending a season as a graduate assistant track & field coach at the University of Toledo where he oversaw sprints, hurdles, jumps and multi-events.
Kiesler was an assistant women’s track & field coach at Central Michigan University for two seasons.
Helped produce nine CMU top-five performances, four All-MAC selections, and one NCAA Regional Qualifier.

Competition Career

A member of the Michigan track & field teams from 2002-2007, Kiesler competed in the long jump and multi-events.

Personal

A native of Rochester, Ill.
Earned a bachelor’s degree in earth sciences in 2007 from Michigan and 2013 earned a master’s degree in human development & leadership from Murray State.
He has Level One and Level Two coaching certificates from the USA Track & Field Association.
Has earned the status of Specialist Certification from the USTFCCCA in all throwing events, sprints, hurdles, relays and jumps.
Kiesler and assistant coach Kelsey Riggins live in Murray with their daughters, Albany and Stevie

Name	Title	Email Address	Phone
Adam Kiesler	Dir. of Track & Field/Cross Country (Sprints, Hurdles, Relays)	akiesler@murraystate.edu	(270) 809-5435
Jordan Johnston	Assistant Coach (Distance/Cross Country)	jjohnston22@murraystate.edu	(270) 809-3240
Kylie Gormann	Student Support Services - Track & Field Graduate Assistant	kgormann@murraystate.edu
Ainsley Smith	Graduate Assistant Distance

Murray State University Athletics

2026 Men's Cross Country Coaching Staff

Coaching Staff