University of North Carolina Athletics
Staff Directory
Jody Stewart
- Title:
- Assistant Coach (Sprints & Hurdles)
- Email:
Jody Stewart joined the UNC staff in October of 2021 and serves as an assistant coach, focusing on coaching and developing the Tar Heel sprinters and hurdlers. He brought an extensive résumé to Chapel Hill after most recently serving as Director of Track & Field/Cross Country at Texas State.
In his inaugural season at Carolina, Stewart coached Anna Keefer to second-team All-America honors in the women’s 200 meters during the indoor season. Keefer broke three school sprint records during the 2022 season (100m: 11.23; 200m indoors: 23.34; 200m outdoors: 22.83). Also in 2022, Isaiah Palmer won his first Atlantic Coast Conference indoor title in the men’s 400m. Ten all-time top-10 finishes were achieved in sprint events during the 2022 indoor and outdoor seasons.
In 2023, Blaise Atkinson was the silver medalist in the 110mH at the USA U20 National Championships advancing to represent Team USA. Atkinson won gold in the 110mH representing Team USA at the Pan AM Championships. The 2023 summer included Atkinson earning a bronze medal on the 400m relay for Team USA at the U23 NACAC Championships. During the indoor season, Atkinson and Aaliyah Berry achieved third place finishes in the 60mH at the indoor ACC Championships.
Stewart coached Craig Saddler to two consecutive 400mH ACC Outdoor titles in 2023 and 2024. Saddler also achieved second-team All-America honors at the NCAA Outdoor Championships both years. Saddler achieved the Olympic Trial automatic standard and was 5th in the 2024 UK Olympic Trials in the 400mH.
In 2025, Blaise Atkinson competed in the USA Outdoor National Championships and advanced to the semi-final round of the 110mH. During the indoor season, sophomores Aaliyah Berry and Kalani Witherspoon placed second and third in the 60mH at the indoor ACC Championships. In 2026, Trevor Paschall was ACC runner-up in the 400m which included a personal best performance of 45.99. Killian Fahy qualified for the Ireland National Championships in the 400m with a personal best of 46.16. The hurdle trio of Aaliyah Berry, Kalani Witherspoon, and Tori Goodson all achieved ACC honors and all-time top ten UNC performances during the season. Goodson qualified for the U20 World Championships in the 100m hurdles, running the fifth fastest time in program history (13.15).
As Director of Track & Field/Cross Country at Texas State prior to coming to UNC, Stewart's teams accumulated eight conference titles and achieved the university's first Triple Crown, winning conference titles in women's cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field in 2017-18. Stewart earned eight Conference Coach of the Year accolades and his teams tied for the most league titles under one head coach in program history. In six seasons, under Stewart’s direction the program accumulated 17 All-Americans, 84 Sun Belt Conference champions, 80 NCAA First Round qualifiers, 218 all-conference honorees, 32 school records, and 22 USTFCCCA All-Academic individual honors.
In 2021, Stewart was appointed Team USA's head men's track and field coach for the Pan American U20 Championships. In 2020, he was appointed Team USA's head men's track and field coach for the World U20 Championships.
Prior to his time at Texas State, Stewart spent three years as Associate Head Coach at Stanford, on the staff of current UNC Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Chris Miltenberg. Stewart coached the Cardinal's sprinters and hurdlers, including a World Championship finalist, an NCAA champion, an NCAA collegiate record holder (400mH), a Bowerman finalist, an Australian National Champion, an NCAA West Regional Athlete of the Year, a Pac-12 Conference Athlete of the Year and a USTFCCCA Women's Track and Field Athlete of the Year. Over that span, his sprinters and hurdlers won All-America honors on 19 occasions.
Stewart spent the 2010-12 seasons as an assistant coach at Georgetown, helping to lead the Hoyas to multiple honors, including a Big East Women's Indoor Track & Field Championship in 2012. He coached four Olympic Trials qualifiers, three NCAA All-Americans and eight NCAA preliminary qualifiers.
Stewart also has coached at Bowling Green State University, Northwood University and Ashland University, his alma mater. As a student-athlete at Ashland, he was a four-time All-American as a sprinter and also excelled academically, earning USTFCCA All-Academic recognition all four years.
Stewart holds a master's degree in sports management from Cleveland State. He also holds Level II Certifications in the sprints, hurdles, relays, jumps, and combined events from USA Track & Field.
Stewart and his wife Amber, have two sons, Sebastian and Elijah.
In his inaugural season at Carolina, Stewart coached Anna Keefer to second-team All-America honors in the women’s 200 meters during the indoor season. Keefer broke three school sprint records during the 2022 season (100m: 11.23; 200m indoors: 23.34; 200m outdoors: 22.83). Also in 2022, Isaiah Palmer won his first Atlantic Coast Conference indoor title in the men’s 400m. Ten all-time top-10 finishes were achieved in sprint events during the 2022 indoor and outdoor seasons.
In 2023, Blaise Atkinson was the silver medalist in the 110mH at the USA U20 National Championships advancing to represent Team USA. Atkinson won gold in the 110mH representing Team USA at the Pan AM Championships. The 2023 summer included Atkinson earning a bronze medal on the 400m relay for Team USA at the U23 NACAC Championships. During the indoor season, Atkinson and Aaliyah Berry achieved third place finishes in the 60mH at the indoor ACC Championships.
Stewart coached Craig Saddler to two consecutive 400mH ACC Outdoor titles in 2023 and 2024. Saddler also achieved second-team All-America honors at the NCAA Outdoor Championships both years. Saddler achieved the Olympic Trial automatic standard and was 5th in the 2024 UK Olympic Trials in the 400mH.
In 2025, Blaise Atkinson competed in the USA Outdoor National Championships and advanced to the semi-final round of the 110mH. During the indoor season, sophomores Aaliyah Berry and Kalani Witherspoon placed second and third in the 60mH at the indoor ACC Championships. In 2026, Trevor Paschall was ACC runner-up in the 400m which included a personal best performance of 45.99. Killian Fahy qualified for the Ireland National Championships in the 400m with a personal best of 46.16. The hurdle trio of Aaliyah Berry, Kalani Witherspoon, and Tori Goodson all achieved ACC honors and all-time top ten UNC performances during the season. Goodson qualified for the U20 World Championships in the 100m hurdles, running the fifth fastest time in program history (13.15).
As Director of Track & Field/Cross Country at Texas State prior to coming to UNC, Stewart's teams accumulated eight conference titles and achieved the university's first Triple Crown, winning conference titles in women's cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field in 2017-18. Stewart earned eight Conference Coach of the Year accolades and his teams tied for the most league titles under one head coach in program history. In six seasons, under Stewart’s direction the program accumulated 17 All-Americans, 84 Sun Belt Conference champions, 80 NCAA First Round qualifiers, 218 all-conference honorees, 32 school records, and 22 USTFCCCA All-Academic individual honors.
In 2021, Stewart was appointed Team USA's head men's track and field coach for the Pan American U20 Championships. In 2020, he was appointed Team USA's head men's track and field coach for the World U20 Championships.
Prior to his time at Texas State, Stewart spent three years as Associate Head Coach at Stanford, on the staff of current UNC Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Chris Miltenberg. Stewart coached the Cardinal's sprinters and hurdlers, including a World Championship finalist, an NCAA champion, an NCAA collegiate record holder (400mH), a Bowerman finalist, an Australian National Champion, an NCAA West Regional Athlete of the Year, a Pac-12 Conference Athlete of the Year and a USTFCCCA Women's Track and Field Athlete of the Year. Over that span, his sprinters and hurdlers won All-America honors on 19 occasions.
Stewart spent the 2010-12 seasons as an assistant coach at Georgetown, helping to lead the Hoyas to multiple honors, including a Big East Women's Indoor Track & Field Championship in 2012. He coached four Olympic Trials qualifiers, three NCAA All-Americans and eight NCAA preliminary qualifiers.
Stewart also has coached at Bowling Green State University, Northwood University and Ashland University, his alma mater. As a student-athlete at Ashland, he was a four-time All-American as a sprinter and also excelled academically, earning USTFCCA All-Academic recognition all four years.
Stewart holds a master's degree in sports management from Cleveland State. He also holds Level II Certifications in the sprints, hurdles, relays, jumps, and combined events from USA Track & Field.
Stewart and his wife Amber, have two sons, Sebastian and Elijah.
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