Learn more about Brady
Brady Wells, a 1983 Hanover College alum, will be entering his fifth full season as the head men’s and women’s cross country coach in the fall of 2021.
In his first four seasons, Wells ascended the performance of the men’s long distance runners. The Panther men earned back-to-back second place finishes at the HCAC Championships during the 2018 and 2019 campaigns, tying the program’s best finish since the league’s inception in 1998. During the 2018 season, Wells took the program to new heights as Jacob Hedrick qualified for the NCAA Division III National meet after garnering the schools first ever Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Individual Championship. The senior was named the leagues Most Valuable Runner for his efforts and captured his second United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Scholar All-American award.
In Wells first season, the Blue and Red had three runners finish inside the top five, garnering the trio all-conference accolades. The squad also produced three top 25 finishers at the Greater Louisville Classic, which was a first in school history. Jacob Hedrick and Joe Rector also went on to be named United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Scholar All-Americans for their efforts in the fall of 2017.
The 2021 spring campaign saw Wells guide the women’s program to an HCAC title for the first time under his guidance. Wells went on to be named the Conference Coach of the Year while Arig Tong captured the individual title and was named the HCAC Runner of the Year.
The 2019 women’s fall campaign saw the Panthers claim a runner-up finish as part of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships behind All-Conference performances from Arig Tong and Brianna Medcalf. Tong advanced to the NCAA Division III National meet for the second consecutive season, being only the fourth Panther in history to achieve the feat.
With a women’s squad featuring two seniors in 2018, Wells helped guide the program to a top five finish at the HCAC Championship and an individual runner-up finish by Arig Tong, the best finish in over a decade. Tong’s runner-up finish garnered her Freshman of the Year honors as well as a spot in the NCAA Division III National meet. Under Wells guidance the program has received national academic recognition from the USTFCCCA on three separate occasions.
Wells spent the fall of 2016 as an assistant coach for the Hanover cross country program. He was also an assistant for the men’s and women’s track and field teams, a role he is still currently holding.
“I am very excited about the opportunity to continue to build on the strong tradition of Hanover College Cross Country,” stated Wells. “This institution and this program have been very special to me and my family for many years. I look forward to once again, being able to be a part of their success.”
Wells was an accomplished runner for the Hanover cross country and track and field programs during his time as a student-athlete from 1979-83. A two-year captain of both the cross country and track and field squads, Wells still ranks among the top five all-time in HC history in the men’s 5000 and 10000 meter runs. He is also in the top 20 all-time at Hanover in cross country times.
To go along with his top time accolades, Wells was also a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Track Championship qualifier in the marathon event, where he placed 13th overall in 1983. His 13th place finish is the highest of any Hanover athlete at the NAIA nationals.
After his career at Hanover, Wells has continued to run competitively, participating in numerous marathon events. Wells has won the Indianapolis Marathon (1984) and the Louisville Marathon (1985), while also placing 30th overall in the well-known Boston Marathon in 1985.
He and his wife Julie (Hanover, 1984) reside in Scottsburg, Ind., and have two children, Lauren and Logan (Hanover, 2015).
Education
B.A. in english, Hanover College (1983)
M.S. in secondary education, Indiana University – Southeast
