Chris Stovall joined the Averett University track and field/cross country programs as an assistant coach in 2023-24.
Stovall previously served as the head track and field head coach at Yelm High School in Yelm, Washington, from 2018-23 after being an assistant coach in 2017. In his first post-Covid full season as head coach, Stovall led the Yelm team to a third place finish at state. In the 2023 season he guided his boys' team to the 2023 WIAA 3A Track and Field Championships with individual state champions in the pole vault, shot put, triple jump and discus. Yelm also had podium finishers in the 110 hurdles, long jump and javelin. As the head coach, he personally oversaw training in high jump, hurdles and sprints while assisting with throws and relays.
Under the last three years as head coach, the Yelm track team established 13 new school records and had over 164 combined male and female top 20 all-time marks, at a school with over 46 years of track records.
Stovall was awarded the 2023 WIAA Boys Coach of the Year award as well as the 2023 USTFCCCA Boys Coach of the Year for Washington State.
Stovall has been active as a USATF club coach since 2009 and founded the Yelm Tornado Track Club in 2018 (PNW Tornados). While coaching the Tornado Track Club, he coached eight All-American performers in shot put, discus, sprints and racewalk as well as  qualifying over 30 athletes for USATF Junior Olympics and finishing with 3 National champions. Stovall is certified as a USTFCCCA and USATF Level 1 coach with emphasis in high jumps, sprints, hurdles and biomechanical development. He is continuing his USATF coaching education in Sprints/Hurdles and his USTFCCCA coaching education in horizontal jumps.
