Chris Reed is beginning his ninth year as a collegiate coach, his seventh as distance coach at Seattle Pacific, and his second as associate head coach, having joined the staff in December 2013.
The native of Klamath Falls in southern Oregon is a 2011 graduate of Western Oregon University, majoring in economics.
In November 2019, Reed guided the Falcon cross country team to a 12th-place finish at the NCAA Division II Championships in Sacramento. That was the program's best place in a decade, and came on the heels of placing third at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference meet and fifth at NCAA West Regionals. Dania Holmberg, a junior, earned All-GNAC, All-Region, and All-America honors. Senior Kate Lilly also made All-GNAC and All-Region. The SPU men continued their upward trend, placing 5th at GNAC for their highest finish since 2012, led by the All-GNAC run of Elius Graff.
During the winter indoor season, Holmberg earned NCAA bids in both the 3000 and 5000 meters. She joined long jumper Peace Igbonagwam for the trip to nationals in Alabama, although they never got to compete, as the then-emerging pandemic forced cancellation of the meet (and ultimately the bulk of the outdoor season, as well). Lilly capture her first-ever GNAC title in any of the three running seasons, as she took the indoor 3000 meters.
The 2018-19 year was an especially big one for Reed's distance runners. During the fall, the women's cross country team placed 15th among 32 teams at the NCAA nationals, after a 3rd-place finish at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships and 4th at the NCAA West Regionals. Kaylee Mitchell was All-GNAC, GNAC Freshman of the Year, All-Region, and All-American. Lilly and Katherine Walter also earned All-Region awards. The Falcon men were 7th at GNAC for their best finish since 2012. They were 14th at Regionals, also their best performance since 2012.
During the 2019 winter indoor season, Lilly was a second-team All-American with a 12th-place finish in the mile at nationals. The distance runners accounted for 42 of SPU's 154 points, beating Central Washington by four to help win the GNAC title for the 13th time in school history.
Outdoors in the spring, Lilly was an All-American in the NCAA 5000 meters, placing 5th. She also ran in the 1500 and was joined by sophomore Dania Holmberg in both races. Mitchell made the NCAA field in the 3000 steeplechase. As was the case indoors, Seattle Pacific edged Central Washington by four points for the title, this time by a 166-162 count, and the distance crew contributed 51 of those points. On the men's side, Jesse Phan capped his career with a stunning victory in the 800 meters, that coming on the heels of an All-GNAC 3rd-place finish in the indoor 800.
Reed helped guide Lynelle Decker race to three individual All-American honors during the 2015-16 school year: the indoor and outdoor 800, and the outdoor 1,500. In addition, the SPU distance medley relay team has posted three straight All-American finishes at the NCAA indoor meet.
In 2016, the foursome of Decker, Jahzelle Ambus, Chynna Phan, and Anna Patti ran to fifth place. The 2017 team of Sarah Macdonald, Lani Taylor, Phan, and Mary Charleson came from behind to take eighth. And in 2018, it was Kate Lilly, Taylor, Phan, and Charleson crossing the line in fifth.
Reed became an assistant coach at Western Oregon in 2011 prior to joining the Falcons. He was named the West Region Women's Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year in 2015 by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. He also is the director of the Falcon Running Camp.
In addition, Reed serves on the Cross Country Executive Committee for the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, and is on the USTFCCCA Polls Committee.
On the cross country course, Reed was a two-time All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference selection, finishing seventh as a junior in 2009 and third as a senior in 2010. He also was a two-time NCAA qualifier, earning All-American recognition in 2009.
During the track season, Reed raced to a pair of All-GNAC honors, taking third in the 5,000 meters as a freshman in 2008, then placing third in the 1,500 as a senior in 2011. He also was fourth in the 5K as a junior and senior. Indoors, he won the 2011 GNAC mile title and anchored the Wolves' distance medley relay to All-American status later that season.
Reed finished his WOU career with five school records: the mile, 5000, and DMR indoors, along with the 5000 and 10,000 outdoors. He ran in five NCAA championship meets (twice in cross country and outdoor track, and once in indoor track).
He and his wife, Annie, live in Seattle.