THE CARLSON FILE

Personal Information

Full Name: Sean Thorton Carlson
Born: Nov. 23, 1987, in Barrington, Ill.
Hometown: Buffalo Grove, Ill.
High School: Buffalo Grove High School
College: North Central College, 2010

Coaching Experience

2022-present:
Tennessee, Head Coach/Director of Cross Country/Distance
March-June 2022:
Notre Dame, Men's Track and Cross Country Head Coach
2019-22:
Notre Dame, Men's Cross Country Head Coach
2016-18:
Notre Dame, Men's Cross Country and Track Asst. Coach
2012-16:
Notre Dame, Men's & Women's Cross Country and Track Asst. Coach
2010-11:
Saint Charles North High School, Cross Country and Track Coach
2010-11:
North Central College, Volunteer Assistant Track Coach

Team Championships as Head Coach (3)

Men's Cross Country Championships: 3

ACC: 2018, 2020, 2021

Coaching Honors

2021 Great Lakes Region Cross Country Coach of the Year
2021 ACC Cross Country Coach of the Year
2021 Great Lakes Region Assistant Track Coach of the Year
2020 ACC Cross Country Coach of the Year
2020 Great Lakes Region Cross Country Coach of the Year
2019 Great Lakes Region Assistant Track Coach of the Year

Competitive Experience

2006-10:
North Central College (DIII) Student-Athlete

Competitive Highlights

2010 NCAA Division III Cross Country Runner Up (Team)
2010 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Champions (Team)
2010 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Champions (Team)

Tennessee Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White appointed Sean Carlson to lead UT's combined men's and women's cross country and distance program on June 11, 2022.

Carlson came to Rocky Top after spending 10 years at Notre Dame, transforming its distance group into one of the nation's elite. During his stay in South Bend, Indiana, he guided athletes to four American collegiate records, 13 school records, 29 NCAA All-America performances, two NCAA records and three NCAA championships.

"I am beyond excited for this opportunity to build something truly special with the University of Tennessee," Carlson said. "Danny White is determined to push our program forward with an entirely unique and innovative structure. The opportunity to work with Danny, coach Duane Ross, and the entire staff is humbling and thrilling for me."

INSTANT IMPACT

CROSS COUNTRY 2022

Carlson guided the Vols to a runner-up finish at the SEC Championships, the program's highest since 1999. At the NCAA South Regionals, Carlson led the men to their first region title since 1995, followed by their highest finish at the NCAA Championships since 1995 (20th).

Individually, Dylan Jacobs (4th) and Yaseen Abdalla (33rd) secured individual All-American honors for the Vols.

On the grass, the Tennessee women finished 6th at the SEC Championships and 5th at the Regional Championships. Kayla Gholar earned 2nd-team All-SEC honors.

INDOOR TRACK 2022-23

Carlson coached UT athletes to school records in:

Men's Indoor Mile (Canaan Anderson - 4:00.13)
Men's Indoor 3000m (Dylan Jacobs - 7:36.89)
Women's Indoor 5000m (Jasmine Fehr - 15:38.59)
Men's Distance Medley Relay (9:22.16)
Men's Indoor 5000m (Dylan Jacobs - 13:11.01)

Carlson coached Jasmine Fehr to the NCAA No. 15 time in the Indoor 5000-meter, and the second fastest 3,000m in Lady Vol history at the BU Terrier Classic.

Under his guidance, Yaseen Abdalla set a Sudanese national record and a collegiate all-time top-10 mark in the Indoor 3000m with a time of 7:42.23. Abdalla finished runner-up at the SEC Championships in the 5000m and earned second team All-American honors in the 3000m.

Carlson developed Dylan Jacobs through a historic season. Jacobs won an NCAA title in the Indoor 5000m and helped the Vols capture their first men's DMR conference championship since 2007 with a time of 9:32.75 - running the 1,600-meter anchor split in 3:56.46. He also won the SEC 3000m title. He finished his indoor career No. 3 all-time in the 5000m and No. 2 all-time in the 3000m in NCAA history.

Carlson guided two Lady Vols to All-SEC finishes in the Indoor 5000m: Kayla Gholar (2nd) and Rachel Sutliff (6th)

OUTDOOR TRACK 2023

Carlson coached UT athletes to school records in:

Men’s 5000m (13:36.93 - Dylan Jacobs)
Men’s 10000m (28:01.53 - Dylan Jacobs)

Carlson coached Jacobs to set a school record, meet record and facility record at the SEC Championships (5/13), becoming the SEC Champion in the 5,000-meter with a time of 13:36.93 - securing his third SEC championship in 2023 and fourth school record broken during his time at UT.

Jacobs (5000m and 10000m) and Abdalla (5000m) advanced to the NCAA Championships where they earned second-team All-American honors under Carlson's leaderships.

Carlson guided Rachel Sutliff to a fifth-place at SEC Championships before advancing to the regional meet in both the 5000m and 10000m.

He also led Joe Hoots to an All-SEC finish in the 800m and a lifetime best of 1:48.08.

PRIOR TO TENNESSEE

The Irish men have won three ACC Cross Country Championship titles and have achieved three consecutive top-10 finishes at the NCAA Cross Country Championships under Carlson's tutelage. He also has assisted in coaching women who have earned eight top-30 finishes—and six top-15 finishes—at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.

Notre Dame had more men's distance qualifiers for the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, than any other school. And Irish senior Dylan Jacobs claimed the NCAA outdoor title in the 10,000 meters at that meet.

"I made a commitment to our cross country and distance student-athletes to deliver a world-class distance coach and a leader who will bring out the very best in them, and I believe we have checked every box with Sean Carlson," White said. "Our intent is to provide Sean and our student-athletes with every resource needed to restore Tennessee's distance program to championship form."

In March of 2022, Notre Dame promoted Carlson—who won back-to-back ACC Cross Country Coach of the Year awards in 2020 and 2021—to head men's track & field coach while maintaining cross country oversight.

The 2021-22 academic year was exceptionally special for Carlson and his Notre Dame student-athletes. During the 2022 indoor season, Yared Nuguse and Jacobs ran the fastest times ever recorded by American NCAA performers in the 3,000- and 5,000-meter events, respectively. Nuguse's time of 7:38.13 broke Alistair Cragg's 18-year-old NCAA record, while Jacobs' 13:14.04 was the fourth-fastest time ever run in NCAA history.

At the 2020 NCAA Cross Country Championships – held in March of 2021 – the Irish men placed second as a team, securing their best NCAA placement in more than 60 years.

Carlson then helped guide two-time NCAA champion Nuguse to an NCAA record in the men's 1,500-meter during the 2021 outdoor season at 3:34.68. Nuguse went on to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in that event.

In 2019, Carlson coached the men's distance medley relay team of Dylan Jacobs, Edward Cheatham, Samuel Voelz and Nuguse to an NCAA indoor title. A few months later at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, Nuguse also captured the men's 1,500-meter crown.

Following the 2019 collegiate season, Carlson guided Danny Kilrea to a USA U20 Championship in the 10,000 meters, as well as the 10K title at the 2019 Pan Am Games.

In cross country, the Irish men claimed the program's first ACC championship in 2018 and followed that feat with successive league titles in 2020 and 2021.

Carlson has also coached Fighting Irish standouts Alexa Aragon and Jessica Harris from the women's distance program. Aragon is a four-time All-American and school-record holder in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase. Harris holds three program records in the 600m, 800m and 1,000m.

A native of Buffalo Grove, Illinois, Carlson began his tenure at Notre Dame in November of 2011 as an assistant cross country and track & field coach, rising through the ranks to be named the head men's cross country coach in 2019. In March of 2022, he was promoted again to head men's track and field coach.

Before arriving at Notre Dame, he coached high school cross country and track at Saint Charles North High School in Saint Charles, Illinois.

Carlson attended North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, and ran collegiately for the Division III Cardinals. A team captain and All-American, he led the cross country team to a DIII national title in 2009. He also won the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin individual cross country championship that same season.

During Carlson's senior year in 2010, the North Central College track & field team won indoor and outdoor DIII national titles.

Carlson earned a degree in Finance and Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship from North Central College in 2010, followed by a master's degree in Leadership Studies from North Central in 2011.