DeKALB – NIU Director of Athletics and Vice-President Sean Frazier announced Juan Carrillo as head coach of the NIU cross country team Wednesday. 

Carrillo returns to lead the cross country team after spending 2015-17 as a volunteer assistant.

As an assistant coach at Tulane University, Carrillo aided both men’s and women’s cross country teams to a top five finish at the American Athletic Conference Championships in 2022. The men’s team also advanced to the NCAA Championships in 2022 under Carrillo. 

Carrillo also coached Tulane’s women’s indoor track team to fourth at the AAC Championships in 2023. 

Carrillo spent four seasons at Bowling Green State University, where his men’s cross country squad secured two top-three finishes at the MAC Championships – including a program-best second place finish in 2018. 

As a volunteer assistant at NIU in 2016, Carrillo helped the Huskies’ women’s cross country team to second place at the 2016 MAC Championships and a Midwest Regional appearance, where NIU placed ninth. 

Carrillo has experience running collegiate track at Lewis University, where his team took home the Great Lakes Valley Conference championship in 2002 and 2004. He was also on the 2003 GLVC indoor track and field championship team.