Derek Carson, a former NWU track & field standout, has served two different stints as an assistant coach for the Prairie Wolves. During the 2009-2010 season, he coached the sprinters with legendary Director of Track and Field / Cross Country coach, Ted Bulling.
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Taking a few years off from coaching while working in Washington DC, Carson joined the coaching staff again in 2016 where he has primarily coached the multi-events and horizontal jumpers.
While coaching the multi events, Carson has led 6 athletes to All-Conference honors. In 2025, under the tutelage of Carson, Tanner Johnson broke the indoor heptathlon school record scoring 4,708 points.Â
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In the horizontal jumps during the 2025 campaign, he coached 5 performances that placed at the A-R-C championships. Both Natalie Cummins and Chloe Mooberry jumped their way to all-time NWU status with their personal bests of 5.60 and 5.55.
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Carson was a five-time NCAA III All-American with the Prairie Wolves, earning three All-American awards at the 2009 NCAA III Outdoor Championships. He was part of the national runner-up 4x100 relay team during these 2009 Championships, as well as a member of the national runner-up 4x400 team during the 2008 NCAA III Indoor Championships.
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The Lincoln, Nebraska native was a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American and earned a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. Carson graduated from NWU in May 2009 with a degree in History. A Nebraska Army National Guard veteran, he is employed by the federal government and lives in Lincoln with his wife Jamie and their three boys, Max, Zeke, and Theodore.
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