David Espinoza is set to embark on his sixth season at UPike and his first year as Assistant Men’s and Women's Track & Field/Cross Country Coach at UPike for the 2025-2026 season
Before joining UPike, Espinoza was the inaugural head coach at Lourdes University in Sylvania, Ohio, where he led both the Track & Field and Cross-Country programs. His tenure at Lourdes was marked by significant achievements, including coaching Even Pugh, the program's first national qualifier in discus during its inaugural season. Under his guidance, the team also produced seven WHAC All-Academic Team members and six NAIA Scholar-Athletes. Espinoza's dedication to character development earned him the WHAC Coach of Character award three times.
In the 2020-21 outdoor season, Espinoza saw Noah Thomas become his first national qualifier at UPike, competing in the discus throw and finishing 19th at the NAIA Outdoor Championships. The following season, Thomas made history as the first indoor national qualifier for UPike, qualifying in the weight throw, while also qualifying for outdoor nationals in the discus for the second consecutive year. Thomas was named Mid-South Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year, achieving podium finishes in both the indoor and outdoor Mid-South Championships. With a Mid-South Championship in the hammer throw.
The 2022-23 season brought remarkable progress for the UPike Men’s Track & Field team. Noah Thomas set a Mid-South Championship Record in the weight throw and became the program's first All-American. He also earned All-Mid-South honors in the shot put, while Valerie Kendrick and Verlecia Scarlett claimed All-Conference honors during the indoor season. During the outdoor season, Thomas was recognized as the USTFCCCA Great Lakes Regional Field Athlete of the Year, qualifying for the national championship in the hammer throw and setting a new Mid-South Championship record.
As UPike moved into the AAC in the 2023-2024 season. The bear continued to show success. Evan Pugh was named All-AAC in both the weight throw and shot put, finishing runner-up in both. Capping off the indoor season, Zeke Hagley qualified for the NAIA Indoor National Championship in the shot put. The Outdoor season showed the same success, with highlights of Evan Pugh becoming UPike’s first AAC individual champion in the hammer. Zeke Hagley was named AAC Freshman of the Year. Zeke also qualified for the NAIA Outdoor National Championships in the shot put and discus.
During the 2024-2025 season, success continued to grow. During the indoor season at the AAC Indoor Championships. The Men’s team saw its highest team finish in school history, placing fifth. It was highlighted by the Men’s weight throw squad finishing 1 through 5, with David Exum winning the weight throw and setting the AAC weight throw championship record. Other individual champions include Zeke Hagley in the shot put, Zachary Mason in the high jump, and All-Conference performances by Langston Gibson in the weight, Avery Adderley in the triple jump, and Hevan Carver in the 60-meter hurdles. The indoor season concluded with David Exum and Zeke Hagley qualifying for nationals and Zeke becoming the second Bear to earn All-American status in the weight throw.
The outdoor season saw success as well. David Exum is qualifying for nationals in the hammer throw and has several All-Conference performances, including Carlie Osborne in the 400m, Zeke Hagley in the hammer and discus, and Aaron Coffey also in the hammer.
Since joining UPike, Espinoza has guided his athletes to 31 All-Mid-South/AAC Conference honors, produced six national All-Academic team members, 2 NAIA All-Academic All-Americans, and celebrated 28 Mid-South/AAC all-academic recipients. Both the men's and women's track and field teams have achieved USTFCCCA All-Academic status, with the men's team earning it for six consecutive years and the women's team for the last four years.
Espinoza is an alumnus of Bluffton University, earning a bachelor’s in Health, Recreation, and Physical Education. he was an accomplished member of the cross country and track and field teams, finishing as the HCAC conference runner-up in the Men’s 10k and holding school records in the indoor and outdoor 5k and DMR.
Certifications:
- USATF Level 3 Throws
- USATF Level One school instructor
- USATF Level 2 certification in throws, endurance, sprint hurdles, relays, and Jump
- USATF Cross Country Specialist
- Jack Daniels VDOT O2 Distance Coaching Certification
- USTFCCCA Strength and Conditioning Coach
- USTFCCCA Throwing Event Specialist
