Men's Cross Country
- Title:
- Assistant Coach - Middle Distance
- Email:
- AAW@athletics.wisc.edu
- Phone:
- (608) 354-3472
- Sport:
- M/W Cross Country, M/W Track & Field
| The Watson File | ||
| Hometown: Cedar Lake, Indiana | ||
| Alma Mater: Grand Valley State, 2012 | ||
| Coaching Experience | ||
| University of Wisconsin | ||
| • Assistant Coach, Distance, 2021-Present | ||
| Grand Valley State University | ||
| • Assistant Coach, Cross Country and Track & Field, 2014-21 | ||
| • Volunteer Assistant, Cross Country and Track & Field, 2010-13 | ||
| Temple University | ||
| • Assistant Coach, Distance, 2013 | ||
 |
||
| Notable Athletes | ||
Abdullahi Hassan, Wisconsin
|
Since 2021, Aaron Watson has coached the men’s middle-distance at Wisconsin. In his five years at Wisconsin, Watson has coached:
- 18 Big Ten Champions
- 40 All-America Honors
- 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, Cross Country Big Ten Championships
- 2023 and 2024 Indoor Big Ten Championships
- 2023 NCAA National Championships Indoor DMR - 3rd Place
During the 2025-26 season, Watson mentored Matan Ivri, who finished fifth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 1500 meters. Ivri set the Israeli record in the 1500 meters of 3:34.51, which ranks second in school history.
During the 2023-2024 season, Watson coached Adam Spencer to a great year. Spencer placed third in the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 1500 meters, and was runner-up in the NCAA Indoor Championships mile. Spencer is the UW record-holder in the 1500 meters and indoor mile. In the summer of 2024, Spencer competed in the Olympics for Australia. During that time, Watson also helped mentor Bob Liking to a program-record 13:09.31 in the 5000 meters.
In the 2022-23 season, Watson mentored Abdullahi Hassan to first-team All-American honors in the 800 meters, and Adam Spencer to first-team All-American honors in the 1500 meters. In the 2022 cross country season, Watson mentored Bob Liking and Jackson Sharp to first-team All-American honors at the NCAA Championship meet.
In the 2021-22 season, Watson coached Olin Hacker, who was the 2022 Outdoor Champion in the 5000 meters. During the 2021 cross country season, Hacker was a NCAA Championship All-American. Watson also mentored Alissa Niggemann, who ran the program-record in the 3000 meter steeplechase in the 2022 outdoor season.
Watson joined the Badger coaching staff in the fall of 2021. Watson spent the previous six years as an assistant track and field and cross country coach at Grand Valley State University, working with the men’s and women’s middle distance and distance runners as well as assisting with the cross country programs.
In his six seasons with the Lakers, Watson assisted GVSU to six NCAA DII national championships—women’s cross country in 2014, 2016 and 2018; women’s indoor track and field in 2021; men’s cross country in 2018; and men’s outdoor track and field in 2021.
He also coached 10 individuals and one relay to national championships. Grand Valley State was named the USTFCCCA Program of the Year for women twice and for men twice.
For the GVSU men, Zach Panning won outdoor titles in the 5,000 meters in 2018 and 2019, and the 10,000 meters in 2019. Isaac Harding is the reigning NCAA DII champion at 5,000 meters.
Among Laker women, Kendra Foley won the 2014 and 2016 NCAA cross country titles while also winning the outdoor 10,000 meters in 2017. Amy Cymerman claimed the indoor 5,000 meters in 2015 and the outdoor 10,000 meters in 2015. Sarah Berger earned the 2018 cross country championship. In addition, the 2021 indoor distance medley relay of Hannah Becker, Taryn Chapko, Jessica Eby, and Allie Ludge captured a national championship.
Academically, the Lakers were named the NCAA Scholar Team of the Year for women nine times and for men four times during Watson’s time.
Watson came to Grand Valley State after one year as the assistant coach of cross country and track and field at Temple University, where he organized all aspects of student-athlete development, including training plans and supervision of workouts. Watson also helped five Temple runners set school records in men’s and women’s cross country and track and field.
Prior to coaching for Temple, Watson was a volunteer assistant coach for the Grand Valley State cross country and track and field programs from 2010–13. He is a USA Track & Field Level Certified coach.
Watson graduated from Grand Valley State in 2012 with a degree in sports management. He and his wife Betsy have two children, Everett and Graham.
