AZUSA, Calif. – Preston Grey, head coach of Azusa Pacific cross country and associate head coach of Cougar track & field, is resigning from both positions as he will seek opportunities outside of collegiate coaching. He has spent 17 seasons coaching at Azusa Pacific, including 16 as a head coach.
 
"This is a bittersweet moment for my family and I," said Grey, "It has been the honor of a lifetime to coach at Azusa Pacific! I want to thank Gary Pine, Bill Odell and Terry Franson for giving me this opportunity. I was blessed to work with amazing coaches like Mike Barnett, Kevin Reid, Bethany Blomquist, Jack Hoyt, Andrea Blackett, and Josh Linker, who have become family to me! I have also worked with too many amazing athletes to try to name, but I will always cherish those relationships!"
 
Grey began his career at Azusa Pacific in 2004 as a graduate assistant coach, and took over as the head coach of the distance program the following year.
 
As the head coach of both men's and women's cross country, Grey led the programs to dominance at the NAIA level, and then transitioned the programs into contenders in NCAA Division II starting in 2013. In Azusa Pacific cross country's 50-year history, Grey has coached the men's program to three of its top five finishes, and the women's program to three of its top four finishes. In 2008, Grey was named the NAIA Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year after he guided the women's team to its first ever NAIA national championship. That same year, the men's team was the national runner-up. Three years later in 2011, the women nearly captured their second NAIA championship, as they finished second nationally.

In 2012 & 2013, Azusa Pacific was in the midst of its transition into the NCAA and was ineligible for postseason competition due to its provisional membership status, however, the Cougars were eligible to compete for National Christian College Athletic Association national championships. In 2012, the women won the NCCAA national title, and the men were national champions the following year in 2013.

In the winter and fall, Grey turned his attention towards the track program, where he served as the head women's track coach from 2012 through 2018, and then became the associate head track coach for the last two years. In the NCAA era, Grey has been a member of the Cougar track & field coaching staff that has led both the men's and women's programs to five consecutive PacWest conference championships.

Between both track & field and cross country, Grey has coached 42 individual national champions and 191 All-Americans.

In addition to his coaching duties, Grey has served as the meet director for the annual Bryan Clay Invitational, which is one of the largest single-day meets hosted by a college campus anywhere in the country. Year in and year out, thousands of athletes compete, including Olympic and World Champions and collegiate record-holders, making the Bryan Clay Invitational a premiere showcase of talent from across the globe. Under Grey's leadership, the Invitational has developed a reputation for being a well-organized and timely event year in and year out. Along with thousands of athletes competing each year, the Bryan Clay Invitational has brought thousands of spectators to Azusa Pacific's campus over the years.
 
"Preston has been a tremendous leader, servant, friend and coach here at Azusa Pacific for the past 17 years," said athletic director Gary Pine, "It was an absolute pleasure to work with him on a daily basis. We are going to miss him greatly here at Azusa Pacific, as his impact was felt far beyond just the sports he had direct involvement with. While I am sad to see him go, I am eager to see the ways in which he and his family will thrive moving forward."
 
Grey and his wife Victoria, along with their twin daughters Bria and Madison, will be moving to the Midwest.