Katherine Ray joined the Azusa Pacific University track & field coaching staff as an assistant coach specializing in distance events in 2025. Ray works with the Cougar distance and cross country programs, bringing a combination of recent competitive success, recruiting insight, and coaching experience developed at both the collegiate and youth levels.
Prior to arriving at Azusa Pacific, Ray served as the head coach of the men's and women's cross country programs at Rochester Christian University located in Rochester Hills, Mich. She was hired in July 2024 to lead the Warriors after completing an accomplished athletic career at Wayne State University in Detroit. Rochester Christian administrators praised Ray's energy, leadership, and ability to connect with student-athletes, noting that her experience as a recent collegiate competitor made her uniquely positioned to mentor developing runners.
A native of Novi, Mich., Ray compiled a fine career at NCAA Division II Wayne State, where she competed in both cross country and track & field. She earned GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team honors throughout her career and established herself among the top distance runners in program history. She ran a steeplechase personal-best of 10:37.28 and 4:45.86 in the 1500 meters. During her 2024 fifth season, she earned a runner-up finish in the steeplechase at the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships.
In cross country, Ray competed at the 2023 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships in Joplin, Mo. Her accomplishments across cross country, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field placed her among Wayne State's most accomplished student-athletes of her era.
Ray's coaching experience began while she was still competing collegiately. She spent four years as the head track & field coach at Novi Middle School, helping introduce young athletes to the sport while developing training programs and competitive opportunities for middle school runners and track athletes. That experience helped shape her coaching philosophy and prepared her for the transition into collegiate coaching.
Academically, Ray excelled at Wayne State, earning degrees in Sport Management and Business Administration while also completing minors in Sport Coaching and Psychology.
