Kevin Cole '88 guided the Hope College men's and women's track and field program from 2006-2025 before stepping down to teach and mentor students through his role as a full-time member of the college's kinesiology faculty.
Cole coached 125 conference champions in women's indoor and outdoor track & field, 30 NCAA Division III All-Americans, seven MIAA outdoor team champions and five MIAA indoor team champions.
In 2024, Cole was voted as both the MIAA Women's Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year by his peers after guiding the Flying Dutch to a sweep of league titles.
The 2012 season marked a historic point in Hope track and field when both the men's and women's teams captured the MIAA in the same year.
A 1988 Hope graduate, Cole taught at Adrian College before returning to Hope, chairing the department of exercise science and physical education. Prior to joining the Adrian faculty in 1998, he taught and coached track and field at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa. He holds a master of science degree in physical education from Texas Christian University and a Ph.D. in human bioenergetics from Ball State University.
Cole was a four-time All-MIAA athlete, twice in both cross country and track. He was a two-time MIAA champion in the 800-meter run, setting Hope and conference records in the event. He was co-captain of the cross country and track & field teams as a senior.
He is a native of Jenison, Michigan. His wife, Lynn Kingma Cole, is a 1990 Hope graduate. The Coles have three children.
