Coach Zach Daniel | Building a D2 Powerhouse at West Texas A&M

On this episode of Airey Bros Radio, we sit down with Coach Zach Daniel, Head Cross Country Coach and Assistant Track Coach at West Texas A&M. From his journey as a student-athlete to leading one of the nation’s top NCAA Division II programs, Coach Daniel opens up about athlete development, strength training for distance runners, international recruiting, and how West Texas is quietly becoming a powerhouse in the Lone Star Conference.We dive into the challenges of coaching through weather extremes, the importance of athlete relationships, and how a small-town Texas school is producing All-Americans year after year. If you're a student-athlete, coach, or parent exploring college running opportunities, this is an episode you don't want to miss.


📓 Show Notes with Timestamps:

• 0:00 – Intro: Why we spotlight programs like West Texas A&M
  
  
• 2:10 – Meet Coach Zach Daniel and his accolades
  
  
• 4:00 – Upcoming cross country camps & WT social handles
  
  
• 5:45 – West Texas A&M’s pro wrestling legacy?
  
  
• 6:45 – Wild travel story to regionals: stranded for 8 hours
  
  
• 10:30 – Coaching mindset during adversity
  
  
• 13:00 – Athletes from Ghana & Kenya see snow for the first time
  
  
• 15:04 – Weather at Nationals & performing under pressure
  
  
• 16:00 – Coach Daniel’s origin story in running
  
  
• 18:40 – From PT grad student to full-time coach
  
  
• 20:05 – Integrating strength training for endurance athletes
  
  
• 24:00 – Why Coach Daniel doesn’t use double threshold training
  
  
• 26:05 – Strength training transformations
  
  
• 27:22 – The evolution of his coaching philosophy
  
  
• 30:00 – International recruiting strategies
  
  
• 34:00 – Helping athletes with homesickness
  
  
• 35:00 – What to study & what to do in Canyon, TX
  
  
• 36:45 – Impact of NIL and transfer portal on D2
  
  
• 38:40 – Division II depth: 13:58 now last man into Nationals
  
  
• 40:30 – Dealing with D1 poaching
  
  
• 42:00 – Wearing multiple hats as head coach
  
  
• 43:45 – Who to watch this outdoor season
  
  
• 46:00 – Transitioning from Indoor to Outdoor
  
  
• 47:00 – Raleigh Relays, coaching logistics
  
  
• 49:00 – West Texas trails & 100K races
  
  
• 51:00 – Coffee rituals and roasters
  
  
• 52:00 – Coach’s off-the-track passions: cars, drums, marksmanship
  
  
• 55:00 – What Coach Daniel listens to (Rogan, Magnus, ACDC, J. Cole)
  
  
• 57:00 – Wrap-up: Why West Texas A&M is a hidden gem