Posted
July 06, 2026
St. Edward High School is proud to announce the appointment of Coach Ken Sullivan as Director of Track & Field and Coach Nathan Brannen as Director of Cross Country.
While their titles are new, Sullivan and Brannen continue the partnership that has helped build one of Ohio's premier high school running programs. Sullivan will oversee the Eagles' track & field program while continuing to coach with the cross country team. Brannen will remain head cross country coach and continue leading the distance runners during track season, ensuring the collaboration that has been central to the program's success continues.
Few schools give student-athletes the opportunity to learn from coaches whose experiences are so different—and so complementary. Sullivan is an outstanding teacher, accomplished runner, and thoughtful mentor who understands how to help young men grow as students, athletes, and leaders. Brannen spent more than a decade competing against the best runners in the world as a three-time Olympian, bringing firsthand knowledge of what it takes to perform at the highest level. Together, they have built a program where every runner—from a first-year athlete to a state qualifier—is challenged, supported, and encouraged to reach his full potential.
The results have followed.
In recent years, St. Edward captured the school's fifth OHSAA Track & Field State Championship, won four district cross country championships, qualified for four OHSAA Cross Country State Championship meets—including the program's first state appearance in 31 years—and produced dozens of First Team All-Ohio athletes along with an individual state champion and numerous state podium finishers.
Coach Ken Sullivan
Sullivan brings an impressive running résumé of his own. A First Team All-Ohio athlete in both cross country and track, he competed at Duke University, where he served as team captain and qualified for the NCAA First Round in the 1,500 meters. He is also a three-time Cleveland Half Marathon champion (2017–19). At St. Edward, Sullivan serves as Business & Entrepreneurship Department Chair and co-moderator of EagleVentures. Beyond campus, he is a founding board member of GOH Run!, a nonprofit organization that expands youth running opportunities throughout Northeast Ohio, and serves as associate race director of the Guardian Mile, one of Cleveland's premier road races.
Coach Nathan Brannen
Brannen's competitive career ranks among the finest in Canadian track and field history. A three-time Olympian, Olympic finalist, Pan American Games silver medalist, Commonwealth Games silver medalist, and University of Michigan Track & Field Hall of Fame inductee, he brings world-class experience to every practice. Since joining St. Edward in 2013, he has helped build a program known not only for winning races, but for developing confident, resilient young men.
“This isn't a new beginning—it's a continuation of what's made our running programs so successful," said Athletic Director Pete Kahler '02. "Ken and Nate complement each other exceptionally well. Our student-athletes will continue to learn from two outstanding coaches who challenge them, support them, and genuinely care about their growth as young men. I'm excited to see that partnership continue.”