Bio

Beth Jansen joined St. Ambrose as an assistant coach to both the men's and women's cross country and track teams in 2008-09. She was named the head cross country coach in the summer of 2019.

In her time at SAU she has coached two athletes to NAIA National Championships. Anthony Peters won the 2016, 2017 and 2018 NAIA Indoor 3000m race walk, as well as the 2016, 2017 and 2018 NAIA Outdoor 5000m race walk. Peters also won the 2015 USATF Jr. National Championship and finished eighth at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in 2016. He also earned the silver medal at the NACAC U23 Championships in 2016 and was the second finishing American while representing Team USA at the IAAF World Race Walk Championships (Rome) in 2016.

Jenny Lopez won the 2016 NAIA Indoor 3000m Race Walk National Championship and finished eighth at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in 2016.

Nolan Rudd earned All-American status at the 2022 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, placing 8th in the 3000m steeplechase. The following year, Rudd became an All-American in the 3000m run at the 2023 NAIA Indoor Championships.

Jansen coached Kevin Randle, who qualified for and raced at the USATF Jr. National Championships in 2010.

Her athletes have rewritten the record books at SAU, owning nearly every record from the 3000m to the marathon.

Jansen arrived at St. Ambrose after receiving her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Central College. While at Central, Jansen excelled in both cross country and track. In 2004-05, she was an Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Indoor Conference Champion in the 5k in 2004 and in the 3k in 2005. Also in 2005, she was nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year award.

She got her coaching start at Central College as a track & field assistant in 2005-06. Before arriving at St. Ambrose, she was the assistant coach for cross country and track & field at Dickinson College from 2006-07.

Jansen is originally from Davenport, Iowa, and graduated from Davenport Central High School in 2001.