AMES — The Cyclones women’s cross country team has added Laura Harmon as its newest head coach and assistant coach for its track and field team, Iowa State director of track and field/cross country Jeremy Sudbury announced on Monday.

“Laura Harmon has established herself as one of the brightest and most respected distance coaches in the country,” Iowa State director of track and field/cross country Jeremy Sudbury said. “We are thrilled to welcome her and her family to our community of Ames.”

Harmon is coming to Ames with 21 years of coaching experience in cross country and track at the high school, Division I and Division II levels.

Over the course of Harmon’s career, she has coached at Jesuit High School in Portland, Oregon; Oregon State, the University of Minnesota Duluth,  Sacramento State, Sierra College and, most recently, Washington State.

Prior to coaching, Harmon ran for both the cross country and track and field teams at Oregon. Harmon graduated from Oregon with a degree in psychology in 2005.

While at Oregon, Harmon earned an NCAA Cross Country All-American mention, two All-American Academic selections and four NCAA regional appearances for the 1500m and 500m.

Harmon carried those successes into her coaching career, earning the 2025 West Coast Conference (WCC) Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year award and guiding multiple athletes to NCAA regional and national championships.

Outside of coaching, Harmon served as the director of women’s and men’s cross country/track and field at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Alongside being a part of the reinstatement of the women’s cross country/track and field programs at Sierra College.

“The opportunity to partner with Coach Sudbury and the Iowa State staff was a major factor in my decision,” Harmon said. “Our visions for the future of Iowa State cross country and track & field align exceptionally well, and our partnership is a natural fit.”