Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer

Graham Promoted to Track & Field Head Coach at Columbia

Tanner Graham
June 30, 2025

(Story provided by Columbia Sports Communications)

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Columbia College Director of Athletics Glen Crawford has announced that head cross country coach Tanner Graham has also been named the new Track & Field head coach to replace the departing Eric N'Dri.
 
"I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to lead this amazing program," said Graham. "There is a lot of history, talent, and excellence that has come through the Columbia College Track and Field program, and I am looking forward to getting started and seeing what my role in that history will be. I am extremely thankful to Mr. Crawford and President Dozier for giving me this exciting opportunity."

Graham is beginning his second season as head coach of the Koala men's and women's cross country programs.

"We're excited to have Coach Graham step into the head coach's role for track and field while continuing to lead our cross country program," said AD Crawford. "He's building a strong culture with our distance runners, and I'm confident he'll bring that same leadership and energy to the entire track and field team."

Graham, a native of Irmo, SC, has most recently served as the Head Girls Cross Country coach at Lexington (S.C.) High School since the fall of 2018. He also served as the Lexington Wildcats Boys & Girls Head Track Coach for the past six seasons, as well, where he worked with both sprinters and distance runners. 

While at Lexington, Graham helped lead the Lady Wildcats cross country team to a county and region championship in the 2019 and 2020 seasons and a region championship the following season in 2021.

Graham was then named the USTFCCCA Girls Coach of the Year for S.C. in 2022 as he led his Lexington Girls team to the state championship. He has also led his Lady Wildcats to a state runner-up finish in the 2020, 2021, and 2023 seasons.

In 2023, Graham won the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) State Coach of the Year as his girls' cross country team finished runner-up at the SC State Meet in November. The girls were also the 2023 Region 4 and 5A Champions. Coach Graham led his teams to the fastest team average (19:08) and lowest score at the state meet in the school's history. 

He has also coached numerous NCAA Division I and II athletes during his time at Lexington High.