Assistant Coach

Bio

Heading into the 2025 season, Steven Story begins his fourth season as the NIACC men's and women's head cross country coach.

Story, who was the assistant coach for the NIACC cross country teams in 2020 and 2021, helped guide the Trojans to the 2020 NJCAA Division II men's national championship.

Story has coached six all-region performers on the men's side. In 2022, Bryson Canton, Breyden Christensen and Alfred Kiptoo earned all-region honors, Christensen and Owen Almelien were all-region performers at the 2023 regional meet and Isaac Thompson was an all-region performer in 2024.

On the women's side, Story has coached five all-region performers. Lilly Stockberger was an all-region performer in 2022, Juliana Droll was an all-region pick in 2023 and Olivia Spurling, Droll and Bridget Canton were all-region performers in 2024.

 The NIACC men won the 2022 Indian Hills men's invitational on Oct. 14 in Ottumwa giving Story his first team title as a head coach with 76 points.

Story started running cross country in high school and was a walk on for the NIACC Trojans after seeing an informational meeting flyer posted on a campus bulletin board.

Story competed for NIACC in cross country, half marathon, and track and field from 2006-2008.  After graduating NIACC in 2008 with both an Associate in Arts and Science he continued his education at the University of Northern Iowa graduating in 2011 with a Bachelors in Movement and Exercise Science.

Story was an assistant cross country coach for Clear Lake High School for five years, helping coach the team to its first state appearance in over 25 years.

Story is an avid runner having completed nine marathons, and advocate for people with disabilities to be involved in sports and athletics. He regularly pushes those he advocates for in racing chairs, helping them to complete their first race and accomplish something they had long considered impossible.

Story resides in Mason City with his wife Vera, son Bram, and daughter Asha.