Pete Watson was introduced as the Director of Men’s & Women’s Track & Field and Cross Country at Boston College on August 22, 2022. Watson comes to the Heights after spending the previous three seasons as the men’s cross country and distance coach at the University of Texas.

“We are excited to welcome Pete Watson to our Boston College Athletics family,” said William V. Campbell Director of Athletics Blake James. “Pete’s pedigree as a dynamic leader, championship coach, and elite recruiter - combined with his vision for our men’s and women’s programs - made him an ideal choice as our new Director of Track & Field and Cross Country.”

Watson played an integral role in the resurgence of Texas track, helping guide the Longhorns to the 2022 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship. The Texas distance corps accounted for 24 of the team’s 47 points en route to the indoor national championship. Texas’ distance medley relay posted the third-fastest time in NCAA history en route to victory in a time of 9:23.73. Watson was named the 2022 NCAA Division I Men’s Indoor Track & Field National Assistant Coach of the Year by the USTFCCCA. Outdoors, Texas was the national runner-up at the 2022 NCAA Championship.

This past cross country season, Watson led the Longhorns to the 2021 NCAA South Central regional team championship and tied for the school’s best NCAA Championship finish since 2013, taking 14th place. The men’s cross country team earned an automatic qualifier to the NCAA Championship in each of his three seasons in Austin, including two NCAA South Central regional titles.

In total, Watson mentored 18 NCAA All-Americans, 18 NCAA Track & Field qualifiers, and 12 Big 12 Conference individual champions during his tenure at Texas.

“I want to thank Blake James for this opportunity and I cannot wait to get started,” Watson said. “Throughout the entire process, JM Caparro, Reshauna Cobb, and the entire administration has been so impressive and welcoming. I am honored they all believed in the vision of the program I presented. Boston College is a world class institution in one of the greatest cities in the world. We can be great at BC - and we will be.”

Prior to his time at Texas, Watson served for six seasons (2012-18) as the head men’s cross country and assistant track & field coach at the University of Virginia. While with the Cavaliers, Watson coached 27 All-Americans and 39 All-ACC honorees, six individual ACC champions, and an NCAA champion (Henry Wynne, mile, 2016). UVA men’s cross country won two NCAA Southeast regional titles (2012, 2014) and for his efforts, Watson was named the 2014 NCAA Southeast Region Cross Country Coach of the Year. Virginia harriers finished in the top four at the ACC conference meet and in the top 22 at the NCAA Championship in each of his six seasons. The Hoos’ best finish at cross country nationals came in 2017, finishing 16th overall.

Watson also served as the head men’s and women’s cross country and assistant track and field coach at North Carolina (2009-12), where he helped to revitalize the Tar Heels’ distance corps. Signing the top-rated recruiting class in 2010 according to Flotrack.com, Watson coached four NCAA All-Americans and six individual NCAA qualifiers while at UNC. He began his collegiate coaching career at Auburn in 2005, spending four seasons with the Tigers. While on the Auburn coaching staff, the Tigers finished on the podium three times at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship, including the 2006 national championship. He coached 11 NCAA All-Americans and five SEC individual champions in cross country and track.

Watson graduated from West Virginia in 2001 and served as a volunteer coach there. Originally from London, Ontario, he represented Canada in 2000 and 2001, earning the bronze medal in the 5,000m at the 2001 Canadian Track and Field Championships. Watson and his wife, Kristin, were married in 2004.