Cuesta Men's Cross Country Coach Robert Neely has been selected for his second straight Cuesta College Coach of the Year Award. Neely, who mentors four programs for the Cougars, was honored for his work with the Cuesta Men's Cross Country this season, after being feted for his work with Cuesta Women's Track & Field in 2025. Neely's Harriers were led into the 2025 campaign by 2025 Cuesta co-Athlete of the Year Weston Greenelsh, who was coming off a freshman campaign where he won 3C2A State Titles during both cross country and track & field. Greenelsh won another cross-country title, however Neely build a competiive squad around his champion. Returning all-WSC Harrier JP Walsh, who accompanied Greenelsh at the 2024 3C2A State Meet, joined all-WSC Mid-Distance Runner (800m) Anthony Frere. The veteran trio was joined by Freshmen Jeff Mendonca, Oscar Allen and Alex Schindler, with five members of the team garnering all-Conference Honors. Greenelsh, of course, repeated as the 3C2A Championship, but was also supported by his teammates. Walsh jump 50 places from his freshman season to join Greenelsh with all-State honors, while Frere, who's State Time cut a full five minutes off his season debut, blossomed during the spring en route to a pair of Western State Conference Titles and joined Greenelsh with 2026 3C2A All-State Honors. Coach Neely's was recognized by the Western State Conference for leadership in the development of the Cougars' Harriers and was also named the loop's 2025 Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year. The Herries finsihed the season 2nd in the WSC and 12th at the State Meet. This is Coach Neely's second straight Cuesta Athletics Coach of the Year Award, after behind recognized for his work with Cuesta Women's Cross Country in 2024-25. Cuesta Athletics boasted three WSC Coaches of the Year during the Fall competition. First-year Women's Soccer Coach Paige Johnson and Volleyball Coach Whitney Meyer were also honored by the Western State Conference.
This award recognizes the highest level of coaching achieved at Cuesta College during a year of competition. It was developed in 1996 but was not officially presented in 2009. The award is based on a mathematical formula that weighs a coach's individual performance as well as the on-field success of his/her team.
Cuesta Coaches Award
Cuesta College Coach of the Year (est. 1996)
1995-96 Terry Bowen, Women's Swim & Dive
1996-97 Larry Lee, Baseball
1997-98 Terry Bowen, Men's Swim & Dive
1998-99 Gary Meissner, Wrestling
1999-00 Mike Napoli, Women's Tennis
2000-01 Terry Bowen, Men's Swim & Dive
2001-02 Mike Napoli, Women's Tennis
2002-03 Pete Schuler, Women's Water Polo
2003-04 Joe Dansby, Wrestling
2004-05 Mike Napoli, Women's Tennis
2005-06 Allison Merzon, Softball
2006-07 John Marsh, Men's Swim & Dive
2007-08 Mike Napoli, Women's Tennis
2008-09 Mike Napoli, Women's Tennis
2009-10 Rusty Blair, Men's Basketball
2010-11 Joe Dansby, Wrestling
2011-12 Brian Locher, Women's Cross Country
2012-13 John Marsh, Men's Swim & Dive
2013-14 Joe Dansby, Wrestling
2014-15 Joe Dansby, Wrestling
2015-16 Bob Miller, Baseball
2016-17 Brian Locher, Men's Cross Country
2017-18 John Marsh, Men's Swim & Dive
2018-19 Rusty Blair, Men's Basketball
2019-20 John Marsh, Men's Water Polo
2020-21 Brian Locher, Women's Track & Field
2021-22 Brian Locher, Women's Track & Field
& John Marsh, Men's Swim & Dive
2022-23 John Marsh, Men's Water Polo
2023-24 Greg Enloe, Men's Water Polo
2024-25 Robert Neely, Women's Track & Field
2025-26 Robert Neely, Men's Cross Country
