MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Upon elevating head Men's and Women's Cross Country coach and former Women's Basketball coach Reed Sutton to the role of Interim Athletic Director, Faulkner University and Sutton have named his successor, the third head coach in the cross country programs' history since their rebirth in 2022. Volunteer assistant coach Caleb Kilpatrick has been promoted to the head role while fellow volunteer assistant Michael Britton will now serve as Kilpatrick's full-time assistant coach.
 
"We are so excited that Coach Kilpatrick and Coach Britton are stepping up and taking over the Cross Country program," Sutton said. "It provides our teams the continuity necessary to continue the momentum that has been created by the athletes in this young program to this point."
 
Kilpatrick is a 2001 graduate of Alabama Christian Academy where he ran track, and later earned his degree in Criminal Justice at Faulkner. For seven seasons, he was an assistant coach for track and cross country at ACA while Britton was the head coach. He has run ultra-marathon races from 50k to 100k in addition to 24-hour races, in which he broke the then-state record for his age group with 87 miles. He has also helped to run the Olympic torch across Alabama for the Special Olympics, which he actively supports. 
 
"Caleb is going to be a great Head Coach," said Sutton. "He came into our program as a volunteer during the spring semester last year and made an immediate impact on our athletes as a spiritual leader and a training tactician.  He also helped us arrange a deal with Coros watches for all of our athletes after having a long standing relationship with that company as an accomplished long distance runner.  He was a no-brainer to step into the first chair when I had to step down to perform my new duties as Director of Athletics.  He has hit the ground 'running!'"
 
Kilpatrick married the former Jennilee Yates in August 2024 and they share three children: Lane, Baker and Annie. His oldest, Lane Berry-Kilpatrick, runs for the men's program, having rejoined the roster this past fall after previously running for the Eagles in the programs' first season in '22 under Zac Cook. 
 
"I am extremely grateful for this opportunity to serve Faulkner University, the cross country team as a whole, and each individual athlete in a coaching capacity," said Kilpatrick. "Like the parable of the sower, this will take determining the seeds we want to plant, being sure we plant them in the right soil and then working daily to be sure we nurture the seeds in order to get the best out of our crops. It is my prayer that with faith, follow-through, and focus the cross country program will continue in a positive direction. I'm looking forward to moving this team, with Coach Britton by my side, in a direction that is not only beneficial to the team and Faulkner but, more importantly, beneficial to God's kingdom. Have a blessed day, and go Eagles!"
 
A former Marine, Britton moves into a full-time role after serving as Sutton's main assistant all of last season. He is married to Shannon Britton, and they are the parents of Mia and Micah. Michael Britton was previously the head coach at ACA while Kilpatrick served as assistant, and together they coached their sons. Micah twice earned All-State honors at ACA and went on to run cross country in college at Auburn University at Montgomery, where he owns the first, second, ninth and tenth fastest 8k times in AUM history and took home Second Team All-Gulf South Conference honors as a senior in 2020. 
 
"Michael was manna from heaven for our program last season as a volunteer," said Sutton. "I am so glad he is staying on as an Assistant Coach for Coach Kilpatrick. He plans ahead and writes our workouts that have been instrumental in setting individual personal records as well as team records last season. He cares deeply for the athletes."
 
Together, Kilpatrick and Britton look to build on the accomplishments of last season under Sutton, which saw program records fall like dominoes. Freshmen Brodie Moore and Chloe Helms set individual program records seven times in four meets apiece for the men and women. The Eagles and Lady Eagles broke the program record for 1-5 average time at the season-opening Jacksonville State Foothills Invitational. The teams also set new records for team averages in the 5k in the Dalton State Nooga at Night Invite and in the men's 8k and women's 6k at the SSAC Cross Country Championships. A total of 27 personal records were reached, with at least six occurring at each meet. 
 
"We are super excited about the teams we have going into this season," Sutton said of the squads. "We have high expectations for both our Men and Women's teams.  They are working very hard this summer and are connecting to each other through regular Zoom calls and social media interactions.  We can't wait to get them on campus together!"