James Li

Position: Head Coach Experience: 2nd Year

In 2002, James Li joined the Wildcat track and field coaching staff to direct the distance runners and cross country program. He came from Washington State University, where he worked with the Cougar track and field and cross country programs for more than 10 years. He received a masters degree from WSU in 1987 and a doctorate in 1993.

Li has previous coaching experience at the Sichuan Sports Technique Institute in Sichuan, China. He was also a provincial team coach from 1983 to 1985. He joined the Washington State coaching staff in 1985 as a graduate assistant. He served as the head men’s track and field coach at Minnesota State University at Mankato from 1990 to 1994. He rejoined the Washington State staff in 1994 as a track and field assistant. He was named the head cross country coach in 1998.

Li, a native of the People’s Republic of China, was a middle distance runner during his youth and collegiate days at the Beijing Institute of Physical Education, from which he graduated in 1982. He won the Chinese collegiate 800 meters title in 1979 and was among the top 10 middle distance runners in China in 1980 and 1982.

During his collegiate coaching career, Li has coached numerous individual athletes and relay teams to 22 conference championships, 38 All-American honors, and 7 national championships. Behind Li’s guidance, Cougar distance great Bernard Lagat was named NCAA Division I indoor athlete of the year and Pac-10 athlete of the year in 1999. Lagat also won the bronze medal in the 1,500 meters at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, as well as a silver medal at the 2001 IAAF World Championships.

Li was born in Chengdu, China and was naturalized as a United States citizen in May of 1998. He and his wife, Jeane, have two sons, Allen, 13, and Anthony, 11.