In July 2021, Brennan Cape was chosen to lead the men's and women's track & field teams in addition to his role as Head Cross Country Coach following Coach Mark Sissom's retirement.
Named the Spartans’ head coach for men’s and women’s cross country in August 2019, Cape has made an immediate impact. In two seasons under Cape’s guidance, three MBU student-athletes have qualified individually for the NAIA Cross Country National Championships, including Emily Bayer and Alyssa Jakcsy on the women’s side and Trey Peugeot on the men’s side. Headlining the group is Bayer, with three consecutive trips to Nationals and an individual title at the 2020 AMC Cross Country Championships. In addition, the rising senior became the first MBU runner to win gold in 11 years and earned AMC Runner of the Year and First Team All-AMC honors. Cape has also played an integral role within the track & field program as an assistant coach over the distance group.
The first-time head coach inherited two experienced squads, including a women's program that became an annual contender for the AMC title under predecessor, Katie Goodwin. The Spartan Women won the AMC Cross Country championship in 2016 and were runners up in 2017 and 2018.
Prior to Missouri Baptist, Cape volunteered at Jefferson City (Mo.) High School, where he helped lead the Jays to a Class 4 District title and a seventh-place finish at the 2018 MSHSAA State Cross Country Championships. As a student-athlete, Cape competed for AMC rival Columbia College on the cross country and track & field teams from 2014-17. The Steelville, Mo. native was an NAIA national qualifier in cross country, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field. Cape earned All-AMC First Team honors across all three sports and was crowned champion in the men's 3000 meters and was a member of the gold medal 4x800 relay at the 2015 AMC Indoor Track & Field Championships. In 2017, he graduated summa cum laude from Columbia College with a Bachelor's Degree in History.
While in Mid-Missouri, Cape attended Karis Church and served as an intern and college ministry leader in 2017-18. During this time, he planned and led small groups on the Columbia College campus, discipled and mentored college students and also developed experience in preaching and teaching.
Brennan resides in Chesterfield, Mo. with his wife, Abby.
