Jerry McQueen joined the Missouri Baptist cross country/track & field staff as a volunteer assistant in July 2020 and transitioned into a full-time role as Associate Head Men's & Women's Cross Country Coach beginning in July 2022. In June 2024, he assumed the position of Head Men's & Women's Cross Country Coach, while retaining his duties as track & field assistant coach.
McQueen came to MBU as a volunteer coach after serving the local community for 34 years as a firefighter/paramedic and Battalion Chief/Assistant Fire Marshal for the Creve Coeur Fire District.
He considers it a privilege to be able to serve and support the student-athletes and coaches within a Christ-centered athletics department here at MBU. “This gives me the opportunity to give back to a sport I love, that has provided me so much in life, and the opportunity to honor the coaches who invested in me over the years.”
A native of Rochester, N.Y., McQueen is a former New York State High School cross country state champion (1976). Following his prep career at Rush Henrietta High School, McQueen relocated to the Midwest to compete collegiately at Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University).
With the Bears, McQueen earned multiple Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) individual titles and all-conference honors. At the Indoor Conference, McQueen was the meet champion in the one-mile and 1000-yard run. At the Outdoor Conference Championships, he won gold in the 1500-meter run, capturing a meet record, school record, and currently ranks fourth on the school’s all-time top performance list in the event. On the cross country side, McQueen was a four-time NCAA DII National Cross Country qualifier and placed 26th overall at Nationals his senior year.
He graduated from SMSU in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science in Business. Jerry currently resides in Fenton, Mo., with his wife of 43 years, Linda. They are active members at First Baptist Church of Arnold. Jerry has two married daughters – Julie Free (Dan) & Michelle Petke (Dan) – and has six grandchildren (Nora, Elizabeth, Ty, Kenley, Hattie, and Bo).
Honors:
XC 2021: McQueen was part of a coaching staff when the M’s XC Team captured the AMC Conference XC Title, and the team qualified for the NAIA XC National Championships. Four (4) individual women qualified for the NAIA XC National Championship with their finish at the AMC Conference Championships.
XC 2022: Took over reins of the M’s & W’s XC programs as Associate Head Coach.
- The Men’s team captured the AMC Conference XC Title and received an automatic bid to the NAIA Cross Country Championships
- Women were Runner’s Up at the AMC Conference XC Championships.
- Two (2) runners, Mia Duncan (Reed) and Isabel Rinkenberger Qualified Individually for the NAIA National XC. Both established new Personal Best times (at that time) with their performance at Nationals.
XC 2023:
Women:
- The Women’s Team captured the 2023 AMC Conference XC Championship Crown (First Conference title since 2016). Four (4) runners, Mia Duncan (Reed) (Runner Up, Adrienne Rockette (4th), Gracie Kopala (7th) and Haley Hernandez (8th) earned All-Conference Honors. The Team received an automatic bid to the NAIA XC National Championships where they produced the highest finish (27th) in MBU school History.
Men:
- On the Men’s side, Donovan Denslow captured the individual conference title at the 2023 AMC Conference XC Championships. Denslow and teammate David Fletcher (4th place finish) qualified individually for the NAIA XC National Championships.
XC 2024:
Women:
- On the Women's Team, Mia Duncan became the first MBU XC athlete to claim NAIA All-American honors since 2006
- Mia Duncan, Adrienne Rockette, Julia Whorton, and Camrin Watkins all claimed all-conference honors for the Women after placing in the top 10
- Duncan, Rockette, and Whorton qualified for the NAIA National Championship
- The women's team finished runner-up at the 2024 AMC Conference Championship
Men:
- Grant Patten, Alvin Wible, and Caedmon Cook were also named as all-conference honorees
- Patten and Wible qualified for the NAIA National Championship
As Assistant Track Coach, McQueen has guided the Middle Distance and Distance Runners program with the Student Athletes achieving several honors:
Men’s Indoor Honors:
- 6 Individual AMC Conference Champions
- 1 NAIA National Champion: (Jordan Crawford 3000m RW)
- 2 All Americans: Jordan Crawford, 3000m race walk (2023) & Donovan Denslow 5000m (2023)
- 7 National Qualifiers (3000m RW, 5000m, DMR)
Men’s Outdoor Honors:
- 6 Individual AMC Conference Champions
- 1 NAIA National Champion: Jordan Crawford 5000m race walk
- 1 All-American: Jordan Crawford 5000m RW (2023)
- 3 National Qualifiers (5000m RW, 5000m, 10,000m)
Women’s Indoor Track Honors:
- 6 Individual AMC Conference Champions
- 1 All American: Mia Duncan (Reed) 1000m (2024)
- 9 National Qualifiers (600m, 1000m, 4X800)
Women’s Outdoor Track Honors:
- 14 Individual AMC Conference Champions
- 2 All-Americans: Mia Duncan (Reed) 3000m Steeplechase (2024) & Mia Duncan (Reed) in the 3000m steeplechase (3rd place, 2025).
- 10 National Qualifiers: (1500m, 3000m SC, 4X800m)
