The 2023 track season is the seventh for Head Coach Ted Campbell leading the ACU Track & Field teams. The men had a breakthrough year as the Firestorm won their first GSAC Championship in 2021 after a second place finish two years in a row (2018-19). The women have also claimed a second place GSAC finish in the same 2018-19 time frame.
At the 2021 GSAC Championship, Arizona Christian beat Wesmont by 76 points (282-206) to knock off the seven time defending champs and earn their first GSAC title. The Firestorm championship was aided by eight individual or team GSAC event champions. Twenty-four men earned All-GSAC status. One individual and one relay earned NAIA All-American honors.
The highlight of the 2020 was a NAIA Indoor National Championship qualifier before COVID brought the season to a halt.
After four total athletes earned All-GSAC honors in 2017 that number shot up to a combined total of 45 All-GSAC athletes in 2018 and 2019. Several Firestorm athletes advanced to the NAIA National Championships over that two year span.
In 2016, Coach Campbell served as an assistant track coach at ACU filling the role of the men’s and women’s jumps and multiples coach. Four Firestorm reached the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Champions- including Coach Campbell’s son Cale.
For nine years Coach Campbell served as the coach of the boy’s soccer team and the last seven years as the track and field coach- both at Verrado High School. Over the last nine years, his VHS soccer program has tallied the most wins (130) in Arizona. On the track, the Vipers have finished 102-7 in dual meets on the girl’s side. The track teams have combined to win 11 district championships.
With prior stops at Agua Fria High School (state champions in 2006 and 2007) and Covina High School, Coach Campbell mentored 46 All-State athletes, 12 individual state champions, and 2 national champions.
For his expertise and success, Coach Campbell has been voted League or Region Coach of the Year 16 times, named the 2009 NHSACA Arizona State Track Coach of the Year, and was nominated for the National Track Coach of the Year in 2009. UCLA came calling in 2014 asking Coach Campbell to be on staff at their summer camps.
As a collegiate athlete at Azusa Pacific University, he earned All-American honors as a decathlete and a national championship in the 4x400 relays while helping the Cougars win two national team championships. For good measure, he earned First Team All-Conference honors as a wide receiver for APU football.
Educationally, Campbell earned a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from Azusa Pacific University in 1986. In 2011, he received a master’s degree in Teacher Leadership from Grand Canyon University.
Coach Campbell and his wife, Lisa, have three grown sons- Cale (ACU Alum/Assistant Coach), Cody, and Clay. The Campbell family attends church at Christ Church of the Valley- Avondale.
