Coach Ken Harnden appreciation post 🤝
The man behind Auburn’s magic. A two-time Olympian in the 400m hurdles, Ken understands exactly what it takes to be among the best.
With over 20 years of NCAA Division 1 coaching experience, he joined the Auburn Tigers team in 2022 and made an immediate impact. At the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Championships, he helped lead the men’s team to a second-place finish. Additionally, he coached four Olympians in Paris that summer, including a finalist in the men’s 200m.
More recently, at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships, he coached Ja’Kobe Tharp to a world record in the men’s 110m hurdles with a time of 12.75 seconds, and the men’s 4x100m to a collegiate record of 37.75 seconds.
His coaching roster of collegiate and professional athletes currently includes Ja’Kobe Tharp, Maia McCoy, Kayinsola Ajayi, Makanakaishe Charamba, Israel Okon, and numerous other talented individuals.
As we look ahead to the next few days of the NCAA Championships, it is only fitting to highlight one of the coaches who is currently changing the game.