Sean Carlson was officially named the University of Colorado's Director of Cross Country and Track and Field on Thursday, the college announced. 

The move also meant the exit of Carlson from Tennessee, where he was the Director of the cross country and distance programs. The 37-year-old was hired in June of 2022 to revamp the Volunteers program. 

FloTrack confirmed the news independently on Thursday. The Stride Report reported that Carlson met with his Volunteer team on Thursday, while FloTrack learned Carlson gathered all incoming cross country recruits on a Zoom call to inform them of his decision. He then called all recruits from the Class of 2025 individually. 

• Sean Carlson's Vision Has Fueled Tennessee's Long Distance Growth

Carlson will be replacing the legendary Mark Wetmore, whose contract was not renewed in 2024 after 32 years with the men's and women's programs. Wetmore secured five NCAA men's team titles, three women's victories, three individual men's championships and two individual wins on the women's side, while the long-time coach was named NCAA coach of the year six times over that tenure. 

Carlson is recently coming off a sixth-place finish for the Tennessee women at the NCAA Championships, which was the program's second-best finish in school history. He also led the men to their second straight berth to NCAAs and revamped a program which had not been competitive. 

In 2021, while leading the Notre Dame men, Carlson led the Fighting Irish to a runner-up finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.

"Tennessee hadn't been to a national meet in 23 years," Carlson told FloTrack in January. "In year one, we were there with the men. In year two, we were there on both sides." 

Carlson is leaving behind one of the strongest cross country recruiting classes in the nation, which includes the likes of Ethan Edgeworth, Gavin Genisio, Will Conway, Jake Liebert, Luke Mussard and Miles Ramer. 

Carlson had already secured commitments from Jack Graffeo and Ty Steorts from the Class of 2025.

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