Dustin Stewart brings over a decade of collegiate coaching experience to Johnson & Wales University Charlotte, where he now serves as the Head Coach of the Men’s and Women’s Cross Country and Track & Field programs. With a background that spans every event group in the sport, Stewart is known for building strong, well-rounded programs and developing athletes to their fullest potential both on and off the track.
Throughout his career, Coach Stewart has coached national qualifiers, All-Region and All-Conference performers, and athletes who have rewritten school record books. Most recently, he led distance efforts at Lenoir-Rhyne University, where he coached a national qualifier in the men’s 10,000m — the highest national finish by a male in program history — and guided multiple athletes to All-Region and All-Conference honors in cross country. Under his leadership, Lenoir-Rhyne also set three indoor track school records in a single meet.
Before LRU, Coach Stewart served as an assistant at Queens University of Charlotte, where he coached sprints, hurdles, and relays. While there he developed a national qualifier and conference champion in the men’s 400m hurdles, who went on to become the first male athlete in school history to earn All-Conference honors at the NCAA Division I level. His work also helped lead to four school records in just one year.
At Johnson C. Smith University, Stewart helped rebuild a declining distance program, coached multiple All-Conference performers, and guided athletes to NCAA provisional marks and school records. His collegiate coaching journey began at Belmont Abbey College, where he helped grow the program from 25 to 60 athletes and guided athletes to 26 school records, 14 All-Conference performances, 8 conference titles, and 5 NCAA provisional marks. Stewart also played a critical role in the addition of new training facilities and successfully managed program operations during coaching transitions.
Coach Stewart is highly regarded for his expertise in athlete development, detailed training plans across all event areas, and his ability to recruit and retain student-athletes committed to success throughout their college careers and beyond. His coaching philosophy focuses on the complete development of the person — not just the athlete — and emphasizes character, accountability, and culture.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sport Management from Belmont Abbey College. Coach Stewart is passionate about fostering an inclusive, team-first environment that inspires athletes, alumni, and staff to contribute and compete with purpose.
