Juan Carrillo is in his first season as volunteer assistant cross country and track & field coach for the Huskies.
He comes to NIU after previously serving as assistant coach at Chicago’s Robert Morris University. At Robert Morris, he assisted in the development of Mizael Carrera who would win go onto win two Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) titles in cross country and finished third at the 2013 NAIA Cross Country National Championships. Under his guidance, the Eagles produced 2 CCAC champions in 2014 meet at 400- and 800-meter distances. In 2015, he would also foster an NAIA outdoor track championship qualifier in the long jump.
Carrillo entered coaching with an excellent athletic resume. As a prep he qualified for the IHSA AA state championships in both cross country and track & field at 800 and 1600 meters. He competed for Argo Community High School, located in Summit, Illinois, where Carrillo currently resides.
In college, he competed for South Suburban Community College and then Lewis University. At South Suburban, he qualified for the NJCAA National Cross Country Championships in 2001 and 2002. Carrillo then transferred to Lewis University, where he qualified for the NCAA DII Outdoor Track & Field Championship at 800 meters.
At Lewis University he was part of two GLVC championships teams (2002 cross country and 2003 indoor track & field). He earned All-Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) honors during the 2002 cross country season, contributing heavily to that team title.
Carrillo's personal bests of 3:45 for 1500m and 1:49 for 800m ranked him among the elite for his national country of Mexico.
He completed his bachelor degree in business management from Lewis University in 2005. Carrillo currently holds a USA Track & Field Coaching Level I Certification.
