Athens Academy is pleased to announce that Neville Anderson will assume the role of head coach for the girls’ and boys’ varsity cross country teams beginning in the fall of 2026. Coach Anderson will continue to serve as the head coach of the varsity track and field programs, a role he has held since 2017.

According to Athletic Director Kevin Petroski, “Coach Neville Anderson has been an integral part of the school’s cross country and track and field programs’ success for more than 20 years. With the retirement of Head Cross Country Coach Geoffrey Walton at the end of this school year, promoting Coach Anderson was both a natural and well-deserved decision for the school’s leadership. We look forward to the program’s continued success and are confident that our running community will be excited to see Coach Anderson lead it into the future.”

Coach Anderson began coaching at Athens Academy in 2003. He led the Spartans to state championships in track and field in 2017 (girls), and 2023 and 2024 (boys). He has also trained several Athens Academy alumni who went on to compete at the next level, including Henry Dwyer '13 (UGA), Anna Marian Block '18 (UGA, Kennesaw State), Jackson Scruggs '23 (Vanderbilt), and Graham Blanks '20 (Harvard, 2024 Olympics).

In addition to his head coaching responsibilities, Coach Anderson has managed the Georgia Tuition Tax Credit program for Athens Academy since 2021. He has a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Military Institute and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School (CA). In 2017, Coach Anderson was recognized as the Brooks Inspiring National Coach of the Year, and he was inducted into the Georgia Cross Country/Track & Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame Class of 2026.

Athens Academy is an independent, co-educational school for students in K3 through 12th grade, located on a beautiful 152-acre campus in Northeast Georgia. Now in its 59th year, Athens Academy pursues its mission of “excellence with honor” through academics, athletics, fine arts, and service and leadership. Ranked the #1 private school in Athens, #7 private school in the state of Georgia (out of 400+ schools), and #1 private school in North Georgia (Niche.com).

For more information, please contact Kelley Cuneo, communications director, at [email protected] or 706-433-2410.