SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (Sept. 13, 2023) -- UC Santa Barbara Athletics has announced that Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Cody Fleming will step down, effective Sept. 30. A National search will be conducted for his replacement.
 
"We thank Cody for his selfless service and commitment to our student-athletes," said Kelly Barsky, UC Santa Barbara Director of Athletics. "As we conduct our search for his replacement, we have the utmost confidence in the direction and stability our assistant coaches Jason Zarb Cousin, Mitch Modin and Bill Whitaker will provide."

Fleming was hired as Director of Cross Country/Track and Field in September, 2019 and had also served as the program's Associate Head Coach from 2012-2017. 

"I am honored to have served as the Director of Men's and Women's Cross Country/Track and Field at UC Santa Barbara over these past four years. I've had the opportunity to have coached here for 10 years now and I can't express enough how lucky I was to have mentored the amazing young men and women who have come through our programs," Fleming said. "Our student-athletes experienced success in the classroom as well as on the track and I am forever grateful for everyone who supported them along the way. 
 
"After much reflection with my family, I am going to step away from the University and shift my focus onto them at this time. I put everything I have into our team and I look forward to seeing them carry on the foundation of success which has been set and take it to even greater heights."

Since returning as Director, Fleming has guided the Gauchos to one Big West team title, 13 Individual Big West Championships and two NCAA All-American performances. Prior to becoming the Director of the program, Fleming's athletes won 18 Big West individual titles in six different events, produced a total of 45 Big West top three event placings, set six school records, and qualified for the NCAA West Regional Preliminary Rounds 33 times. These athletes have also won a combined 10 Big West Championships alone in the men's javelin and decathlon since his arrival in 2011. 

He guided six Gauchos to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the Javelin, Heptathlon, Decathlon, Hammer, and High Jump.