Florida National University

Robert Overby was named the track and field head coach and cross country assistant coach at Florida National University on July 15, 2024.
 
Coach Overby comes to FNU with over 20 years of experience as a coach and an athlete, and brings passion, energy, and a strong initiative to the program. His coaching philosophy centers around developing a clear understanding of the needs and desires of his athletes. With the capacity to see the big picture, he focuses on coaching the needs of the athlete. Abandoning a one-plan-fits-most training model, emphasizing effort, developing individual/ team skills, and life lessons that center on promoting overall success.

In his debut season, Overby was a vital part of FNU men's track and field placing third at the USCAA Track and Field National Championship. Overby, Ryan Raposo and Anne Lambert were also honored as the USCAA Men's Track and Field Coaching Staff of the Year following an impressive season on and off the field.

Overby's men's and women's teams posted GPAs of 3.40 and 3.46, respectively, tallying three NAIA Daktronics Scholar-Athlete honorees. Overby helped FNU host its first Continental Athletic Conference (CAC) Track and Field Championship in late April, where FNU totaled two school records, 12 championships in 11 individual events and one relay, 17 personal records and seven runners-up.
 
Overby states he achieves this by effectively communicating information with his athletes, and by fostering productive relationships that redefine winning in such a way that success is not only defined or measured by the podium. However, with his care and commitment to his student-athletes, he has built a reputation for developing success in a short period and had many athletes flourish under his tutelage from breaking school records to qualifying for state and national championships at the high school and college levels, respectively.
 
Before taking over the helm at Florida National University, Overby was a Track and Field Assistant Coach at Keiser University in West Palm Beach, Fla. His primary responsibilities were coaching the short and long sprints and relays. He’s held multiple track and field head coaching positions at various high schools in South Florida.
 
As an athlete, Overby was an all-conference track performer in college and went on to qualify for the USA Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Championships. He earned his bachelor’s degree in liberal studies with a specialization in literature and humanities from Barry University and holds a USATF Level 1 coaching certificate.