Chris Bray begins his eighth season at the helm of the Men's and Women's Cross Country teams for Embry-Riddle after beginning the program in 2013. In 2019 both teams again won the California Pacific Conference Championships, qualifying for the NAIA National Championships. It was the sixth consecutive title for the men and the fith straight for the women. Consistently ranked among the nations best teams, the men finished 4th at the NAIA Championships, a program-best finish, with the women placing 17th. In 2018, the cross country program finished as the third best in the country for finishing 7th and 8th respectively. For his efforts in 2019, Bray received his 13th Cal Pac Coach of the Year award.
Earlier in his career, Chris coached Cross Country for four years at Yavapai College in Prescott, as both head coach and as an assistant to his wife, Cylinda. His teams qualified for the Junior College National Championship all four of his seasons, placing 7th, 6th, 5th, and 4th, respectively. He coached five different athletes to All-American status, two of which earned the honor for both years under his tutelage.
As an athlete, Chris ran for Northern Arizona University in Cross Country, Indoor and Outdoor Track. He helped his teams earn numerous Big Sky Conference team championships, and twice competed at the NCAA Cross Country National Championships. After graduation, Chris began racing as a professional duathlete (running & cycling) and had the highest American finish at the World Championships in 1993 (16th place) and was the second American in ’94 (22nd). He has competed in numerous races including two Ironman triathlons and twice qualified for the Boston Marathon.
Prior to Embry-Riddle, Chris worked in commercial lending for one of Arizona’s largest banks. He received both his undergraduate degree in human resource management and his MBA from NAU. Chris currently resides in Prescott.
Chris Bray begins his eleventh season at the helm of the Men's and Women's Cross Country teams for Embry-Riddle after beginning the program in 2013. In 2022 both teams again won the California Pacific Conference Championships—the ninth consecutive title for the men and the eighth straight for the women. Consistently ranked among the nation’s best teams, highlights of the program include fourth-place finishes at the NAIA National Championships, for the men in 2019 and the women in 2022. In 2017 Chris started the university’s distance track program. Between both programs, Coach Bray has produced 15 NAIA All-Americans, including a national champion in the marathon. For his efforts in 2022, he received his 19th Cal Pac Coach of the Year award.
Earlier in his career, Chris coached Cross Country for four years at Yavapai College in Prescott, as both assistant and head coach. His teams qualified for the Junior College National Championship all four of his seasons, placing 7th, 6th, 5th, and 4th, respectively. He coached five different athletes to All-American status, two of whom earned the honor for both years under his tutelage.
As an athlete, Chris ran Cross Country and Indoor and Outdoor Track at Northern Arizona University, where he earned both his undergraduate degree and his MBA. He helped his teams earn numerous Big Sky Conference team championships and twice competed at the NCAA Cross Country National Championships. After graduation, Chris raced as a professional duathlete (running & cycling) and had the highest American finish at the World Championships in 1993 (16th place) and was the second American in ’94 (22nd). He ran the Boston Marathon twice and has raced in numerous other events, including two Ironman triathlons. He continues to compete in races from half-marathon to ultramarathon distances. Chris lives with his wife Jillian in Prescott.
