Brady "Butch" Ard is entering his fourth year as the Director of the Blazers' Track & Field and Cross-Country programs after being announced as the new head of these programs on July 6th, 2022.
Last season, Ard saw continued success on the Track & Field side of the Belhaven program while the Blazers' Cross Country teams took a leap forward as those programs continue to grow. The Blazers' Women were led by first year athlete JoAnna Cornette who placed 13th at the CCS Championship, narrowly missing out on an All-Conference spot. Bailey Loomis, also a freshman, led the Belhaven Men at the CCS Cross Country Championship with a top 30 individual finish.
On the Track & Field side, sprinters and jumpers once again dominated the headlines for the program as Neal Terry picked up three conference championships at the CCS Meet while Ashaunti Barnes and Kimona Haynes dominated the league's running events.
In Ard's first season at the helm, the Blazers' Track & Field programs saw solid success in their first years in the CCS. 17 student-athletes earned All-CCS honors, including eight First Team selections. Six Blazers earned their spot on the USTFCCCA All-Region Team while sprinter Ashaunti Barnes qualified and competed in the DIII National Championships in the 400m.
Prior to Belhaven, Ard served as the Head Coach of Track & Field and Cross-Country program at Mississippi College. Ard led the Choctaws for 17 years from 2002-2020 and during his tenure achieved nine conference championships including eight during MC's time as a part of the American Southwest Conference at the NCAA Division III level.
Ard coached two National Champions, 27 All-Americans, 18 National Qualifiers, 31 All-Region Selections, and 64 All-Conference Members with Mississippi College and was named the conference Coach of the Year on eight occasions (four men's and four women's).
Prior to his time in the college ranks, Coach Butch Ard built a successful high school program at Tupelo High School where his teams won four state championships across five seasons and earned Top 15 national finishes on four occasions.
Before his time in Tupelo, Ard was the Head Track and Cross-Country Coach at St. Andrew's Episcopal School where his program earned a state championship in Track & Field and a pair of state titles in Cross County. Ard was named NFHSAS National Track Coach of the Year once and Mississippi Cross Country Coach of the Year twice during his tenure as well.
In 2010, Ard was also named to the Hinds Community College Sports Hall of Fame for his contributions and success as an athlete there from 1979-1981.
