Brett Halvaks began coaching at California Lutheran University in 2014. He spent his first seven seasons as an assistant coach, focusing on cross country and distance events during the track and field season. In 2021, Halvaks was named interim head coach for men's and women's cross country and track and field, and in 2022, he became the head coach of all four programs.
During his time at Cal Lutheran, Halvaks has coached athletes to school records in the men's 3,000 meters (broken four separate times) and women's 5,000 meters. He also coached Melissa Skiba to the national title in the 5,000 meters at the 2015 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships. He has guided 53 student-athletes and relay teams to top-10 marks on the Cal Lutheran track and field records list, coached six individual SCIAC champions and eight All-West Region runners, and helped the cross country program earn USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors every year during his tenure.
Before joining the Cal Lutheran coaching staff, Halvaks served as an assistant coach at Chapman University, where he primarily worked with cross country and distance events in track and field. During his two seasons at Chapman (2012-13 and 2013-14), he coached two All-SCIAC runners and two All-West Region runners in cross country, while helping the cross country and track and field programs set five school records in distance events.
Halvaks graduated from Cal Lutheran in 2011 with a degree in exercise science and sports medicine with an emphasis in pedagogy. He also earned a teaching credential in physical education from Cal Lutheran in 2012. Halvaks is a USA Track & Field (USATF) Level 1 certified coach and a USATF Cross Country Specialist certified coach.
As a member of the Kingsmen, Halvaks was named to the SCIAC All-Academic Cross Country Team in 2011 and served on the NCAA Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) from 2010-13. He was SAAC president for the SCIAC from 2010-11 and at Cal Lutheran from 2010-12. During his time at Cal Lutheran, he was a four-year member of the cross country and track and field teams.
Originally from Irvine, California, Halvaks now lives in Camarillo with his wife, Emilie, and their dog, Dallas.
What They're Saying About Coach Halvaks
David Avila – Four-year Cal Lutheran cross country and track and field student-athlete
"Running at CLU was one of the best experiences of my life. Coach Halvaks played a major role in that. He is dedicated to his student-athletes and helping them run to the best of their abilities. I'm truly thankful to have had him as a coach."
Melissa Skiba – 2015 NCAA Division III 5,000-meter national champion and Cal Lutheran Hall of Famer
"Coach Halvaks always puts his student-athletes first. He coached me to a national championship. He is a very dedicated coach."
