Soka University

Gigi Freeman will be entering her 11^th season of coaching at Soka University of America.

She began her career as a heptathlete at Rick’s College in Rexburg, Idaho where she was a finalist at the NJCAA nationals in the triple jump. She went onto compete at Cal Poly, SLO and was equally successful as a Mustang placing 3^rd at the D1 Big West Conference Championships two years in row.   She graduated from Cal Poly with a Master’s degree in Kinesiology. 
 
Gigi began her coaching career at San Luis Obispo High school and  Allan Hancock Community College in Santa Maria, California assisting in the jumping events.  Following her move to Orange County, she began working for the Scott Boras Corporation coaching professional baseball athletes in strength and conditioning.    
 
In 2006 she made a return to track and field and came on board at Soka University to assist with building the young program.  In 2009 she became the head coach of Cross Country and Track & Field specializing in the sprint and hurdle events.  The program at SUA has grown tenfold since its inception in 2003. 

Soka Athletics became a part of the NAIA in 2007 and has since had 35 NAIA National Qualifier’s and 9 All-Americans, including one 8 time qualifier and four time NAIA All-American. In 2012 she received the Cal Pac “Coach of the Year” award for the Lion’s national qualifying women’s cross country squad.
 
Coach Freeman is both a Level 2 USATF Track & Field Coach  and Sprints/Hurdle/ Relay Specialist through the USTFCCCCA.  She also a certified ACSM Exercise Physiologist and Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach through the NSCA.  She currently resides in Oceanside, California with her husband Jonathan and their two young sons Sawyer and Fisher.