Track & Field
Ferris, Andrew
Andrew Ferris
- Title:
- Assistant Coach, Distance
- Email:
- aferris@athletics.ucla.edu
Andrew Ferris joined the UCLA track & field and cross country coaching staff on October 5, 2023, as announced by UCLA Athletics. Ferris enters his second campaign with the Bruins in 2024-25.
The Bruins’ 2024 cross country season was headlined by a superlative season from fifth-year Michael Mireles, who earned All-Region and First Team All-Big Ten honors. Mireles finished runner-up in a 156-runner field at UCLA’s first-ever Big Ten Cross Country Championships, and then followed up with a top-25 individual finish at the NCAA West Regionals. Senior Mia Kane led the UCLA women at both Big Tens and Regionals, while Olivia Foody also earned All-Freshman Team honors at the Big Ten Championships.
During 2023-24, Ferris was responsible for guiding the cross country team and distance runners on the track for the 800m through 10,000m events. In his first season with UCLA track & field, he helped junior Mia Kane capture the Pac-12 individual title in the 3,000m steeplechase. With Ferris’ guidance, senior Michael Mireles finished as the Conference runner-up in men’s 5,000m race. The Bruins also claimed eight marks on UCLA’s all-time top 10 lists in indoor and outdoor distance events.
Ferris boasts 14 All-Americans and 21 champions under his supervision in his NCAA coaching career. He also coaches Maël Gouyette, who will represent France in the men’s 1500m at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Prior to his arrival in Westwood, Ferris served as an assistant coach at Iona University from 2021-23. He coached three All-Americans and saw four school records with the Gaels. Ferris also coached at Wake Forest University from 2017-21. He helped Deacons earn All-America honors eight times, set eight program records and claim four ACC event titles.
He mentored Robert Heppenstall en route to five All-America finishes at Wake Forest, as he won three league titles in the 800m before signing a pro contract with the District Track Club in 2019. Heppenstall also set four program records under Ferris in the indoor and outdoor 800m, the indoor 1000m and outdoor 1500m.
In cross country, Ferris helped the Wake Forest men's program post top-five finishes in back-to-back years (2018-19) for the first time since 2000-01, when there were only nine programs in the ACC. In his first season with the Deacon men’s cross country team (2017), the men improved from eighth to sixth at the conference meet, the highest finish since 2010. Freshman Mitchell Day earned All-ACC honors after finishing 13th to become the program’s first-ever male ACC Freshman of the Year honoree and first All-Conference recipient since 2005.
Other All-ACC honorees under Ferris include Archie Wallis (2019-20) and Johanna Schulz (2019-20), while Aaron Las Heras won a European U-20 title in the 5000m in 2019.
Off the track, the men's program won the Dean's Cup for highest team GPA three straight years from 2017-19.
Prior to his stint in Winston-Salem, Ferris worked as the Head Coach at Emmanuel College where he coached multiple state and national medalists, including two Australian Steeplechase Champions, two Australian Champion teams, 38 Australian Junior Championship qualifiers and an Oceania Women’s Champion.
Ferris has progressed to a level three coaching qualification, one of the highest accreditations offered in Australia. He was also an Apprenticeship Coach at the Altis World Athletics Center, an elite athlete and coach training organization that improves performances of both athletes and coaches. He also has Level 1 Strength and Conditioning certification through ASCA.
Ferris attended the Ipswich Grammar School where he graduated in 2001. From there, he achieved a Bachelor of Health Science in 2009 from Griffith University in South East Queensland, Australia.
The Bruins’ 2024 cross country season was headlined by a superlative season from fifth-year Michael Mireles, who earned All-Region and First Team All-Big Ten honors. Mireles finished runner-up in a 156-runner field at UCLA’s first-ever Big Ten Cross Country Championships, and then followed up with a top-25 individual finish at the NCAA West Regionals. Senior Mia Kane led the UCLA women at both Big Tens and Regionals, while Olivia Foody also earned All-Freshman Team honors at the Big Ten Championships.
During 2023-24, Ferris was responsible for guiding the cross country team and distance runners on the track for the 800m through 10,000m events. In his first season with UCLA track & field, he helped junior Mia Kane capture the Pac-12 individual title in the 3,000m steeplechase. With Ferris’ guidance, senior Michael Mireles finished as the Conference runner-up in men’s 5,000m race. The Bruins also claimed eight marks on UCLA’s all-time top 10 lists in indoor and outdoor distance events.
Ferris boasts 14 All-Americans and 21 champions under his supervision in his NCAA coaching career. He also coaches Maël Gouyette, who will represent France in the men’s 1500m at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Prior to his arrival in Westwood, Ferris served as an assistant coach at Iona University from 2021-23. He coached three All-Americans and saw four school records with the Gaels. Ferris also coached at Wake Forest University from 2017-21. He helped Deacons earn All-America honors eight times, set eight program records and claim four ACC event titles.
He mentored Robert Heppenstall en route to five All-America finishes at Wake Forest, as he won three league titles in the 800m before signing a pro contract with the District Track Club in 2019. Heppenstall also set four program records under Ferris in the indoor and outdoor 800m, the indoor 1000m and outdoor 1500m.
In cross country, Ferris helped the Wake Forest men's program post top-five finishes in back-to-back years (2018-19) for the first time since 2000-01, when there were only nine programs in the ACC. In his first season with the Deacon men’s cross country team (2017), the men improved from eighth to sixth at the conference meet, the highest finish since 2010. Freshman Mitchell Day earned All-ACC honors after finishing 13th to become the program’s first-ever male ACC Freshman of the Year honoree and first All-Conference recipient since 2005.
Other All-ACC honorees under Ferris include Archie Wallis (2019-20) and Johanna Schulz (2019-20), while Aaron Las Heras won a European U-20 title in the 5000m in 2019.
Off the track, the men's program won the Dean's Cup for highest team GPA three straight years from 2017-19.
Prior to his stint in Winston-Salem, Ferris worked as the Head Coach at Emmanuel College where he coached multiple state and national medalists, including two Australian Steeplechase Champions, two Australian Champion teams, 38 Australian Junior Championship qualifiers and an Oceania Women’s Champion.
Ferris has progressed to a level three coaching qualification, one of the highest accreditations offered in Australia. He was also an Apprenticeship Coach at the Altis World Athletics Center, an elite athlete and coach training organization that improves performances of both athletes and coaches. He also has Level 1 Strength and Conditioning certification through ASCA.
Ferris attended the Ipswich Grammar School where he graduated in 2001. From there, he achieved a Bachelor of Health Science in 2009 from Griffith University in South East Queensland, Australia.
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