Stop Me Project

Presbyterian College cross country has a new leader — and he’s building something fast.In ABR Episode 440, Airey Bros Radio sits down with Robert “Bus” Baker, the new Head Cross Country Coach at Presbyterian College (Big South Conference), to talk coaching at a cross-country-only Division I program, creating buy-in after a mid-November coaching change, and building a system that turns consistency into PRs.Bus shares his origin story as a late-developing runner (high school basketball + XC, then a D1 walk-on opportunity), the lessons he learned navigating the transfer portal, and how his psychology background shapes the culture, motivation, and daily structure of his team. We also get into what recruiting looks like right now with NIL pressure, roster changes, and why hungry high school athletes are more important than ever.Plus: training surfaces, “grass-first” development, the case for D1 small-school culture, and Bus’ vision to get Presbyterian back into Big South contention.Guest: Robert “Bus” Baker — Head