Peter Ormsby
Peter Ormsby earned his bachelor’s degree in sports medicine and psychology from Elon University in 1998, followed by a master’s degree in human performance and sports studies from the University of Tennessee in 1999. He later completed his doctorate in educational psychology from Florida State University in 2006. He is certified by USA Track & Field as a Level I coach and Level II endurance coach, and also holds Level I USA Triathlon certifications for triathlon coaching and race directing.
A veteran coach with 18 years of collegiate experience, Dr. Ormsby has coached at Florida State and Central Florida. He became the head coach of the UNC Pembroke cross country and track & field teams in July 2014 and entered his ninth year leading the programs in the 2022-23 season.
As a student-athlete, Ormsby was a four-year letter winner in cross country at Elon, contributing to two South Atlantic Conference (SAC) championship teams (1994, 1996) and earning all-conference honors as a freshman in 1994. He was a four-time SAC All-Academic Team honoree, an eight-time recipient of the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll, and appeared six times on the SAC Honor Roll.
Ormsby and his wife, Tracy, have two children, Ean and Sara. He continues to stay active by competing in road races and triathlons, having completed Ironman Wisconsin in 2002. He also coaches a small group of post-collegiate marathon runners with various abilities.
Peter’s coaching philosophy emphasizes accountability, responsibility, confidence, and performance, while balancing discipline with fun. He enjoys working with athletes training for Olympic to Ironman distances who seek to challenge themselves while maintaining lives outside of the sport. His programming is designed with a focus on completion, while being adaptable to fit the full spectrum of life.
