Yuriy Litvinski was selected to lead all aspects of the Missouri Western men's and women's cross country and track & field teams in July, 2018. Litvinski became the second head coach in the history of the programs, beginning his first seasons during the 2018-19 academic year.
The two-time United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA DII Regional Assistant Coach of the Year came to Missouri Western after two years as an assistant at NCAA Division I member Idaho State.
As an assistant at Idaho State since 2016, Litvinski directed meet management in addition to coaching sprints and horizontal jumps as well as assisting pole vaulters. In 2017, nine of the athletes Litvinski coached turned in 12 total Big Sky all-conference performances. He helped Maisie Larrabee to a third-place finish in the 400m race at the 2017 Big Sky Indoor Track and Field Championships. Litvinski also mentored Deante Gaines as he advanced to the 2017 NCAA Division I West Preliminary Championships in the long jump and triple jump, setting marks that rank second in the Idaho State records book.
Litvinski was named USTFCCCA NCAA DII South Central Region Women's Assistant Coach of the Year at Angelo State in 2014 and again in 2016. At Angelo State, Litvinski helped Kearah Danville to a national championship in the indoor women's triple jump in 2014. He also coached Kami Norton to a runner-up finish in the women's high jump; third place in the pentathlon and eighth place in the long jump at the 2016 indoor national championships.
Prior to Angelo State, Litvinski was an assistant at Western State University in Gunnison, Colorado, from 2010-2013. There he coached horizontal jumps and multi-events along with assisting sprinters. He was also the team's strength and conditioning coach. Litvinski was introduced to the MIAA as a graduate assistant at Central Missouri from 2008-10 where he coached three national champions in the multi-events as well as three All-Americans in the long and triple jumps. Litvinski also was UCM's international recruiting coordinator. His coaching career began as a volunteer assistant coach and physical education instructor at Northern Iowa from 2006-08 where he coached two All-Americans in the decathlon.
A three-time NCAA DI national qualifier in the triple jump at Northern Iowa, Litvinski took fourth at the national event in 2006. He was a six-time national champion in his native Bulgaria and placed second in the 2002 European Cup and sixth in the 2003 European Championships. He received his Bachelor of Art from Northern Iowa in 2007 and his Master of Science from Central Missouri in 2010.
