A well-known name in HBCU track & field joined the North Carolina Central coaching staff in August 2025.
Veteran coach Curtis Pittman brings his vast knowledge and championship pedigree to NCCU. Hired as an assistant coach, Pittman will work with the distance runners in track & field. He also will be heavily involved with the cross country program.
"We're excited to have Coach Pittman aboard," said Fabrienne Swepson, NCCU's Interim Director of Track & Field/Cross Country. "The level of experience and knowledge he brings to the program will help elevate us to the next level in the conference."
Most of his 30-plus years of experience has been at HBCUs, including stops at Hampton and Grambling as an assistant coach and Howard as head coach. His biggest impact was at Bethune-Cookman and Arkansas-Pine Bluff, where his teams combined to win eight conference championships.
Pittman was the Bethune-Cookman head track & field/cross country coach from 1994 to 2003. During that period, he led the Wildcats to five MEAC championships. Bethune-Cookman captured two titles in both women's cross country and women's indoor track & field and one in men's cross country.
His success continued at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, where he was head track & field/cross country coach from 2003 to 2011. The Golden Lions won three SWAC crowns - two in women's cross country and one in men's cross country. The 2007 SWAC men's and women's cross country titles were the first-ever in program history. Pittman was SWAC Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2009.
In addition to stints at Bethune-Cookman and Arkansas-Pine Bluff, the well-respected Pittman coached the Ugandan national team at the World Track & Field Championships in Edmonton, Canada in 2001.
Pittman began his coaching career in 1982 as a volunteer assistant at Kent State, his alma mater. Pittman displayed coaching acumen even then when he guided Cathy Calo from Kent State to a javelin victory at the prestigious Penn Relays. His first full-time collegiate position was at Kentucky State before heading to Bethune-Cookman.
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