DAVIS, Calif. — UC Davis Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Gavin O'Neal has announced two major additions to his coaching staff, welcoming Assistant Coaches Josiah Norville and KP Padda. Norville brings 14 years of collegiate experience to direct the sprints, hurdles, and jumps, while Padda continues to lead a standout Aggie throwing squad.
Norville arrives in Davis with an extensive background across Division I, Division II, and junior college ranks. Most recently, he spent four seasons at Western Michigan University as Associate Head Coach, directing the women's sprints, hurdles, and jumps. During his time with the Broncos, Norville led his event groups to unprecedented success, capped by a third-place team finish at the 2026 Outdoor MAC Championships—the program's highest conference placing since 2012. Under his guidance, WMU athletes captured seven MAC individual titles, 11 All-MAC accolades, seven school records, seven NCAA East Preliminary qualifications, 33 top-10 marks in program history, and the 2024 MAC Freshman Performer of the Year award. Off the track, his program led all NCAA Division I cross country and track & field teams in community service hours.
"When the opportunity to bring Josiah to UC Davis presented itself, it just made sense," O'Neal said. "His ability to coach across the sprints, hurdles, and jumps gives him a diverse skill set that is incredibly valuable to our program. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, and his background coaching in California gives him a strong understanding of the state's recruiting landscape. I believe he is going to make an immediate impact on our athletes, our staff, and the direction we're taking this program."
Prior to his time in Michigan, Norville spent three seasons at UC Santa Barbara, where he guided the Gaucho women to their first Big West 4x100m relay title in program history while developing an NCAA West Region preliminary qualifier and adding seven top-10 marks to the record book. His coaching background also includes three seasons at Fresno State—where he coached a Mountain West 60m hurdle champion, 10 All-MW selections, and seven outdoor NCAA Preliminary qualifiers—alongside stops at Coffeyville Community College, Western State Colorado University, and Illinois College. He also served as a volunteer assistant at Baylor University while earning his master's degree in exercise physiology with a specialization in strength and conditioning.
Over his 14-year coaching career, Norville has mentored 25 All-Americans, 41 national qualifiers, 31 individual conference champions, and contributed to four team conference titles.
"UC Davis is a prestigious institution that excels academically and athletically," Norville said. "I am excited to help this program join the Mountain West and make UC Davis nationally known athletically as well."
Alongside Norville's arrival, Padda continues on staff as the Aggies' throws coach, bringing over a decade of Division I coaching experience and an elite competitive resume. A national champion thrower for India in the discus and hammer throw, Padda represented his home country at the Asian Track & Field Championships as well as the 2010 and 2014 Commonwealth Games, where his personal best mark of 72.86m in the hammer throw from the Tucson Elite Classic remains India's leading mark. As a student-athlete at the University of Oklahoma, he earned All-American honors across three events, captured the program's first Big 12 Conference title in the hammer throw, and set school records in both the hammer and weight throw.
"I'm incredibly excited to have KP continue with us as our throws coach," O'Neal said. "He has a deep understanding of UC Davis, strong relationships with our student-athletes, and a genuine investment in this program. KP gives us valuable continuity, but more importantly, he shares the vision for where we want UC Davis Track & Field to go. I'm thrilled to have him as part of this staff and excited about what we can build together."
During his tenure in Davis, Padda built a strong track record of developing talent in the throwing events. Under his direction, Aggie throwers earned 9 NCAA West Region qualifying spots, 16 Big West Conference scoring finishes, and 31 UC Davis top-10 all-time marks—including a program record, three freshman records, and a student-athlete who claimed three individual conference titles.
"Davis is truly a special place; here the students can have it all," Padda said. "The education is top notch and within Athletics we have carefully cultivated a culture of excellence. The students here are incredibly hardworking and it makes coaching and mentoring them immensely rewarding. I am excited to work with Coach O'Neal and grateful for the opportunity. Now it's time to get to work! Let's see what we can do in the Mountain West Conference!"
Norville and Padda join O'Neal's staff as UC Davis Track & Field prepares for its first season competing in the Mountain West Conference.
ABOUT UC DAVIS ATHLETICS:
UC Davis Athletics represents one of the nation's premier public universities on the NCAA Division I stage, with more than 650 student-athletes competing across 25 sports, including 16 programs in the Mountain West Conference. Located in California's quintessential college town, UC Davis combines championship-level athletics with the academic excellence of the nation's #8 public research university and is home to the nation's No. 1 programs in agriculture, veterinary medicine and sustainability. With a growing national media presence, bold investments in facilities and the student-athlete experience, and a tradition of developing champions in competition, in the classroom and beyond, the Aggies are elevating UC Davis on a national stage.
