Dave Gottsleben is in his 26th season as head men’s track and field coach at The University of South Dakota.

After establishing the Coyotes as one of the top programs in the North Central Conference, Gottsleben continued that success during the 2008-09 season when USD joined NCAA Division I and the Great West Conference. He guided the men's squad to a 2009 indoor conference title, while earning Great West Coach-of-the-Year honors. The Coyotes finished second at the outdoor conference meet.

Gottsleben was named the NCC Men’s Indoor Coach of the Year (tri-NCC Coach of the Year) in 2007 after directing the Coyotes to its seventh indoor title. Overall, he led USD to 14 men's NCC titles.

Named the U.S. Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association National Outdoor Coach of the Year in May 2006, he was selected from eighth regional finalists. It was the second national coach of the year honor for Gottsleben, who was named in 1997 as the USTFCCCA National Indoor Coach of the Year.

At USD he has coached student-athletes that have earned 150 All-American honors, as well as six national champions. At the 2006 Outdoor Nationals, he had five All-Americans, including four that finished first or second. He has led his squads to eight top-10 finishes, including third at the NCAA Division II finish at the 1997 indoor meet, a fourth-place finish at the 2006 Outdoor and the 2001 Indoor Nationals and third-place result at the 2000 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Originally of Brookings, S.D., he received 11 North Central Conference Coach of the Year honors (combined indoor and outdoor honors). He was also selected the North Central Region Coach of the Year for the sixth time in 2006. In 1994, he received the NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Coaches Association Award for his distinguished service to Division II track.

With the leadership of Gottsleben, the Coyotes have enjoyed a rich tradition, placing fourth or better in 36 of the last 41 NCC indoor and outdoor meets. USD has won 14 NCC titles under Gottsleben’s direction, including seven indoor and seven outdoor titles.

With Gottsleben’s direction, USD has been one of the most consistent NCC teams with 15 second-place finishes, two-third place efforts and six NCC championships in the last 24 NCC meets.

In 1992, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2000, and 2002, he was named NCAA Division II Central Region Coach of the Year.

In 1997, he was named the Division II Men’s National Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track Coaches Association. In 1994, Gottsleben received the NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Coaches Association Award for his distinguished service to Division II track. He currently serves on the USTFCCCA Hall of Fame Committee.

Gottsleben received his undergraduate (1975) and master’s degree (1980) from South Dakota State. He was the head coach at Menno (SD) High School from 1975-1979, and the head men’s and women’s track coach at Dakota State from 1979-1983.

He has a wife, Helen, and a daughter, Kendra.