Ascent Track & Field Clinic at Columbia university

Join us for two days of expert training instruction on the Columbia University campus.

June 29-30 | New York, NY

20+

1:12

Olympians coached by clinic staff

Staff-to-athlete ratio at clinics

10+

300+

NCAA All-Americans produced by clinic coaches

Colleges represented across 3 divisions

FeaturED COACHES

Clinic staff come from 10+ top college programs to provide training education to coaches and athletes of all levels. See full staff >>

DAN IRELAND

Clinic Director

Director of Track & Field/XC

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

  • Daniel Ireland was named the Director of Cross Country/Track & Field in July of 2014, and the 2022-23 season will be his ninth season in charge of the Lions.

    Ireland came to Columbia with a solid pedigree of coaching that now, as he enters his ninth season in charge, includes 19 NCAA All-Americans; 92 individual NCAA qualifiers; 66 Ivy League Champions and with his nod as Ivy League Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2018 and 2019, Ireland is a five-time Ivy League Coach of the Year, all of which he earned while in charge of the Columbia program.

    Ireland has also been a member of several organizations during his time as a head coach, starting in 2012 when he was the USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Region Women's Cross Country Representative, a title he held until the 2014 season. Currently he is the Ivy League Representative on the USTFCCCA DI Track and Field Executive Committee and since 2018 he has held the title of Vice President of the Metropolitan Conference.

    Under Ireland's tutelage three student-athletes have gone on to represent the United States with Brian Zabilski (2016) and Kenny Vasbinder (2017) each punching their tickets in cross country and Kali Hatcher (2019) throwing on the red, white and blue in the triple jump at the 2019 U21 Pan American Games.

    Columbia's cross country men posted their best finish since 2017 at the NCAA Cross Country Northeast Regionals, finishing fifth. The Lions also sent a pair of student-athletes to the NCAA Cross Country National Championships, with Phoebe Anderson and Tyler Berg representing the Lions.

    During the indoor season, the Lions took home a pair of Ivy League Indoor titles, with the women's DMR squad and men's 4x800m group taking the title at Heps. And during the outdoor season, Columbia's Ivy League dominance in the 4x800m continued as the men's squad won the Ivy League title for the ninth time in 12 years and fourth-straight time going back to 2017.

    The 2019 Cross Country season was one for the books, as for the third straight season the Lion women took the cross country Ivy League Heps title and on the men's side Kenny Vasbinder took the individual title and Tyler Berg (fourth) collected the best finish by a first-year man in program history. Ireland was, for the second straight season, named the Ivy League Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year.

    During the 2020 indoor season, Columbia's successes continued, as Katie Wasserman became the first Lion woman to qualify for the NCAA Indoor National Championships (One-Mile Run) since 2018 and the 10th since 2002. At the Ivy League Indoor Heps, Columbia, under Ireland's watch, collected three individual titles. Jack Pihlkar (weight throw), Daniel Igbokwe (triple jump) and Anna Jordahl-Henry (high jump) all took first in their respective events at Heps.

    Ireland led his Cross Country runners to success during the fall of 2018. The women's squad took home its second straight Ivy League Heps title, and it's sixth in program history. The men finished fifth in the field with Kenny Vasbinder finishing ninth overall. At the Northeast Regionals, the women once again topped the leaderboard finishing No. 1 in the region and No. 18 overall heading into NCAA National Championships. The women completed the season No. 18 in the country, with Libby Kokes being crossing the line first for the Lions in the No. 50 finisher in the field.

    Ireland was named both Ivy League Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year and the USTFCCCA Cross Country Northeast Regional Coach of the Year in 2018.

    The 2019 indoor and outdoor seasons saw great success for both the men and women of Columbia with the men scoring the most points at both the indoor (83 pts.) and outdoor (76 pts.) Ivy League Heps in program history. For the men, the 2019 season saw them finish top four at both the indoor and outdoor Heps during the same season for the first time in program history. Building off that success, Columbia sent Sam Ritz (One-Mile Run) to the NCAA Indoor National Championships and Allie Hays (5,000m); Brian Zabilski (5,000m); Alek Sauer (800m) and Daniel Igbokwe (Triple Jump) to the NCAA Outdoor National Championships. Hays had the best finish for Columbia, finishing 12th in the 5,000m final.

    During the Outdoor season of 2017, both the men and women's teams impressed, sending 19 athletes to the NCAA East Prelims. Three of those runners earned All-American status by moving on to the NCAA Finals when Robert Napolitano advanced in the 1,500m, Natalie Tanner was one of three women to qualify in both the 5,000m & 10,000m, and Nell Crosby became the school record holder and second team All-American in the 3,000m Steeplechase. The Lions won seven events at the 2017 Outdoor Heps, led by six titles in the middle distance and distance events.

    While hosting the 2017 Indoor Heps at the NYC Armory, Ireland helped Henna Rustami to a championship in the 3,000m run, before bouncing back to anchor the distance medley relay to another title. The men's effort was led by Alek Sauer, who went from fourth to first to take the 1,000m run, before being part of the winning 4x800m relay squad. In total, Columbia won seven titles at Indoor Heps.

    Ireland coached two runners to All-American honors during the 2016 track & field seasons, in Robert Napolitano and Natalie Tanner. During the indoor season, Napolitano qualified for the 2016 NCAA Championships in the 1 Mile, thanks to a 3:58.98 during the Fastrack National Elite Meet. Tanner shined during the outdoor season, making the NCAA Outdoor Final in the 5,000m run, taking 15th place overall. During his second season at Columbia, Ireland led 14 Lions to the NCAA East Prelims, while 12 athletes put forth All-Ivy League performances, five won Ivy League Championships, and five school records were broken.

    The fall of 2015 was a resurgence for the Columbia men, as the cross country team earned its second Ivy League title in three years. The men edged Penn, led by all-conference performers Aubrey Myjer (third), Jack Boyle (seventh) and Tait Rutherford (ninth). The women also had a strong finish at Heps, taking third behind all-conference runners Olivia Sadler and Leila Mantilla. Columbia was also victorious in two other cross country meets under Ireland, as the men and women were both victorious at the Leopard Invitational, while the before both teams won titles at the IC4A/ECAC Cross Country Championships.

    In his first season on Morningside Heights, Ireland picked up Ivy League Indoor Women’s Coach of the Year honors, when the Columbia women claimed second at the Indoor Heps. The women put forth eight All-Ivy League performances and three championships during the indoor season, while the men were victorious in four events at the same meet. The outdoor season was another successful one for Columbia, when 11 all-conference performances were achieved at Outdoor Heps.

    “I am excited and humbled to be named the Director of Cross Country and Track and Field at Columbia University,” Ireland said upon being hired. “Columbia has a long and storied tradition of success in cross country and track and field. I know that the young men and women who compete for Columbia are outstanding for their dedication to the sport, and their success in the classroom. I am excited to be working with many elite student-athletes.”

    Ireland spent three years as the Head Men and Women’s Cross Country and Track and Field Coach at La Salle, where he won both a men and women’s Atlantic 10 Cross Country Championship, was named A-10 Coach of the Year for both men and women’s cross country, and coached individuals to great successes in indoor and outdoor track and field. Ireland's teams were equally successful in the classroom as his cross country and track and field squads consistently achieved USTFCCCA All-Academic team status during his tenure.

    In three years at La Salle, Ireland coached two NCAA All-Americans, four NCAA Championships participants, 14 individual NCAA Regional Track qualifiers, one IC4A Champion, two ECAC Champions and 19 Atlantic 10 Conference Champions and he was named the A-10 Cross Country Coach of the Year four times. His student-athletes broke 10 school records and produced 108 All-East performances.

    Formerly the Head Men’s Cross Country, Distance, and Middle Distance Coach at Yale, Ireland’s teams enjoyed tremendous success during his 12-year tenure. The Bulldogs regularly placed in the top 10 at NCAA Cross Country Regionals, including a fourth and fifth place finish in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Yale has also performed well at the IC4A Championship, placing in the top eight every year since 2003, including third in 2006.

    Ireland coached a pair of All-Americans, 11 NCAA Regional Track Qualifiers, three IC4A Champions, and six Ivy League Champions at Yale. A total of 137 runners earned All-East status under his guidance and 41 earned all-Ivy League honors. In addition, his runners set 17 school records and had 83 performances that placed among the top 15 in Bulldog history.

    In 2010, Ireland served as the NCAA Northeast Regional Cross Country Meet Director, coordinating all aspects of the men's and women's championship. For the past two seasons, he has also served as the NCAA Northeast Region Cross Country representative. Prior to coming to Yale in 1999, Ireland spent six years as an Assistant Cross Country and Track and Field Coach at Georgetown. During his time there, the Hoyas won 14 Big East team championships in men's and women's cross country and track.

    In cross country, Georgetown finished in the top 10 at NCAA's five times on the women's side and once on the men's side. In track, the Hoyas finished in the top 10 nationally as a team a total of six times.

    He also spent time coaching the preeminent distance running club in the country, the Reebok Enclave in Washington, D.C. for two seasons. During this time he worked with four Olympians.

    Ireland ran for the Hoyas from 1988-91, qualifying for NCAA's three times in cross country. He won the 1991 Big East 10,000m outdoors and was a two-time All-Big East selection in cross country.

    Ireland graduated from Georgetown in 1991 with a bachelor's degree in international relations and received his master's in liberal arts from Georgetown in 1998. A native of Woodbridge, Va., Ireland was inducted into Woodbridge High School's Hall of Fame in 2009. He resides in the Bronx with his wife Christi and his three children, Jacob, Alaina, and Addison.

    The Ireland Files:

    - 19 NCAA All-Americans

    - 92 Individual NCAA Qualifiers

    - 66 Ivy League Champions

    - Four Ivy League Championships (2015 Men's Cross Country; 2017-19 Women's Cross Country)

    - 74 USTFCCCA All-Academic Individual Honors

    - 43 All-Academic Ivy League Selections

    - Men and Women USTFCCCA All-Academic Teams (2014-19)

BOO SCHEXNAYDER

Featured Speaker

SAC SPEED

  • With over 40 years of experience in coaching and consulting, Boo Shexnayder is regarded as one of the world’s premier field event coaches. He was the mastermind behind 26 NCAzA Champions during his collegiate coaching career and is regarded as one of the greatest field event coaches in NCAA history. He has been a part of 13 NCAA Championship teams and a pair of Juco National titles, as well as developing a host of conference champions and All-Americans.

    Schexnayder has also been a prominent figure on the international scene. He has coached 18 Olympians and 7 Olympic/World Championship medalists. He has served on coaching staffs for Team USA to the 2003 Pan Am Games in Santo Domingo, the 2006 World Junior Championships in Beijing, and was the Jumps Coach for Team USA at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

    Schexnayder has been just as successful off the track. He is certified at Level I, II and III, and owns the prestigious Master Coach Designation from USA Track and Field. He is also certified by the NSCA as a Strength and Conditioning coach.

    Schexnayder has been heavily involved in Coaching Education. He formerly served as national chair of USATF’s Coaching Education Committee, Jumps Subcommittee chair, and chair of the Biomechanics subcommittee. Schexnayder was the founder of the Track and Field Academy, the educational branch of the US Track and Field and Cross Country Association. He served as program director from its inception in 2009 through 2017, and still serves as an instructor in biomechanics, training design, and event-specific courses.

JASON SARETSKY

Director of Track & Field/XC

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

  • Jason Saretsky is in his 18th year at the helm of the men's and women's track and field and cross country programs at Harvard.

    As just the 10th person to serve as head coach of the track and field program since Harvard began formal competition in 1874, Saretsky has mentored 64 NCAA qualifiers, 181 NCAA regional qualifiers, coached nine individual ECAC/IC4A title winners, 164 Heptagonal champions, 5 NCAA Champions, 2 Olympians, and guided athletes to countless school records, with more than 275 marks added to the program’s top-10 list.

    Saretsky has been named USTFCCCA Northeast Regional Coach of the Year 13 times, and assistant coaches have won USTFCCCA Northeast Assistant Coach of the Year 16 times during his tenure at Harvard. Saretsky most recently coached the Crimson men's and women's teams to their first-ever combined titles at the Ivy League Outdoor Track and Field Championship, and their teams had respective finishes of 9th (women) and 11th (men) at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The women's team also completed the triple crown, winning Ivy League (Heps) cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field titles. The Harvard teams produced a program record three NCAA Champions and 16 All-Americans throughout the 2022-23 season.

TRAIN WITH COACHES FROM THESE PROGRAMS AND MORE…

  • Stonehill

  • UMass-Lowell

  • UMass

  • Harvard

  • Princeton

  • NYU

  • UConn

  • St John’s

  • URI

  • Virginia Tech

  • Northeastern

  • And More!

What to expect

Spend 2 days learning from some of the best minds in the sport.

TRAIN WITH WORLD-CLASS COACHES IN EVERY EVENT

With experience coaching high school, college, and professional track & field, clinic staff have found success at every level. Collectively they’ve coached over 300 NCAA All-Americans and 20 Olympians. Through 12 total hours of training instruction, you’ll learn the skills you need to take your performance to the next level – no matter your event.

LEARN THE CONCEPTS BEHIND ELITE PERFORMANCE

In addition to two days of training, you’ll learn the building blocks of elite performance. From periodization to acceleration mechanics, we’ll break down concepts that will help you improve even after you leave the Ascent Track and Field Clinic. Not only that, but we’ll compile them into a handy training packet you can easily refer to later. 

EXPAND YOUR NETWORK AND STAY CONNECTED

Ascent Track Clinics are open to any and all entrants – athletes and coaches of all skill levels, and even passionate fans of the sport.

Come meet your peers and college coaches from all over the country. After you leave, stay connected with an exclusive invite to the Ascent Track Discord Community.

TRAIN AT A STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY

A 21-acre facility at the northernmost tip of Manhattan, Baker Athletic Complex is home to 14 intercollegiate teams from Columbia. For over 100 years, Baker has attracted some of the most impressive talent from around the globe, including greats like Carl Lewis and Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who still hold facility records. Find out what you’re capable of at a facility built for collegiate & professional competiton.

IMMERSE YOURSELF IN PROVEN CURRICULUM

Coaching attendees get access to “coaches only” classroom sessions led by renowned coaches like Boo Shexnayder, Kebba Tolbert, and Dan Ireland.

When you’re not in the classroom, observe real-life applications of proven training strategies as staff critique and empower athletes throughout the clinic.

SAVE YOUR SPOT:

STAFF COACHES

Please note that the below coaching staff is scheduled to participate at the Ascent Track & Field Clinic at Columbia University; however, staffing may be subject to change without prior notice.

DAN IRELAND

Clinic Director

Director of Track & Field/XC

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

Distance

  • Daniel Ireland was named the Director of Cross Country/Track & Field in July of 2014, and the 2022-23 season will be his ninth season in charge of the Lions.

    Ireland came to Columbia with a solid pedigree of coaching that now, as he enters his ninth season in charge, includes 19 NCAA All-Americans; 92 individual NCAA qualifiers; 66 Ivy League Champions and with his nod as Ivy League Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2018 and 2019, Ireland is a five-time Ivy League Coach of the Year, all of which he earned while in charge of the Columbia program.

    Ireland has also been a member of several organizations during his time as a head coach, starting in 2012 when he was the USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Region Women's Cross Country Representative, a title he held until the 2014 season. Currently he is the Ivy League Representative on the USTFCCCA DI Track and Field Executive Committee and since 2018 he has held the title of Vice President of the Metropolitan Conference.

    Under Ireland's tutelage three student-athletes have gone on to represent the United States with Brian Zabilski (2016) and Kenny Vasbinder (2017) each punching their tickets in cross country and Kali Hatcher (2019) throwing on the red, white and blue in the triple jump at the 2019 U21 Pan American Games.

    Columbia's cross country men posted their best finish since 2017 at the NCAA Cross Country Northeast Regionals, finishing fifth. The Lions also sent a pair of student-athletes to the NCAA Cross Country National Championships, with Phoebe Anderson and Tyler Berg representing the Lions.

    During the indoor season, the Lions took home a pair of Ivy League Indoor titles, with the women's DMR squad and men's 4x800m group taking the title at Heps. And during the outdoor season, Columbia's Ivy League dominance in the 4x800m continued as the men's squad won the Ivy League title for the ninth time in 12 years and fourth-straight time going back to 2017.

    The 2019 Cross Country season was one for the books, as for the third straight season the Lion women took the cross country Ivy League Heps title and on the men's side Kenny Vasbinder took the individual title and Tyler Berg (fourth) collected the best finish by a first-year man in program history. Ireland was, for the second straight season, named the Ivy League Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year.

    During the 2020 indoor season, Columbia's successes continued, as Katie Wasserman became the first Lion woman to qualify for the NCAA Indoor National Championships (One-Mile Run) since 2018 and the 10th since 2002. At the Ivy League Indoor Heps, Columbia, under Ireland's watch, collected three individual titles. Jack Pihlkar (weight throw), Daniel Igbokwe (triple jump) and Anna Jordahl-Henry (high jump) all took first in their respective events at Heps.

    Ireland led his Cross Country runners to success during the fall of 2018. The women's squad took home its second straight Ivy League Heps title, and it's sixth in program history. The men finished fifth in the field with Kenny Vasbinder finishing ninth overall. At the Northeast Regionals, the women once again topped the leaderboard finishing No. 1 in the region and No. 18 overall heading into NCAA National Championships. The women completed the season No. 18 in the country, with Libby Kokes being crossing the line first for the Lions in the No. 50 finisher in the field.

    Ireland was named both Ivy League Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year and the USTFCCCA Cross Country Northeast Regional Coach of the Year in 2018.

    The 2019 indoor and outdoor seasons saw great success for both the men and women of Columbia with the men scoring the most points at both the indoor (83 pts.) and outdoor (76 pts.) Ivy League Heps in program history. For the men, the 2019 season saw them finish top four at both the indoor and outdoor Heps during the same season for the first time in program history. Building off that success, Columbia sent Sam Ritz (One-Mile Run) to the NCAA Indoor National Championships and Allie Hays (5,000m); Brian Zabilski (5,000m); Alek Sauer (800m) and Daniel Igbokwe (Triple Jump) to the NCAA Outdoor National Championships. Hays had the best finish for Columbia, finishing 12th in the 5,000m final.

    During the Outdoor season of 2017, both the men and women's teams impressed, sending 19 athletes to the NCAA East Prelims. Three of those runners earned All-American status by moving on to the NCAA Finals when Robert Napolitano advanced in the 1,500m, Natalie Tanner was one of three women to qualify in both the 5,000m & 10,000m, and Nell Crosby became the school record holder and second team All-American in the 3,000m Steeplechase. The Lions won seven events at the 2017 Outdoor Heps, led by six titles in the middle distance and distance events.

    While hosting the 2017 Indoor Heps at the NYC Armory, Ireland helped Henna Rustami to a championship in the 3,000m run, before bouncing back to anchor the distance medley relay to another title. The men's effort was led by Alek Sauer, who went from fourth to first to take the 1,000m run, before being part of the winning 4x800m relay squad. In total, Columbia won seven titles at Indoor Heps.

    Ireland coached two runners to All-American honors during the 2016 track & field seasons, in Robert Napolitano and Natalie Tanner. During the indoor season, Napolitano qualified for the 2016 NCAA Championships in the 1 Mile, thanks to a 3:58.98 during the Fastrack National Elite Meet. Tanner shined during the outdoor season, making the NCAA Outdoor Final in the 5,000m run, taking 15th place overall. During his second season at Columbia, Ireland led 14 Lions to the NCAA East Prelims, while 12 athletes put forth All-Ivy League performances, five won Ivy League Championships, and five school records were broken.

    The fall of 2015 was a resurgence for the Columbia men, as the cross country team earned its second Ivy League title in three years. The men edged Penn, led by all-conference performers Aubrey Myjer (third), Jack Boyle (seventh) and Tait Rutherford (ninth). The women also had a strong finish at Heps, taking third behind all-conference runners Olivia Sadler and Leila Mantilla. Columbia was also victorious in two other cross country meets under Ireland, as the men and women were both victorious at the Leopard Invitational, while the before both teams won titles at the IC4A/ECAC Cross Country Championships.

    In his first season on Morningside Heights, Ireland picked up Ivy League Indoor Women’s Coach of the Year honors, when the Columbia women claimed second at the Indoor Heps. The women put forth eight All-Ivy League performances and three championships during the indoor season, while the men were victorious in four events at the same meet. The outdoor season was another successful one for Columbia, when 11 all-conference performances were achieved at Outdoor Heps.

    “I am excited and humbled to be named the Director of Cross Country and Track and Field at Columbia University,” Ireland said upon being hired. “Columbia has a long and storied tradition of success in cross country and track and field. I know that the young men and women who compete for Columbia are outstanding for their dedication to the sport, and their success in the classroom. I am excited to be working with many elite student-athletes.”

    Ireland spent three years as the Head Men and Women’s Cross Country and Track and Field Coach at La Salle, where he won both a men and women’s Atlantic 10 Cross Country Championship, was named A-10 Coach of the Year for both men and women’s cross country, and coached individuals to great successes in indoor and outdoor track and field. Ireland's teams were equally successful in the classroom as his cross country and track and field squads consistently achieved USTFCCCA All-Academic team status during his tenure.

    In three years at La Salle, Ireland coached two NCAA All-Americans, four NCAA Championships participants, 14 individual NCAA Regional Track qualifiers, one IC4A Champion, two ECAC Champions and 19 Atlantic 10 Conference Champions and he was named the A-10 Cross Country Coach of the Year four times. His student-athletes broke 10 school records and produced 108 All-East performances.

    Formerly the Head Men’s Cross Country, Distance, and Middle Distance Coach at Yale, Ireland’s teams enjoyed tremendous success during his 12-year tenure. The Bulldogs regularly placed in the top 10 at NCAA Cross Country Regionals, including a fourth and fifth place finish in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Yale has also performed well at the IC4A Championship, placing in the top eight every year since 2003, including third in 2006.

    Ireland coached a pair of All-Americans, 11 NCAA Regional Track Qualifiers, three IC4A Champions, and six Ivy League Champions at Yale. A total of 137 runners earned All-East status under his guidance and 41 earned all-Ivy League honors. In addition, his runners set 17 school records and had 83 performances that placed among the top 15 in Bulldog history.

    In 2010, Ireland served as the NCAA Northeast Regional Cross Country Meet Director, coordinating all aspects of the men's and women's championship. For the past two seasons, he has also served as the NCAA Northeast Region Cross Country representative. Prior to coming to Yale in 1999, Ireland spent six years as an Assistant Cross Country and Track and Field Coach at Georgetown. During his time there, the Hoyas won 14 Big East team championships in men's and women's cross country and track.

    In cross country, Georgetown finished in the top 10 at NCAA's five times on the women's side and once on the men's side. In track, the Hoyas finished in the top 10 nationally as a team a total of six times.

    He also spent time coaching the preeminent distance running club in the country, the Reebok Enclave in Washington, D.C. for two seasons. During this time he worked with four Olympians.

    Ireland ran for the Hoyas from 1988-91, qualifying for NCAA's three times in cross country. He won the 1991 Big East 10,000m outdoors and was a two-time All-Big East selection in cross country.

    Ireland graduated from Georgetown in 1991 with a bachelor's degree in international relations and received his master's in liberal arts from Georgetown in 1998. A native of Woodbridge, Va., Ireland was inducted into Woodbridge High School's Hall of Fame in 2009. He resides in the Bronx with his wife Christi and his three children, Jacob, Alaina, and Addison.

    The Ireland Files:

    - 19 NCAA All-Americans

    - 92 Individual NCAA Qualifiers

    - 66 Ivy League Champions

    - Four Ivy League Championships (2015 Men's Cross Country; 2017-19 Women's Cross Country)

    - 74 USTFCCCA All-Academic Individual Honors

    - 43 All-Academic Ivy League Selections

    - Men and Women USTFCCCA All-Academic Teams (2014-19)

BOO SCHEXNAYDER

Featured Speaker

SAC SPEED

Sprints/ Hurdles/ Jumps/ Throws

  • With over 40 years of experience in coaching and consulting, Boo Shexnayder is regarded as one of the world’s premier field event coaches. He was the mastermind behind 26 NCAA Champions during his collegiate coaching career and is regarded as one of the greatest field event coaches in NCAA history. He has been a part of 13 NCAA Championship teams and a pair of Juco National titles, as well as developing a host of conference champions and All-Americans.

    Schexnayder has also been a prominent figure on the international scene. He has coached 18 Olympians and 7 Olympic/World Championship medalists. He has served on coaching staffs for Team USA to the 2003 Pan Am Games in Santo Domingo, the 2006 World Junior Championships in Beijing, and was the Jumps Coach for Team USA at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

    Schexnayder has been just as successful off the track. He is certified at Level I, II and III, and owns the prestigious Master Coach Designation from USA Track and Field. He is also certified by the NSCA as a Strength and Conditioning coach.

    Schexnayder has been heavily involved in Coaching Education. He formerly served as national chair of USATF’s Coaching Education Committee, Jumps Subcommittee chair, and chair of the Biomechanics subcommittee. Schexnayder was the founder of the Track and Field Academy, the educational branch of the US Track and Field and Cross Country Association. He served as program director from its inception in 2009 through 2017, and still serves as an instructor in biomechanics, training design, and event-specific courses.

JASON SARETSKY

Director of Track & Field/XC

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Distance

  • jason Saretsky is in his 18th year at the helm of the men's and women's track and field and cross country programs at Harvard.

    As just the 10th person to serve as head coach of the track and field program since Harvard began formal competition in 1874, Saretsky has mentored 64 NCAA qualifiers, 181 NCAA regional qualifiers, coached nine individual ECAC/IC4A title winners, 164 Heptagonal champions, 5 NCAA Champions, 2 Olympians, and guided athletes to countless school records, with more than 275 marks added to the program’s top-10 list.

    Saretsky has been named USTFCCCA Northeast Regional Coach of the Year 13 times, and assistant coaches have won USTFCCCA Northeast Assistant Coach of the Year 16 times during his tenure at Harvard. Saretsky most recently coached the Crimson men's and women's teams to their first-ever combined titles at the Ivy League Outdoor Track and Field Championship, and their teams had respective finishes of 9th (women) and 11th (men) at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The women's team also completed the triple crown, winning Ivy League (Heps) cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field titles. The Harvard teams produced a program record three NCAA Champions and 16 All-Americans throughout the 2022-23 season.

ELLIOTT BLOUNT

Head XC/ Assistant Track & Field

ST JOHN’S UNIVERSITY

Sprints/Distance

  • Elliott Blount is in his third season as head coach of the St. John’s cross country program following the retirement of Jim Hurt in the summer of 2021 and the subsequent promotion of director of track and field Aliann Pompey. In addition to his position of head coach, Blount serves as an assistant coach on the track and field staff.

    Under Blount’s leadership, the Red Storm have seen the sustained success and growth of the cross country program. Blount has coached Johnnies to top 40 finishes in the 2021 and 2022 BIG EAST Cross Country Championships.

    Blount joined the Red Storm after spending seven seasons with Troy University as the program’s head cross country/middle distance coach. During his time in Alabama, the Trojans placed fourth at the Sun Belt Championships, the best finish in program history. Blount also led his athletes to a number of program records and conference titles, as well as a handful of NCAA South Regional Championship appearances.

    Prior to joining the Trojans, Blount was an assistant coach at Columbia University, where he worked primarily with the Lions’ men’s middle-distance group. Blount, who helped to lead the cross-country team to three NCAA appearances, coached five All-Americans, 13 NCAA East regional qualifiers, 10 individual conference champions, 37 All-Ivy League selections and two Academic All-Americans during his four years in Morningside Heights.

    Blount is not a newcomer to the BIG EAST, having been a nine-time letter winner at the University of Connecticut. As a Husky, he was highly decorated both at the conference and national level. The former NCAA All-American, six-time All-BIG EAST selection, eight-time All-New England selection was named the 2002 UConn Outstanding Student Athlete and the 2002 BIG EAST Indoor Outstanding Track Performer.

    After graduating with a degree in sport marketing, Blount became a member of the Oregon Track Club Elite/Nike Farm Team, training in Eugene, Ore. for five years. He was a U.S. Olympic Trials semifinalist in the 800-meter in both 2004 and 2008 and a 12-time USA Track & Field Championships qualifier. He raced the European Circuit from 2005-2007 and finished in fifth place in the 800-meters at the 2006 USATF Indoor Championships.

    A Long Island native, Blount is a sub-four-minute miler. He served as the assistant track & field coach in his hometown at Freeport High School, before being named the head coach of the boys’ cross-country team at Hempstead High School in 2009.

DAVID JACKSON

Director of Track & Field/XC

UMASS-AMHERST

Jumps

  • David Jackson enters his 14th season with UMass track and field and third as the director of both men’s and women’s men's track and field and cross country programs in 2022-23. He previously served as director of men's track and field and cross country for three seasons, associate head coach for one season and an assistant coach on the staff for seven seasons. During his tenure, Jackson has seen many of the record book's top-five lists rewritten the areas he coaches: field events, multi-events, short sprints and hurdles.

    Jackson coached Jada Harris to honorable mention All-America honors in high jump in 2019. He has produced ten NCAA East Region/NCAA Preliminary qualifiers: Brian Miller – high jump (2010), Stephanie Aguguo – triple jump (2011), Becky Stoyle - triple jump (2013, 2014, 2015) and Kelsey Crawford – javelin (2016), Kris Horn – high jump (2017) and Jada Harris – high jump (2019, 2021) & 100m hurdles (2019), and Lillian Kirry – 400m hurdles (2021) during his time at UMass.

    Jackson has produced 39 Atlantic 10 champions, 22 New England Champions, and 25 new school records during his time at UMass-Amherst.

    Prior to coming to UMass in 2009, Jackson spent the previous two years working with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill sprinters, women's pole vault and multi-event athletes, including three All-Americans and four ACC champions.

    Before coaching at UNC, Jackson was the assistant men's and women's track & field coach at Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, N.Y., from 2004 to 2007. While at Roberts Wesleyan, he was responsible for working with the teams' sprinters, hurdlers, and relays. Jackson guided three members of the Raiders to NCCAA national titles and coached five NCCAA All-Americans.

    From 1998 to 2003, Jackson worked as a software testing engineer for Heidelberg Digital and as a New York State public high school Section V track and field official. He also coached for the ACS Track Club and Nichols Academy and Churchville-Chili Sr. High, during his time in Rochester.

    A standout discus thrower and sprinter in high school, Jackson went on to compete for Susquehanna University where he received all-conference accolades and earned a trip to the NCAA Division III national championship as a part of the school's 400m relay team in 1994. He graduated from SUNY Buffalo in 1998 with a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Media Study and went on to earn a Masters of Arts in Organizational Communication from SUNY Brockport in 2000.

TRAMAINE SHAW

Director of Track & Field/ XC

NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

Sprints/Hurdles/Jumps/

  • Tramaine Shaw was named the Northeastern Track and Field Director on July 24, 2018 after spending nine seasons as an assistant coach and one season as the interim head coach in 2017-18. Shaw is now in her seventh year at the helm of the Huskies and ran for the program as a student-athlete from 2005 to 2009, earning a spot in the Northeastern Hall of Fame in 2015.

    Shaw currently owns the outdoor Northeastern school record in the 100-meter hurdles (13.58), 4x100-meter relay (45.59), 4x200-meter relay (1:37.82) and the 4x400-meter relay (3:39.21) and the indoor school record for the 4x400-meter relay.

    In the 2022-23 season, Shaw earned her fifth-straight CAA Men's Outdoor Coach of the Year Award, dating back to her interim tenure in 2018. Shaw led the Huskies to its eighth-straight CAA outdoor title, a conference record, and coached the Huskies to 80 personal-bests, 30 top-ten program marks and three school records. Shaw also coached five NCAA preliminary qualifiers, including NCAA Championships participant Ethan Exilhomme, who finished 17th nationally in the 110m hurdles and earning Honorable Mention All-American Honors.

    On the women's side, the Huskies finished sixth at the CAA Outdoor Championships after Dominique Biron was named Most Outstanding Field Performer at the competition. Shaw guided Biron and four other Huskies to the NCAA East Preliminaries.

    Shaw also led the men's team to the first-ever CAA Indoor Track and Field Championship and earned the first CAA Men's Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year award. The Huskies finished with 11 medals over the two-day championships with six gold, three silver and two bronze medals. The women's team finished third at the Indoor CAA Championships with Biron taking home Most Outstanding Field Performer then as well.

    In the Fall, Alexander Korczynski was named 2022 CAA Runner of the Year for the second time after winning the CAA Cross Country Championship and competing in the NCAA Championships.

    In 2022, Shaw was named to the CAA Title IX 50th Anniversary Team, which recognized five women student-athletes from each CAA institution who made a significant impact during their time as an athlete.

    The Huskies had a strong 2021-2022 season, with the men's team earning a seventh-straight CAA Outdoor title, led by Co-Most Outstanding Track Performer Donatien Djero. The Huskies had 14 first-place finishes across both teams, with the women's team taking home fifth place overall.

    Shaw earned CAA Men's Outdoor Coach of the Year honors, coaching athletes to 12 gold medals at the CAA Outdoor Championships and 22 male athletes who earned All-CAA Honors. She also guided Alexander Korczynski to the CAA Men's Track Athlete of the Year, Nicholas Pisciotta to the CAA Men's Rookie of the Year and Dominique Biron to the CAA Women's Co-Field Athlete of the Year.

    Korczynski also earned 2021 CAA Runner of the Year honors after winning the CAA Cross Country Championship and earning All-Northeast Region honors after finishing 17th at the NCAA Northeast Region Championships.

    2020-2021 was another impressive year for Shaw and the Huskies, as the men collected a sixth straight CAA Outdoor title and she earned her third straight CAA Men’s Outdoor Coach of the Year Award. Her tutelage led 28 Huskies to All-CAA honors. She coached David Adams and Alexander Korczynski to the USTFCCCA Outdoor Track and Field All-America Team for the first time since 2018.

    Shaw oversaw individual success at the CAA Championships, as Adams set a new school record in the 400 hurdles and won four gold medals, taking home 2021 CAA Most Outstanding Track Athlete of the Meet at the CAA Championships. On the women’s side, Dominique Biron won the 2021 CAA Most Outstanding Field Athlete at the CAA Championships.

    The Huskies’ cross country teams also saw success that season, with the men finishing first at the CAA Championships and the women earning their first-ever second-place finish. The men’s team ended William & Mary’s 20-year championship streak.

    In a shortened 2019-2020 season with no outdoor track, the Huskies finished second at the New England Indoor Track & Field Championships with the most impressive meet being the Joe Donahue Meet, as Dametrius O’Connor set a meet record in the men’s 200 meters.

    During that cross country season, Shaw oversaw a men’s program that finished second at the CAA Championships and a women’s program that finished sixth. Louisa Wise, Cameron Dickson and Alexander Korczynski all earned All-CAA honors that year.

    Shaw’s first season as Director of Track and Field was 2018-2019, and it followed her interim campaign nicely. She was named CAA Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year following the men’s fifth-straight CAA Championship win. The Huskies won eight gold medals at the event, including three from Most Outstanding Track Performer of the Meet Dametrius O'Connor (100m, 200m, 4x100m relay). In all, Shaw coached 19 different male athletes to All-CAA honors for placing top-three in their event, including eight who medaled in multiple events.

    Shaw coached Kerri Ruffo to a Women’s Track Athlete of the Year honor that season, winning gold in both the 5,000-meter and the 10,000-meter. Ruffo bested her own program record in the 10,000-meter with a time of 34:32.79 at the Raleigh Relays in March. Six women earned All-CAA honors alongside the men, pushing the total number of honorees to 25.

    The cross country season another successful venture, as the Huskies topped their program-best finish at the NCAA Northeast Regionals, with the men finishing 10th. The Huskies’ Bridget Foote was named CAA Women’s Cross Country Rookie of the Year and Louiza Wise and Camila Cortina joined her in All-CAA honors.

    In the interim year of 2017-2018, Shaw produced both men’s and women’s squads that won the CAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the only time in program history to do so, and marked the fourth-straight men’s title and first women’s title since 2007. For her efforts, Shaw was named CAA Coach of the Year on both the men’s and women’s sides, the first time a CAA coach accomplished that feat since 2013.

    As an assistant coach and interim head coach, Shaw coached 10 national qualifiers - four of which were in the long jump, including 2018 All-American Kyle Darrow. Shaw has also coached student-athletes who have broken or tied 12 school records, including a pair of 30-year-old school records in the men's 4x100m relay and the men's long jump.

    Shaw joined Zara Northover as one of 25 members to be named to the 25th Anniversary CAA women's track and field team in December 2009.

    As a student-athlete from 2005-2009, Shaw wrapped up her Northeastern career with Husky records in the 100 hurdles (13.58) and pentathlon (3,685), CAA records in the 100 hurdles (13.71) and 400 hurdles (59.88) and the America East record in the pentathlon (3,607). She was also part of the Huskies' record-setting indoor 4x400 relay and outdoor 4 x 100, 4 x 200 and 4 x 400 relays.

    Shaw's forte was not record-setting performances, however. It was championship wins. She was named America East Rookie of the Year during both the indoor and outdoor seasons as a freshman. NU then moved to the CAA, and over three outdoor championships, Shaw went on to win CAA individual titles in the 100 hurdles, 400 hurdles, long jump and relays. She was named CAA Co-Most Outstanding Track Performer in 2007 after helping the team win NU's first CAA title in any sport.

    Shaw earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Northeastern in May 2009 and earned a master's in Nonprofit Management, with a Specialization in Sport and Social Change, in 2013.

MATT STUCK

Director of Men’s Track & Field/XC

DAVIDSON COLLEGE

Hurdles/Jumps/ Throws

  • Matt Stuck was promoted to Director of Men’s Cross Country and Track & Field in July of 2023.

    Stuck joined Davidson in October of 2021 where served as the assistant coach for two seasons. In his tenure, Stuck has guided and coached Davidson’s hurdlers, vertical jumpers, throwers, and multis. He also served as the recruiting coordinator for all event groups on the women’s side while also recruiting the men’s hurdlers, vertical jumpers, throwers, and multis.

    Over the last two seasons with Stuck on staff, Davidson has set ten indoor and outdoor school records in his area of emphasis on the women’s side and eight school records on the men’s side. Stuck has also helped coach four-time A-10 Champion Jayden Smith, two-time NCAA qualifier Bryce Anthony, and school record holders Megan Burkholder, Hannah Kanjian, Anna Davis, and Jack Stajos.

    Prior to Davidson, Stuck spent three seasons as the Associate Head Coach at UNC Pembroke. While with the Braves, Stuck led the 2019 men's cross country team to a conference championship, and he also helped guide the women's indoor track and field team to back-to-back conference championships in 2020 and 2021. He also coached NCAA Division II All-Americans in the indoor and outdoor men's high jump, 60m, and 110m hurdles. Stuck also coached a slew of individual conference champions and school record holders while at UNC Pembroke.

    Before his time at Pembroke, Stuck served as the Assistant Track and Field Coach at Coker University where he coached 13 school record holders in sprints, hurdles, and jumps.

    Prior to Coker, Stuck had a two-year stint as the Head Cross Country and Track & Field coach at Lake Erie College from 2016-2018. In 2017, he was the runner-up for the GLIAC Outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year.

    As a student-athlete, Stuck was a multi-event performer for Bloomsburg University. He excelled in 16 different disciplines, qualified for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships in four straight seasons, and still holds school records in both the indoor and outdoor pole vault. He was also named a Bloomsburg University Scholar-Athlete.

    Stuck graduated from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania in 2013 and received his master’s degree in Kinesiology from Michigan Technological University. He also holds a USTFCCCA Level 2 Combined Event Certification and a USATF Level 1 Track and Field Certification.

ANDREW DUBS

Associate Head Coach

VIRGINIA TECH

Throws

  • As Associate Head Coach overseeing the throwing events, Andrew Dubs brings a wealth of experience and a passion for athletic development to the Virginia Tech track and field program. With an illustrious career both as an athlete and a coach, Dubs enters his seventh season with the Hokies, continuing to elevate the program's throwing squad to new heights.

    In 2023, under Dubs' guidance, the Hokie throwers experienced unprecedented success, showcasing their prowess at both the indoor and outdoor ACC Championships. Led by Dubs, athletes like Rebecca Mammel, Sara Killinen, and Katrin Brzyszkowska achieved remarkable feats, setting records and earning All-American honors. Dubs' strategic coaching propelled the team to one of the highest point productions by a throws group in ACC history, securing team titles and individual accolades.

    Dubs' impact extends beyond conference competitions, with his athletes making waves on the national stage as well. Notably, Essence Henderson and Katrin Brzyszkowska excelled at the NCAA Championships, solidifying their positions among the nation's elite throwers. Dubs' commitment to nurturing talent and fostering a culture of excellence has consistently yielded remarkable results for the Virginia Tech program.

    Before joining Virginia Tech, Dubs honed his coaching skills at esteemed institutions such as the University of Iowa and Harvard University. His tenure at these universities saw significant achievements, including conference titles, school records, and NCAA Championship berths, showcasing his ability to develop athletes to their fullest potential.

    A former standout thrower himself, Dubs boasts an impressive collegiate career at the University of Connecticut, where he was a three-time NCAA qualifier and four-time BIG EAST champion in the Shot Put. His experience as a student-athlete informs his coaching philosophy, emphasizing holistic development and the pursuit of excellence both on and off the field.

    Dubs holds a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology: Coaching and Administration from UConn and a Master of Education in Higher Education and Sport Management from Auburn University. His educational background, coupled with years of coaching experience, equips him with the knowledge and expertise to mentor aspiring athletes and shape championship-caliber programs.

    As Associate Head Coach of Throwing Events, Andrew Dubs continues to leave an indelible mark on the Virginia Tech track and field program, inspiring athletes to reach new heights and achieve their dreams in the world of collegiate athletics.

KEBBA TOLBERT

Women’s Associate Head Coach

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Sprints/Hurdles/Jumps

  • With a passion for developing athletes to their fullest potential, Kebba Tolbert has been instrumental in guiding Harvard's track and field program to unprecedented success.

    During the 2019-2020 indoor season, Tolbert's leadership helped propel the team to a No. 1 northeast region ranking. Under his guidance, athletes like Kelisa Cain, Katina Martin, and Mayi Hughes achieved remarkable milestones, including moving up in the Harvard record books and earning Ivy League titles. Tolbert's group contributed significantly to the team's success, accumulating an impressive 79 points at the Indoor Heps championship.

    In the 2018-2019 campaign, Tolbert's coaching prowess led to historic achievements for the squad. He mentored Simi Fajemisin to Second Team All-America status in the Indoor Triple Jump, marking a milestone as the first All-American from Harvard in the event. Tolbert's guidance also played a crucial role in Harvard's dominance at the Outdoor Ivy League Heptagonal Championships, where the women's team secured first through fifth placements in the 100m Dash, a feat unprecedented in Ivy League history.

    Tolbert's coaching excellence was recognized in 2018 when he was named USTFCCCA Northeast Region Women's Assistant Coach of the Year. Under his leadership, sprinter Gabby Thomas made history as the first Ivy League women's sprinter to win an indoor national championship in the 200m, setting a new collegiate record in the process.

    Throughout his tenure, Tolbert's athletes have consistently achieved remarkable feats, setting school records, earning All-America honors, and dominating conference championships. His commitment to excellence and passion for the sport have made him a driving force behind Harvard's track and field success.

    Prior to his time at Harvard, Tolbert honed his coaching skills at various institutions, including Iowa Wesleyan, Mckendree, Syracuse, Portland State, and UTEP. His extensive coaching experience and track record of success make him a valuable asset to any aspiring track and field athlete seeking to reach their full potential.

    As an alum of Colby College with a bachelor's degree in philosophy and a Master of Arts degree in exercise science from Smith, Tolbert brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coaching role. His dedication to the sport and commitment to athlete development make him an invaluable mentor and leader within the track and field community.

ALLYSON WARUCH

Associate Head Coach

UMASS-LOWELL

Jumps

  • Allyson Waruch (Thomas) is in her eleventh season as associate head coach at UMass Lowell for 2023-24 academic year. Waruch was hired in 2014 after serving as an assistant coach at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) for six years. Her specialty is working with the jumpers and multi-event student-athletes.

    During her time at UMass Lowell, Waruch has coached school record holders in the men’s pole vault (Vladimir Popusoi, 16’11’’), the men’s heptathlon (Dennis Peary 4936), the women’s high jump (Kerstin Darsney 5’10.75’’), women’s triple jump (Darsney 42’2’’), women’s pentathlon (Darsney 3662) and in the women’s pole vault (Rachel Hill, 11’11.75’’).

    Popusoi, Peary, Darsney and Hill were all conference champions. Darsney also set an America East Conference record in the high jump and won Athlete-of-the-Meet and the Cushing Award (best female athlete at UMass Lowell). Popusoi was a two-time qualifier for the NCAA Regional Meet in the vault and Darsney also qualified in the triple jump.

    Peary was second in the decathlon at the New England Championship in 2017 while Darsney won the ECAC triple jump in the same year.

    Waruch has also coached multiple Top 10 performers in all of the jumps, multis, 200 and 400.

    While Waruch was at VCU, she served first as a graduate assistant while getting her master’s degree in Sports Management, then as a part time assistant prior to being elevated as a full time assistant for the newly combined men’s and women’s programs. She coached the pole vault, high jump and multis and several athletes helped rewrite the record books.

    In making the move to UMass Lowell, Waruch also returns to the America East Conference where she excelled as student-athlete at the University of Maine.

    A four-year standout member of the women's track & field team at the University of Maine, Waruch was a consistent contender in the pole vault at the America East Conference Indoor and Outdoor Championships. She finished in the top eight at the New England Indoor and Outdoor Championships in three of her six appearances.

    Waruch was outstanding in the classroom as well. She graduated cum laude with a B.S. in Kinesiology and Physical Education as well as earning her teaching certification. She was also named to the America East Conference Academic Honor Roll during all four years. In 2009, Thomas graduated summa cum laude with a M.S. in Sports Management from VCU.

    The Auburn, Maine native got her first taste of coaching during her college days when she was a youth and middle school soccer coach and as a volunteer pole vault coach at her alma matter Edward Little High School, where she coached numerous state meet contenders and a state champion.

BRENNER ABBOTT

Assistant Coach

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Jumps (Pole Vault)

  • Brenner Abbott is in his 13th season with the Crimson in 2023-24 and continues to lead the Harvard pole vaulters, high jumpers and decathletes.

    In 2019-20, Abbott guided first-year's Chet Ellis and Sam Wright into the Harvard record books. Chet Ellis won four different times in the high jump, while also finishing second at Indoor Heps and moving into eighth all-time at Harvard. Sam Wright won the pole vault in two meets on the year, while also moving into fifth all time.

    Abbott continued to guide the Crimson athletes to success in the 2018-19 season. He helped junior Donagh Mahon to the Indoor Ivy League Heps Championship title in the high jump, while assisting junior Erick Duffy to USTFCCCA All-America Honorable Mention status in the outdoor season in the pole vault.

    The 2017-18 season saw Harvard see immense success in the pole vault as freshman Erick Duffy set the second-best mark in program history, clearing 17-3.

    In 2016-17, freshman Zoe Hughes became Harvard's first Heps champion in the women's pentathlon since 2009 (Shannon Flahive), recording the second most points in school history (4,093). Hughes qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships, earning All-America honors and becoming the second student-athlete in program history to represent Harvard in the pentathlon at NCAA Indoors. During the outdoor season, senior captain Raegan Nizdil capped off her career with her first individual Heps title, winning the high jump by clearing 5'7.75" on her first attempt. Marlena Sabatino (pole vault), and Donagh Mahon (high jump) were also regular scorers for the Crimson.

    In 2015-16, with Harvard records were falling on a weekly basis, Abbott helped mentor Marlena Sabatino to both the indoor and outdoor program records in the pole vault. The Crimson women also saw success in the decathlon, where Madison Hansen became the school-record holder with her Ivy title at outdoor Heps.

    The Crimson had another banner year in 2014-15, as the women won the indoor and outdoor Ivy League Heptagonal Championships. At the indoor meet, Hannah Mayer collected second team All-Ivy League honors in the javelin. Abbott also coached junior Mark Hill, who posted the third-best decathlon score in school history at outdoor Heps.

    Abbott helped with the success of the 2013-14 squad, as the team combined to send a record number of athletes to both the NCAA Championships (seven) and the NCAA East Regional (28). The women won both the indoor and outdoor Ivy League Heptagonal Championships for the second time in program history.

    Abbott played a key role in the successful 2012-13 season for both the men’s and women’s teams. The pole vaulting corps shined at the 2013 Indoor Heptagonal Championships with Sydnie Leroy ’13 claiming second-team All-Ivy status, helping the women’s team claim its first league championship since 2000. Nico Weiler ’13 earned Most Outstanding Field Performer of the Meet honors in a championship performance at the indoor event. He went on to capture the IC4A indoor pole vault title as well as the 2013 Outdoor Heptagonal Championships pole vault crown.

    In his first year with Harvard, Abbott helped the men's outdoor squad record its best finish in a decade at the Heptagonal Championships, taking third in the competition. He also worked with pole vaulters Nico Weiler '13 and Allie Pace '14, the former breaking the indoor and outdoor school records and earning first team All-America honors and the latter setting the women's indoor and outdoor school marks.

    Abbott joined the Harvard track and field/cross country staff during the 2011-12 season and worked primarily with the vertical jumps. Abbott joined the Crimson staff after an 11-year stint at nearby Northeastern, working under head coach Sherman Hart.

    While with the Huskies, Abbott helped the pole vaulters and javelin throwers rise to regional and national prominence. In addition to his work at NU, Abbott has been a featured clinician for six years with the “On the Road” Track & Field World Tour. He has also been the Director of Pole Vaulting at the Winged Foot Track & Field Camp for nine years, the Director of Javelin Training at the Mass. Track & Field Academy for 11 years and has been a pole vault clinician at the M-F Athletic Jumps Camp for 10 years.

    Prior to joining the Huskies, Abbott coached at his high school alma mater, Milford High. As an athlete, he was a captain of the track & field team at the University of Maine, where he set the pole vault record and was All-IC4A twice in the javelin. Abbott resides in Charlestown.

BENJAMIN CARROLL

Assistant Coach

UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND

Throws

  • Ben Carroll is in his 14th year as assistant men's track & field coach for the Rams in 2023-24.

    Carroll works primarily with the throwers. He holds his Level II United States Track and Field certification in Sports Science with a concentration in throws and is also a Certified Throws Specialist through the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

    During his decade-plus time in Kingston the throws group has flourished, garnering 26 individual Atlantic 10 Conference Champions, 15 Team Championships, 35 All-Conference performers and two field performer of the meet winners. At the New England level Carroll has produced eight individual Champions and been a part of five team Championships (2012, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023). In 2012 Carroll’s throwers scored more points than the second place team in the meet.

    On the bigger stage Carroll has helped coach 28 IC4A qualifiers, four Junior National Championship qualifiers and 11 NCAA Regional Championship qualifiers.

    Prior to arriving in Kingston, Carroll served as the head indoor/outdoor track coach at Stonington High School in Stonington, Conn. In just one year at Stonington, Carroll developed a program that saw 14 all-conference performers in the indoor season and a state champion in the discus and an all-state performer in the high jump during the outdoor season.

    Before his one-year stint in Stonington, Carroll was the strength, throws and assistant football coach at Westerly High School where he helped lead the boy's track team to the Rhode Island Outdoor team championship title in June 2009. Carroll was responsible for the coordination of daily strength training workouts for both throwers and members of the football team.

    Carroll is also the founder of Rhody Throws Track Club in Westerly. The Rhody Throws Track Club is an extracurricular youth club for current and recently graduated throwers who wish to throw competitively and expose their talents to a larger audience.

    Carroll is a 2006 graduate of URI with a B.A. in journalism with a concentration in broadcast journalism and a minor in political science. He is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist thru the National Strength Coaches Association and a Level II Functional Movement Screen practitioner. He lives in Westerly, R.I.

SIMON CLEARY

Assistant Coach

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

Throws

  • Columbia University Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Dan Ireland added Simon Cleary as assistant coach for throws in August of 2016. Cleary joined the staff after a year with Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts.

    “We are very excited to add Simon Cleary to the cross country and track and field staff,” stated Ireland. “Coach Cleary is very excited to begin working with our current track and field student-athletes and to begin the process of developing a highly successful throws program at Columbia. He is enthusiastic, very knowledgeable and is excited to begin recruiting throwers to the Lions program. Our goal is to establish a high quality throws program that can score points for us at the Ivy League level and beyond.”

    At Brandeis, Cleary was instrumental in developing four individual UAA Championships in the men’s discus and shot put as well as the women’s shot put and javelin. He was also responsible for designing and implementing the program’s weight lifting program for throws. Additionally, he organized practice plans and coordinated meet-day efforts.

    Cleary competed at the University at Albany from 2009-14 where he participated in the hammer, discuss, weight and shot put throws. He also went to the Belgian National Championships in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

KAARON CONWRIGHT

Assistant Coach

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Sprints/Hurdles/Jumps

  • Kaaron Conwright was an American sprinter who specialized in the 100 metres and 200 Meters. As a sprinter at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Kaaron Conwright was a 3 time all-American in the 100m from 1998-2000 where he finished 5th, 7th, and 3rd respectively.He was a 2 time all-American in the 200m placing 5th in 1998 and 7th in 1999. In the Big West Conference, he was a 4-time champion in the 100m from the years of 1996-2000 where he still holds the conference record at 10.12. He later went on to run a 10.10 at the national championships that same year at Duke University. He was also a 2-time Big West Conference champion in the 200m.

    In 1999, he ran first leg on the gold medal winning 4 × 100 m relay at the World University Games in Palma De Mallorca, Spain. He was also a finalist in the 200m in the same championships. In 2001, he made his second national team where he ran first leg on the silver medal winning 4 × 100 m relay at the World University Games in Beijing, China.

    At the 2002 IAAF World Cup, he was called to replace an injuried Tim Montgomery on the 4 x 100 relay. Together with Jon Drummond, Jason Smoots and Coby Miller, he ran third leg setting a World cup Record of 37.92. At the 2006 IAAF World Cup he lead off the 4 x 100 metres relay again, this time with Wallace Spearmon, Tyson Gay and Jason Smoots, breaking the previous championship record by setting a new record of 37.59 seconds.

    In his professional career, Kaaron competed trained with HSI under the tutelage of John Smith from 2002 to 2007. Kaaron was able to compete in two Olympic Trials Championships. 2000 and 2004. He also competed in every US National Championships from 2000-2007, making the finals in both 2003 and 2006.

    His personal best time over 100 metres is 10.05 seconds, achieved in July 2000 in Flagstaff. Although his best performance came in the 2003 National Championships at Stanford University running a 10.16 into a -1.6 headwind. Unfortunately, while leading his semi-final heat, he pulled up 20 meters from the finish line. Although he still managed to make the finals running 10.24, he was unable to run due to injury. His personal best time over 60 metres is 6.61 seconds, achieved in March 2003 in Boston. In the 200 metres, he has 20.59 seconds, achieved in July 2002 in Rome.

    Kaaron served as Head sprint coach for the National Korean Federation for one year, 2007 through 2008, before returning home and taking an assistant coaching position with John Smith from 2009-2021. During this period, Kaaron was able to coach athletes such as Carmelita Jeter, Jason Richardson, Tyson Gay, Gil Roberts, Ryan Bailey and Michael Cherry.

    Kaaron lives in the outskirts of Boston with his wife and two kids (10 and 8).

BRIAN DOYLE

Assistant Coach

UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND

Sprints/Distance

  • Brian Doyle joined the men’s track & field and cross country staff as an assistant coach in August of 2021.

    Since joining the Rams, Doyle has been a part of four straight Atlantic 10 Track & Field Championship titles, and three New England Championship crowns. Rhody won its first New England Cross Country Championship since 1952 this fall and under Doyle's guidance, Ben Fleischer became the individual champion and earned USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week honors.

    Doyle comes to the Rams from Davidson, where he was the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator in 2021. He spent six years with the Wildcats and was responsible for recruiting all event areas for both the men’s and women’s programs. Doyle coached the sprinters and assisted the head coach with middle- and long-distance runners.

    While at Davidson, Doyle coached athletes who set 25 combined school records in the 600, 800, 1,000, mile, 3,000, 5,000 and the 4x800. He also coached 44 more school records in the 60, 100, 200, 400, 500, 600, 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400 events. Davidson had six NCAA East Preliminary qualifiers in the 5,000 and 1,000 events during Doyle’s time.

    As a student-athlete, Doyle began his career at Northeastern, where he earned All-CAA honors in both cross country and track & field. He was voted by his teammates as the lone captain for the track & field program.

    He finished his career with two years at Providence College, also serving as a team captain for the Friars. While at PC, Doyle led the Friars to a pair of top-20 finishes at the NCAA Cross Country championship, including a 13th-place finish in 2014. He was an All-Northeast Region selection in cross country in 2013 and 2014.

ZACH HAUPT

Assistant Coach

DAVIDSON COLLEGE

Sprints/Jumps

  • An Assistant Coach at Davidson since 2021, Zach Haupt has mentored athletes to several Atlantic-10 Championships in the sprint events. In the past two years Haupt coached Josh Hardin to several conference championships and an NCAA Regional birth in the 400 meters.

    Haupt competed collegiately at McKendree College, where he was a four-time All-American selection and earned Most Valuable Field Athlete following the 1997-98 season. He also qualified for the 1996 Olympic Trials.

    His first foray into coaching was the 2000-01 season at Syracuse University in 2000 before returning to his alma mater as the Assistant Coach in 2002. After a three-year hiatus, he returned to McKendree as the Associate Men's and Women's Track & Field and Cross Country coach until 2007 before making the move to Webster University from 2008-2010.

    Haupt spent a year at Central Arkansas from 2010-2011 and left to be the Assistant coach at MIT. He spent two years as the short sprints and jumps coach as well as the strength and conditioning coordinator. While with the Engineers, Haupt coached three freshman school record holders, three conference champions and five All-Conference nominees.

    The All-American was named the head coach at Lynchburg College and stayed there for two seasons, where he was named the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Indoor and Outdoor Coach of the Year after both teams earned the ODAC title. He also coached the national champion in the 200-meter race in indoor competition as well as the Regional Athlete of the Year.

    His most recent stop was at the University of Delaware as the Assistant Track and Field coach. There he coached, 27 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) qualifiers and three NCAA First Round Qualifiers.

COLE HESTER

Assistant Coach

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

Distance

  • (Bryan) Cole Hester joined the Columbia Cross Country and Track & Field staff on Jan. 24, 2020 after spending two seasons, from 2018-19, as a member of the coaching staff at Notre Dame. The 2022-23 season will be his third with the Lions.

    Since coming to Columbia, Hester has overseen the cross country men record their best finish (since 2017) at the NCAA Northeast Regionals, fifth in 2021, three Lions earn NCAA Cross Country All-Northeast Region honors and Tyler Berg earn cross country All-Ivy League honors before running at the NCAA Cross Country National Championships.

    On the track, Hester helped coach a pair of Ivy League champions in both the indoor and outdoor 4x800m and oversaw four middle to distance men qualify for the 2022 NCAA Eastern Prelims.

    During his time at Notre Dame, Hester worked with the men's cross country and distance teams, and during his first season on the staff (2018), he helped the men's cross country squad take its first ACC Conference Cross Country title in program history. Following the ACC Championships, Hester coached the men's team to a second place finish at regionals and a 14th place finish at the NCAA National Championships.

    Hester was a part of a men's cross country squad that finished second at the 2018 ACC Championships, second at the regionals and eighth at the NCAA National Championships. Overall while on the coaching staff at Notre Dame, the Irish had three student athletes crowned All-Americans.

    On the track, during the 2018-19 indoor season, Hester, helped the men win the One-Mile Run at the ACC Championships and he coached the men's Distance Medley Relay squad that won the ACC Championship, and qualified for the NCAA Indoor Track & Field National Championships by running the second fastest DMR time in NCAA history. At nationals, the Notre Dame DMR squad won the 2019 Indoor National Championship.

    During the 2019 outdoor season, Hester helped qualify eight men for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships and he assisted Yared Nuguse to a national championships in the 1,500-Meter Run.

    A native of Indianapolis, Indiana, Hester graduated from Purdue in 2018 where he competed in cross country and track & field. A four-year letter recipient at Purdue, Hester was a member of what was at the time, the highest Big Ten and NCAA Regional finish in over 20 years at Purdue.

TAELOR JEFFERSON

Assistant Coach

UMASS-LOWELL

Sprints

  • Taelour Murphy Jefferson re-joined the River Hawks Track and Field program as an assistant coach in October of 2020 after spending the previous three seasons at Massachusetts, where she served as an assistant coach, working with the sprints group for the Minutewomen and Minutemen.

    A double-River Hawk, Murphy Jefferson was a two-time All-American, New England champion and America East champion for the River Hawks and set six program records during her collegiate career. She was a two-time recipient of the school's Lester H. Cushing Award for best female athlete and served as team captain in 2014-15.

    After graduating UMass Lowell with a bachelor's in history in 2015, Murphy Jefferson served as the track and field director of operations for the River Hawks while earning her master's in education curriculum in 2015-2016. She went on to serve as the sprints and hurdles coach at Missouri Southern State University in 2016 where she coached the school's first Division II indoor and outdoor NCAA qualifiers.

SELWYN MAXWELL

Assistant Coach

UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT

Sprints/Hurdles/Jumps

  • As Assistant Track & Field Coach for the UConn Huskies, Selwyn brings a wealth of experience and a passion for developing young athletes.

    Selwyn's journey in track and field began at the University of Connecticut, where he distinguished himself as a two-year captain of the men's program. His leadership was pivotal in securing championship titles, including the 2013 Indoor and Outdoor Big East Championships and the 2014 Indoor and 2015 Outdoor American Athletic Conference (AAC) Championship. Throughout his collegiate career, Selwyn earned numerous accolades, including All-Big East and All-AAC honors, demonstrating his prowess on the track as a hurdler.

    Transitioning from athlete to coach, Selwyn embarked on a coaching career that took him to esteemed institutions such as Amherst College and MIT. At MIT, he played a crucial role in guiding both the men's and women's programs to multiple championships, fostering the development of NCAA All-Americans and qualifiers along the way.

    Equipped with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from UConn and a Master of Science in Sport Administration from Arkansas State University, Selwyn combines his academic knowledge with his coaching expertise to nurture the next generation of track and field stars. His commitment to continuous learning is evident through his various coaching certifications, including USATF Level I, USTFCCCA Sprint/Hurdle/Relay Specialist, USTFCCCA Strength and Conditioning, and USA Weightlifting Certification.

HOWARD POWELL

Assistant Coach

NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

Sprints/Hurdles/Jumps

  • Howard Powell joined the Huskies for the 2021-2022 season as Associate Head Coach. Powell previously held assistant coaching positions at Stony Brook University and Williams College.

    Coaching Career:

    Assistant Coach for Sprints, Hurdles, Jumps, Throws and Multi's at Stony Brook University (2013-2021)

    At Stony Brook, he coached 37 America East Conference champions, 38 team record holders, 54 ECAC/IC4A qualifiers and eight NCAA regional qualifiers

    During his time at Stony Brook he coached three U.S. Junior finalists and one Canadian IAAF World U20 Championship participant

    Assistant Coach for Sprints and Hurdles at Williams College (2011-2013)

    At Williams, he coached eight NCAA DIII All-Americans, 16 NCAA Championship qualifiers and five team record holders

    Athletic Career:

    Four time letterwinner at Wheaton College (2006-2010)

    Men's Track and Field Captain at Wheaton College (2008-2010)

    2010 Dean Sue Alexander Senior Athlete Award

    2010 Helene Pruszynski Leadership Award

    2008 Caroline Cutler Metcalf Leadership in Athletics Award

    2008 NCAA Indoor Track and Field All-American

    2006-2007 Division III New England Region Men's Track Athlete of the Year

    2007 NCAA Division III Championships, 110m Hurdles Finalist

JOANNA THOMPSON

Assistant Coach

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

Distance

  • Joanna Thompson was hired as Assistant Coach of the New York University Men’s and Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field teams in October 2021.

    During the 2022-23 season, both the cross country and track & field teams produced many highlights. The women’s cross country team earned a berth in the NCAA Championship for the first time since 2013. The Violets finished 26th nationally and Grace Richardson earned All-America honors with her 37th-place finish. The women produced five top-three finishes during the season, including victories at the Vassar Season Starter and the University of Rochester Yellowjacket Invitational. The men’s team was also victorious at both of those meets, with Ryan Tobin qualifying for the NCAA Championship as an individual.

    On the track, Richardson qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships in the 5000 meters while Viv Kane was an outdoor qualifier in the 1500m. On the men’s side, Jon Diaz was the All-Atlantic Region Conference Indoor 800 Meter Champion and Aidin Hasan earned NCAA All-Niagara Region honors in the 5000m.

    In Thompson’s first season, Tobin also qualified for the NCAA Championship after finishing 14th at the NCAA Niagara Regional and earning All-Region honors.

    As a team, the men’s cross country finished fourth at the Rochester Yellowjacket Invitational, sixth at the Metropolitan Championship and seventh at the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship.

    On the women’s side, Gabrielle Stankosh and Athina Zodl both earned All-Region honors, with Stankosh’s 17th-place finish leading the Violets at the Niagara Regional.

    On the track, the men’s squads finished sixth at both the Indoor and Outdoor UAA Championships and 10th at the Metropolitan Outdoor Championships. Individual highlights included Owen Mountford earning a bronze medal in the shot put at the Indoor UAA’s and taking silver in both the discus and shot put outdoors. Zion Glover captured the 100m at the Chester Quarry Classic, Kristian Zadlo won the same event at the Oscar Moore Invitational, and Mubeen Zainul claimed the 5,000m at the Chester Quarry Classic. Zadlo was also a winner in the pole vault indoors at the Ramapo Opener, while Tobin was victorious in the mile at the NYC DIII Invitational.

    The women’s team posted a fifth-place finish outdoors at the Ramapo College Invitational, securing victories in the 1,500m (Katherin Cheng), 400m (Isre’al Conerly) and pole vault (Nathalie Shoji). Conerly captured a pair of events at the Chester Quarry Classic (200m, 400m), while she (100m), Shoji (pole vault) and Ezri Scott (high jump) were winners at the Oscar Moore Invite. Scott was also victorious in the high jump at the NYC DIII Invitational.

    A 2015 cum laude graduate of North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology, Thompson was a three-year track & field and cross country team member and earned NCAA Division I All-America and All-ACC honors three times.

    As a senior, Thompson served as an assistant coach for the Wolfpack.

    Thompson began running for Zap Endurance in 2016, competing in over a dozen national and international races per year, including the United States ATF Championships and World Marathon majors.

    In 2021, Thompson earned her Master of Arts degree in Science Journalism from NYU. Since 2019, she has worked as a freelance writer, with her works being published in North Carolina Runner’s Journal, RunBlogRun and Scientific American.

    A native of Knoxville, TN, Thompson resides in Manhattan.

SAVE YOUR SPOT:

Clinic Schedule

9 AM - 4PM Daily

(EXAMPLE)

MORNING SESSION (VARIES BY EVENT)

8:15 - 9 AM - Registration

9:00 - 9:10 AM - Staff Introductions

9:10 - 9:45 AM - Active Isolated Stretching/Dynamic Warm-Ups

9:45 - 10:15 AM - Acceleration Mechanics

10:15- 11 AM - Acceleration Session

11:00 - 11:30 AM - Breaking Down the Drive Phase

11:10 - 12 PM - Max Velocity Mechanics

12:00 - 1 PM - Lunch

AFTERNOON SESSION (VARIES BY EVENT)

1-1:45 PM - All-Clinic Lecture: Approaching Track & Field from a Mental Health Perspective

1:45-2:15 PM - Strength & Conditioning: Event Specific Periodization and Proper Form

2:15 PM-3 PM - Dynamic Warm-Up #2

3:00-3:25 PM - General Strength Circuit Session

3:25- 3:45 PM - Medicine Ball Routines

3:45- 4 PM - Q & A, Recap of Day

4 PM - Depart Clinic

SAVE YOUR SPOT:

Frequently Asked Questions

Already signed up? Visit the info hub for an extensive FAQ and announcements for attendees.

  • No. Athletes of all skill levels are encouraged to attend!

  • Though we have access to indoor space, the 2024 Ascent Track & Field Clinic will be run outdoors, rain or shine. In the event of thunderstorms, the clinic will be delayed until the weather clears.

  • There are many hotels in the area, but the number of attendees means space may be limited, so we suggest reserving lodging as soon as you can.

  • All event groups are represented. Sprints (55/60m, 100m, 200m, 300m, 400m), distance (800m, 1600m, 3200m, cross country), throws (javelin, discus, shot put), jumps (high jump, long jump, triple jump, pole vault), and hurdles (55/60h, 100/110h, 300/400ih).

  • The $25 fee partly covers the additional costs of insurance and rental of specialized gear (landing mats, poles, standards, etc).

  • The Ascent Track & Field Clinic at Columbia is located at the Baker Athletic Complex in New York City, New York. For nearly 100 years, Baker Athletics Complex has served as Columbia University’s athletics and recreational facility for Columbia's outdoor varsity sports and recreational programs. A 21-acre complex at the northernmost tip of Manhattan, Baker is utilized by 14 intercollegiate teams (seven women's teams and seven men's teams) and is the venue for practice and intercollegiate competitions for nine varsity sports, including the men’s and women’s track and field teams.