Davidson Restructures Track Program, Adds Waldron
7/3/2014 3:23:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Men's Track & Field, Women's Cross Country, Women's Track & Field
DAVIDSON, N.C. – Director of Athletics Jim Murphy announced the restructuring of Davidson's cross country and track & field program Thursday, naming longtime women's head coach Jen Straub the Director of Men's and Women's Cross Country and Track and Field, and adding Renny Waldron as the Associate Head Coach of Men's Cross Country and Track and Field.
In the new arrangement, Straub will oversee Davidson's entire cross country and track and field program, while continuing to focus on coaching the women's cross country, distance and middle distance runners. Waldron, who recruited and coached Eric Jenkins at Northeastern, presently the fastest American runner ever at his age in the 5,000-meter run, will oversee the men's side, while focusing on the cross country, distance and middle distance runners. Rory Carpenter, who has been an assistant men's track and field coach the past two seasons at Davidson, will now work with both the men's and women's track and field athletes. Davidson will add one more track and field assistant coach in August.
Since the early 1990's, Davidson operated with separate men's and women's cross country and track programs with separate head coaches. In the wake of Gary Andrew's retirement as the head coach of the men's program after nearly 29 successful years, effective at the end of this past season, Murphy elected to combine the two teams' coaching staffs moving forward.
"The restructuring takes advantage of Coach Straub's great experience and best utilizes our coaching resources for all of our track and field student-athletes," said Murphy. "Jen has a great understanding of the type of athlete that can be successful at Davidson. I believe this will be an exciting change for our teams. We also hope to host a track meet in the near future on our new track surface."
Waldron, a graduate of fellow Atlantic 10-member UMass, served as the recruiting coordinator and assistant men's cross country and track and field coach at UConn last season, where he guided the cross country team to its highest conference championship finish in over 20 years. He coached several All-AAC team members during the indoor season, including the mile champion. Outdoors, a total of five Huskies earned podium finishes in the four middle-distance and distance events, including a 1-2 finish in the 1,500-meter run.
"I am very excited to have Renny Waldron join the cross country and track and field staff here at Davidson," said Straub. "His experience coaching at institutions such as Northeastern, Harvard, and UConn is invaluable, and his transition will be seamless. His success with the development of athletes over the years is unmatched, and I am excited to see him work with the team here. Renny is an experienced recruiter and is a true advocate of the student-athlete."
Waldron worked as a volunteer assistant at Harvard during the 2013 season, guiding a Crimson distance runner to the NCAA Final Round for the first time since 1997.
"I am thrilled to be joining the Davidson community and to be working with Coach Straub," said Waldron. "I am excited for the possibilities that lay ahead for Davidson cross country and track and field as the program joins the A-10."
Prior to working in Cambridge, Waldron served as the assistant track and field coach and cross country coordinator at Northeastern from 2006-12. Waldron saw 18 school records fall in the distance events, and helped six individuals to CAA titles from 2010-12. He helped Northeastern to its highest-ever finish in the conference, and mentored Jenkins, who posted a pair of sub-four minute mile times and was the only freshman to qualify for the NCAA final in the 1,500m in 2011.
"Coach Waldron is the perfect choice to carry on our now strong tradition of distance running at Davidson," said rising senior Whitner Chase. "His genuine, thoughtful, and intelligent demeanor really struck me in the interview process. He has spent almost his entire coaching career in the Northeast, so Coach Waldron will be a tremendous asset to the program through our A-10 transition."
Waldron not only guided the men's and women's cross country teams to their highest-ever conference finishes, but the cross country and track teams were also named USTFCCCA All-Academic every year.
Prior to his time at Northeastern, Waldron served as the head cross country and track and field coach at nearby Cambridge Rindge and Latin from 2004-06. He led the boys team to seven Greater Boston League championships. Waldron has also spent time as a coach and featured speaker at several running camps in the Northeast and has worked with the New England Chapter of USA Track and Field, where he helped with the organization of meets and events.
In the new arrangement, Straub will oversee Davidson's entire cross country and track and field program, while continuing to focus on coaching the women's cross country, distance and middle distance runners. Waldron, who recruited and coached Eric Jenkins at Northeastern, presently the fastest American runner ever at his age in the 5,000-meter run, will oversee the men's side, while focusing on the cross country, distance and middle distance runners. Rory Carpenter, who has been an assistant men's track and field coach the past two seasons at Davidson, will now work with both the men's and women's track and field athletes. Davidson will add one more track and field assistant coach in August.
Since the early 1990's, Davidson operated with separate men's and women's cross country and track programs with separate head coaches. In the wake of Gary Andrew's retirement as the head coach of the men's program after nearly 29 successful years, effective at the end of this past season, Murphy elected to combine the two teams' coaching staffs moving forward.
"The restructuring takes advantage of Coach Straub's great experience and best utilizes our coaching resources for all of our track and field student-athletes," said Murphy. "Jen has a great understanding of the type of athlete that can be successful at Davidson. I believe this will be an exciting change for our teams. We also hope to host a track meet in the near future on our new track surface."
Waldron, a graduate of fellow Atlantic 10-member UMass, served as the recruiting coordinator and assistant men's cross country and track and field coach at UConn last season, where he guided the cross country team to its highest conference championship finish in over 20 years. He coached several All-AAC team members during the indoor season, including the mile champion. Outdoors, a total of five Huskies earned podium finishes in the four middle-distance and distance events, including a 1-2 finish in the 1,500-meter run.
"I am very excited to have Renny Waldron join the cross country and track and field staff here at Davidson," said Straub. "His experience coaching at institutions such as Northeastern, Harvard, and UConn is invaluable, and his transition will be seamless. His success with the development of athletes over the years is unmatched, and I am excited to see him work with the team here. Renny is an experienced recruiter and is a true advocate of the student-athlete."
Waldron worked as a volunteer assistant at Harvard during the 2013 season, guiding a Crimson distance runner to the NCAA Final Round for the first time since 1997.
"I am thrilled to be joining the Davidson community and to be working with Coach Straub," said Waldron. "I am excited for the possibilities that lay ahead for Davidson cross country and track and field as the program joins the A-10."
Prior to working in Cambridge, Waldron served as the assistant track and field coach and cross country coordinator at Northeastern from 2006-12. Waldron saw 18 school records fall in the distance events, and helped six individuals to CAA titles from 2010-12. He helped Northeastern to its highest-ever finish in the conference, and mentored Jenkins, who posted a pair of sub-four minute mile times and was the only freshman to qualify for the NCAA final in the 1,500m in 2011.
"Coach Waldron is the perfect choice to carry on our now strong tradition of distance running at Davidson," said rising senior Whitner Chase. "His genuine, thoughtful, and intelligent demeanor really struck me in the interview process. He has spent almost his entire coaching career in the Northeast, so Coach Waldron will be a tremendous asset to the program through our A-10 transition."
Waldron not only guided the men's and women's cross country teams to their highest-ever conference finishes, but the cross country and track teams were also named USTFCCCA All-Academic every year.
Prior to his time at Northeastern, Waldron served as the head cross country and track and field coach at nearby Cambridge Rindge and Latin from 2004-06. He led the boys team to seven Greater Boston League championships. Waldron has also spent time as a coach and featured speaker at several running camps in the Northeast and has worked with the New England Chapter of USA Track and Field, where he helped with the organization of meets and events.
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