Alonzo Webb Announces Three Additions to Track and Field Staff
8/5/2015 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
PITTSBURGH- Head track and field coach Alonzo Webb has announced the addition of three assistant coaches to join the Panthers for the start of the 2015-16 season.
Joining the staff is: sprints coach Keith Roberts, long distance coach Bryan Jackson and throws coach Brent Shelby.
"I was looking for several things in filling these coaching positions, chief among them was a quality individual who was respected by their peers," Webb said. "I was also looking for someone who genuinely cares about the student-athlete's overall well-being, someone who comes from a winning program, has a passion for the sport and someone who is a teacher capable of consistently making their athletes better.
"I believe I've found that in these three excellent coaches. I'm excited to get them to campus and I'm looking forward to their immediate contributions."
KEITH ROBERTS:
Roberts comes to Pitt after spending the last five years at Grand Valley State University where he coached sprints and hurdles. Under his guidance, the Lakers women's team captured four straight NCAA Division II national titles (2011-12 Indoor and Outdoor).
In addition to the championship success, Roberts coached his athletes to All-America status in the 100 and 200 meter dash, the 800 meter run, the 60, 100 and 400 meter hurdles, and the 4x100, 4x400 and distance medley relay. Twenty school records fell under his watch and his academic assistance program and study tables were instrumental in the team GPA being above 3.0 for the past four years.
Prior to Grand Valley State, Roberts coached at Heidelberg University where he had 22 national qualifiers, five All-Americans and helped one of his female sprinters to two 55-meter NCAA championship titles.
Roberts is a 2005 graduate of Kent State and earned his master's from Heidelberg where he also achieved USA Track and Field Level 1 Coaching Certification.
BRYAN JACKSON:
A Pittsburgh native, Jackson spent the last four seasons at Texas State University where he experienced tremendous success, including winning three of four WAC track and field championship titles in 2013.
Jackson saw six of his student-athletes qualify for the NCAA West Preliminary meet, including five in the 800 meter run and one in the 10,000 meters, while also coaching one of those 800 meter runners to the Southland Conference outdoor title in 2012.
Jackson helped his athletes break nine school records since 2012 and nine athletes earn Sun Belt All-Conference accolades.
Prior to Texas State, Jackson coached at Wofford University where he produced the 2009 conference Freshman of the Year and had 30 records fall between track and cross country combined.
A two-time letter winner at Bowling Green, Jackson served as the team captain in 2005. He graduated from Bowling Green in 2006 and coached at BGSU while earning a master's degree in 2008. Jackson has his Level 1 and 2 USA Track and Field coaching certification.
BRENT SHELBY:
This is familiar territory for Shelby as he returns to Pitt after coaching the Panthers from 2007-09. While at Pitt, Shelby had four indoor and six outdoor IC4A/ECAC qualifiers, while also helping establish the men's weight throw and hammer throw school record which was just recently broken by current Panther Andrew Wells.
Most recently, Shelby coached at Youngstown State where he elevated the Penguins to new heights. Highlighting his accomplished include coaching Bobby Grace to a runner-up finish at the 2015 U.S. Indoor Championship Meet and a 2012 Olympic Trial B Standard in the shot put. Grace was also a First Team All-American with a third place finish at the 2014 NCAA Indoor National Championship Meet in the shot put.
The Penguins broke eight school records with Shelby as the coach and seven Horizon League records were established. He guided his athletes to 39 individual conference titles since 2009 and had 12 athletes garner Horizon League Performer or Newcomer of the Year Awards.
Like Roberts, Shelby is also a graduated of Kent State, earning his degree in 2006. He was a four-time NCAA Regional qualifier in the discus, as well as a three time qualifier in the shot put and once in the hammer. Shelby was the 2004 MAC champion in the shot put.
UPCOMING:
The cross country team begins its season on Sept. 5, at the Duquesne Duals. The track team welcomes back two All-Americans in Desmond Palmer and Evann Thompson, along with a host of returning veteran talent.
Be sure to follow @Pitt_TF_XC on Twitter and Instagram for updates.
ADDITIONAL QUOTES FROM Alonzo Webb:
ON KEITH ROBERTS:
"Coach Roberts is coming from one of the elite Division II track and field programs in the nation in Grand Valley State. He is quickly becoming a rising star in the track and field coaching ranks. Being from the state of Ohio, we are pleased to have his recruiting knowledge and base in one of the top track and field states in the nation. He knows what it takes to compete at the highest level as a former MAC champion, school record holder and NCAA qualifier."
ON BRYAN JACKSON:
"With almost 10 years of DI coaching experience and some of it as a head coach, Coach Jackson looks at this as a "dream opportunity." Being from Pittsburgh and with a chance to coach in the ACC and a Power-5 conference was a definite draw. Coach Jackson brings a wealth of coaching and championships winning experience having been instrumental in helping Texas State win three of four WAC Conference Championships and a 2015 Sun Belt Championship. He also brings strong recruiting ties in the track and field rich state of Texas, having recruited and signed some of the top talent in the state."
ON BRENT SHELBY:
"Coach Shelby brings nearly 10 years of coaching experience at the DI level back to Pitt having begun his collegiate coaching career as a volunteer at his alma mater Kent State. He brings a wealth of knowledge in all throwing disciplines and has been coached and mentored by two of the top throws coaches in the nation in Nate Fanger at Kent State and four-time Olympian Jud Logan, the head coach at Ashland university. Coach Shelby is a teacher by nature as evidenced by the steady improvements by his athletes."