John Goodridge Named EMU Men's Head Track and Field Coach

7/7/2010 4:31:04 PM

Veteran assistant will take over duties after serving as interim head coach

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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — John Goodridge, an Eastern Michigan University assistant men's track and field coach for the past nine years and the interim head coach for the last six months, has been named the next head coach of the EMU men's track and field team, Director of Athletics Derrick Gragg announced today.

Goodridge is just the fifth EMU men's head track and field coach in the past 90 years. Lloyd W. Olds began the tradition of men's track success, serving as the head coach from 1921-41. George Marshall followed from 1942-66, Bob Parks from 1967-2000, Brad Fairchild from 2001-10 and now Goodridge takes over the head coaching duties.

"The Eastern Michigan University men's track and field and cross country programs have a long and distinguished history of success in local, regional, national and international competition and we feel that John Goodridge is the right choice to continue that great tradition of excellence," Gragg said. "In the past six months as the interim head coach, John proved that he was up to the task of continuing that legacy of excellence by leading the men's indoor and outdoor track teams to Mid-American Conference championships. His past experience as a head coach at a major institutions is also a major asset."

After taking over the interim head coaching duties in February, Goodridge led the Eagles to Mid-American Conference championships in both indoor and outdoor track. Since becoming the official head coach of the EMU men's cross country team in 2005, Goodridge has directed that team to MAC titles in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010, earning MAC Coach of the Year honors in all five seasons as well as being named Coach of the Year in the 2010 indoor and outdoor track and field seasons as the interim head man.

"I would like to thank Athletic Director Dr. Derrick Gragg for giving me this opportunity to be the Head Men's Track and Field and Cross Country Coach at Eastern Michigan University," Goodridge said. "I look forward to carrying on the great EMU tradition of success which includes numerous Olympians, National Champions, All-Americans and a multitude of Mid-American Conference Champions and Championships. This is a cherished position, opportunity and responsibility."

Since arriving at Eastern in 2001, Goodridge has coached six All-American Cross Country athletes including EMU's only NCAA National Champion (Boaz Cheboiywo) as well as 12 Track and Field All-Americans including two NCAA National Track and Field Champions(Cheboiywo in the 10K and Jordan Desilets in the 3,000-meter steeplechase) as well as 51 individual MAC Track and Field/Cross Country Champions along with six EMU school-record performances.

Prior to his arrival at EMU, Goodridge was the head track and field coach at Wake Forest University for 15 years (1984-1999) where he coached the Demon Deacons to unparalleled success in the school's history. Goodridge coached Wake Forest to its highest ever Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) finish, placing second in 1995, and its highest ever NCAA National finish, placing eighth in 1996. At Wake Forest he coached 14 individual ACC Champions and seven All-Americans. He coached Wake to its first and only ACC cross country championship in school history, as well as the first individual cross country champion. His Wake Forest cross country team finished first or second in the ACC for 10 consecutive years, winning four league titles and making seven NCAA appearances, and produced 33 All-ACC performers and 13 All-Americans. In track, his team turned in the highest finish ever for Wake Forest in the ACC with a runner-up spot and eighth-place NCAA finish.

During his long and distinguished coaching career, Goodridge has coached 20 athletes who have represented the United States in international competition including the Olympic Games, World Track Championships and Pan American Games. In addition, he has coached the best cross country teams in school history at Michigan State (women-fourth place NCAA National Championships) and Wake Forest University (men-third place NCAA's and first ever ACC Championship) and the the second-best finish at EMU (third place NCAA National Championships as the unofficial head coach in 2002). He is one of a small group of active coaches who have coached more than two top-three NCAA team national finishes.

A native of New York City, Goodridge graduated from Long Island University in 1972 and earned his master's degree from the University of Michigan in 1975. During his many years of involvement in coaching cross country, he has been an officer of national organizations, including serving as the vice president of the U.S. Men's Collegiate Cross Country Coaches Association and a founder of the American Distance Club.

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