Phil Jennings tapped as interim track and field coach
Ewing, NJ… The College of New Jersey’s Director of Athletics and Recreation, John Castaldo has announced the appointment, of Phil Jennings (originally from Norton, MA) as the College’s interim men’s and women’s track and field coach for the coming year and will commence a search for a permanent replacement once the season is complete. Jennings replaces Eric Mobley, who left TCNJ this summer for a position at Temple University.
Jennings, who is currently TCNJ’s head men’s and women’s cross country coach is in his sixth year working with the men’s and women’s cross country and track and field teams at TCNJ. He served as an assistant coach with the cross country program before taking over as head cross country coach in 2005, and has previously served as an assistant coach with the indoor and outdoor track and field teams, focusing on the middle-distance and distance runners.
Athletic Director John Castaldo said of Jenning’s appointment, "At this point in time, Phil offers our student-athletes the continuity that we feel is vital to the continuing success of our indoor and outdoor track and field programs.” Castaldo added, “As our current head cross country and assistant track and field coach, Phil has the necessary experience and tools to lead our track programs as the interim head coach. He is a passionate coach and his understanding of the pulse of the program is essential for our continued success. We look forward to his leadership and direction for our indoor and outdoor track and field squads."
In each of his three seasons at the helm of TCNJ’s cross country program, Jennings led the Lion men and women to both team and individual NJAC championships. Those championships extended the program’s impressive streak of conference titles to 14 for the men and 13 for the women. For his efforts, Jennings was named the NJAC Coach of the Year for men in 2005 and for the women in both the 2006 and 2007 seasons. His current cross country teams are ranked in the Top 25 nationally and will compete on November 1 for the 2008 NJAC Cross Country Championships.
Since the fall of 2005, Jennings’ cross country teams have also qualified for the NCAA national championships each year, and his athletes have earned three All-American and 32 All-Region awards during that period. The women’s program has now placed in the top 22 in each of those seasons. In 2005, the men’s team won the regional championship, and Jennings was named NCAA Atlantic Region Men’s Coach of the Year. That team also garnered a top 10 finishing at the NCAA Championships.
On the track, Jennings’ athletes have been no less successful, earning 17 All-American citations, 44 individual NJAC titles, and currently holds 12 school records since the 2006 indoor season.
A 1999 graduate of Hamilton College with a BA in economics, Jennings was a dean’s list student while earning 11 varsity letters and serving as team captain through his junior and senior years. In 2005, he earned an MEd in athletic administration from The College of New Jersey, and holds USATF level one and two certifications. Jennings resides in Pennington, NJ with his wife, Tara.