Gregg Schmidt is returning for his first full season as head coach after taking over in December 2018 after spending two seasons as the assistant track and field/cross country coach. Schmidt mentored athletes to 11 school records.
The Palmyra, New Jersey native has coached a number of outstanding student-athletes throughout his collegiate career, including three national champions and 16 All-Americans. Schmidt’s previous collegiate stop was with NCAA Division II Mansfield University in 2012-13, where he was the throws coach and additionally served as a strength and conditioning coach. Prior to that he spent one season at Division II American International College, where he worked primarily with the multi-event athletes, producing two New England qualifiers, and the program record-holders in the women’s heptathlon and pentathlon. He also worked with outdoor All-Americans in the men’s 400-meter dash and women’s hammer throw and an indoor National Champion in the men's 400-meter dash.
Schmidt served as the assistant track & field coach at NAIA Bethany College (Kan.) in 2011, where he was the program’s recruiting coordinator and served as the horizontal jumps, pole vault and throws coach. He coached seven national qualifiers, including an all-American in the women’s discus.
Prior to his arrival at Bethany, Schmidt was the assistant track & field coach at NCAA Division II Lake Superior State University during the 2009-10 season. He served as the field event, multi-event and strength and conditioning coach, and saw a total of 10 school records set. He also coached the outdoor national champion in the triple jump who went on to finish 10th at the 2010 USA Championships and an indoor All-American in the same event. Schmidt was also a member of the NCAA Division II Track and Field Executive Committee as a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Representative.
Schmidt has also had coaching stops at Iowa Central Community College, NCAA Division I Valparaiso University, and St. Lawrence University. He coached 11 NJCAA All-Americans and two NJCAA national champions while at Iowa Central and was a member of the Liberty League Indoor Coaching Staff of the Year while at St. Lawrence.
Schmidt earned his bachelor’s in history from Lynchburg College in 2004 and earned his master’s in education from St. Lawrence in 2007. He holds a specialist certification for the multi-events and combined events through the USTFCCCA, as well as a Strength and Conditioning specialist certification and technical certification for track and field coaching through the same organization. He also holds a USA Track & Field Level I certification, is a Certified Performance Enhancement Specialist with the National Academy of Sports Medicine, a Level 2 Senior Coach with USA Weightlifting, and has helped instruct Basic and Advanced Olympic Lifting Certification courses.
