Ohio University Women's Track

Calkins' athletes competed in the NCAA Regional's in Knoxville, Tenn. Ohio's Scott Mayle moved on to win the Mideast Regional in the long jump and place 12th at the NCAA Championships. At the 2005 Mid-American Conference Cross Country Championships, the men and women, led by second-team All-MAC Jason Linton and first-team All-MAC Carime Reinhart, finished third and fourth, respectively. It was the men's best performance since 1996. While working primarily with the sprints, jumps and hurdles in 2002-03, Calkins guided five of the nine Bobcats who competed in the 2003 NCAA Mideast Regionals. Mayle - who claimed both the MAC indoor and outdoor long jump titles - finished fourth at the meet with a leap of 25-10, the second-best mark in school history. Accompanied by Calkins, Mayle finished 14th at the national meet as the second-highest placing freshman in the long jump. Calkins began his coaching career as a graduate assistant with the Bobcats during the 1997-98 school year. After receiving his master's degree in athletic administration from Ohio in 1998, Calkins served as the assistant head coach for track and field at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Mich. During his three-and-a-half years at Hillsdale, he helped lead several Charger student-athletes to top-10 finishes at nationals in both jumps and throws. He returned to Ohio in 2002 as an assistant coach under Banton. A native of East Sparta, Ohio, Calkins competed in the 110-meter high hurdles at the state high school championships. At Malone College in Canton, Ohio, he was a four-year decathlete who specialized in the hurdles, pole vault and jumps for the Pioneers. Calkins received a bachelor's degree in physical education from Malone in 1995.

Bentley is in his sixth year as assistant coach at Ohio with both the cross country and track and field teams. Bentley assists head coach Clay Calkins with the Bobcat distance runners during the track and field season. As a former Bobcat distance runner under Elmore Banton, Bentley earned four varsity letters in both cross country and track. He also earned All-MAC honors twice in cross country, indoor and outdoor track. In 1984, Bentley set school records in the outdoor 10,000 meters (29:47.50) and in the indoor 5,000 meters. Those times are still second-best in school history. After earning his bachelor's degree in geology from Ohio University in 1985, Bentley has been active in coaching both cross country and track since 1992, when he began coaching the Vinton County Junior High School boys' cross country team. He went on to become the head track and field coach at Athens High School for five years and head cross country coach for ten years.

Sykes as assistant track & field and cross country coach for the Bobcats. Sykes began his duties in July and will primarily coach the women's cross country team and distance runners. Sykes comes to Ohio with 10 years of experience coaching distance runners including helping guide All-Americans at Virginia Military Institute, Virginia Tech and Ohio. Sykes began his coaching career as a graduate assistant with the Bobcats during the 2003-04 school year. After receiving his master's degree in coaching education from Ohio in 2004, Sykes served as a volunteer men's and women's assistant cross country and track and field coach at Virginia Military Institute until 2007. In 2007, Sykes started at Virginia Tech as a volunteer assistant men's and women's cross country and track and field coach. Sykes would remain at Virginia Tech until 2010 before accepting a position at Virginia Military Institute. He would return as the men's and women's assistant cross country and track and field coach. Sykes went on to be promoted as the head cross country coach in 2012 instructing and recruiting distance runners. In 2013, Sykes returned to Ohio as a volunteer assistant men's and women's cross country and track and field coach. He helped with coaching duties, strength and conditioning, and nutrition primarily with a focus on middle and long distance runners. Sykes also assisted with on-campus recruitment of student athletes. Sykes was promoted to assistant women's cross country and track and field coach in July 2015 where he continued his duties assisting with coaching and recruiting as well as implementing strength and conditioning, and nutrition programs for middle and long distance runners. Sykes earned his Bachelor of Science in Multi-Age Physical education from Rio Grande in 2003 before coming to Ohio for his Master of Science in Coaching Education which he graduated with in 2004. He competed in track & field and cross country at Rio Grande from 1999-2003 and competed his senior year for the Bobcats in 2003-04. Sykes went on to earn his doctorate in Education, Curriculum and Instruction: Health Promotion & Sport Performance from Virginia Tech in 2011. Sykes is a USA Track & Field Level I Coach and a lecturer at Ohio University teaching courses in physical education and coaching education for the Department of Recreation and Sport Pedagogy.

Pero was one of the team's leading scorers in the shot put, discus, hammer and weight throws. He served as a team captain for the 2001 indoor and outdoor season. Pero credits his skills to long-time coach and mentor Jack Reichenbach. Pero's athletic career began in Hartville, Ohio, where he attended Field High School and excelled in track and football. He graduated from Ohio University in 2002 with a degree in middle childhood education in the fields of math and science. Pero also earned his Masters Degree from Ohio University in 2007 in Coaching Education. Nick spent five years as an eighth grade math teacher at Trimble Middle School until being hired full-time with the Track and Field Program. He has certifications with USATF and USA Weightlifting. Nick and his wife Jenn have four wonderful children, Kyle, Alex, Luke and Rylee.