SUNY-Fredonia Women's Track

Tom Wilson, a State University of New York at Fredonia alumnus, became the head coach of the track and field and cross country programs in 2011 after nearly a decade long stint as the program's pole vault instructor.   Along with taking over the oversight of the entire program and maintaining his traditional pole vault duties, Wilson has also successfully taken on the training and mentorship of the student-athletes competing in the middle and long distances at Fredonia. In his first year at the helm, Wilson guided Nick Guarino (Class of ’11) to three NCAA national championships -- the 1,500 meters and 800 meters outdoor, and the mile indoors. Wilson was named the 2011 SUNYAC Men’s Head Coach of the Year after his men finished third at the SUNYAC Outdoor championships and won six individual events. Four years later, Wilson was named 2015 SUNYAC Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year after leading the Blue Devils to a second-place finish.   Since taking over the program in 2011, Wilson’s resume includes nine All Americans, 29 NCAA qualifiers, 19 All Atlantic Region honorees, 36 SUNYAC conference champions, 26 women’s track and field school records, and 13 men’s track and field school records. For cross country, eight of the top 10 fastest women’s 6,000-meter times were set under his coaching, including the school record by Laura Morrison of 21:46 in 2015. On the men’s side, three of the 10 fastest 8,000-meter times came under his watch, including a school-record 24:22 by Kyle Collins in 2015. Wilson remains a fixture in the Western New York pole vault community, helping introduce the event to hundreds of athletes over the years through his pole vault clinics. Those he has coached hold both school records and account for 31 of the possible 40 athletes on the Fredonia men’s and women’s Top 10 performance lists. Highlighting these is 2012 graduate Broncho Rollins, who set indoor (16’3.25”) and outdoor (16’4”) school records and was an All American in the event at both the 2012 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor championship meets.   Wilson graduated from Fredonia State with a double major -- Computer Science and Graphic Design -- and an Athletic Coaching minor. He was a SUNYAC scorer in the 800 meters and on the 4-by-400 meter relay, as well as the the 2002 SUNYAC champion in the pole vault at the outdoor meet. Wilson holds lifetime personal-bests of 15’ 9” in the pole vault and 1:54 in the 800 meters.  He lives in Fredonia with his wife and alumna, Jen (Martin) Wilson, and their two children, Donovan and Briana.

Williamson is the former Julia Hopson, a 2009 graduate of Fredonia State. She was a five-time All-American with the Blue Devils and a 2009 NCAA Division III national champion in the women's 20-pound weight throw. She was also a finalist for the 2009 NCAA Woman of the Year, an award that encompasses all three divisions. Since graduating, Williamson has worked as an assistant track coach at Erie Community College. She has also worked as a personal trainer, a spinning instructor, and a boot camp instructor at the Buffalo Athletic Club. Julia Williamson joined the cross country and track and field programs prior to the start of the 2011 fall seasons. She is no stranger to the program. Recently married, Williamson is the former Julia Hopson, a 2009 graduate of Fredonia State. She was a five-time All-American with the Blue Devils and a 2009 NCAA Division III national champion in the women's 20-pound weight throw. She was also a finalist for the 2009 NCAA Woman of the Year, an award that encompasses all three divisions. Since graduating, Williamson has worked as an assistant track coach at Erie Community College. She has also worked as a personal trainer, a spinning instructor, and a boot camp instructor at the Buffalo Athletic Club.

Pericozzi was named assistant track and field coach prior to the start of the 2015-16 school year. A 2013 SUNY Cortland graduate, Pericozzi spent one year (2013-14) as an assistant coach at Lancaster (N.Y.) High School and one year (2014-15) as an assistant coach at his college alma mater. He worked with the training and development of the Red Dragon hurdlers and jumpers. He also assisted with sprinters and pole vaulters, supervised the strength and conditioning workouts for the entire program, and took part in the recruitment of pole vaulters, hurdlers, and multi-athletes. Pericozzi represented SUNY Cortland as an NCAA Division III finalist in the pole vault, indoors and outdoors, from 2009 through 2012. He is the former SUNYAC indoor pole vault record holder, a past SUNYAC long jump and pole vault champion, and the 2008 New York State Public High School Athletic Association pole vault champ. He was the 2009 SUNYAC Field Athlete of the Meet, won ECAC and SUNYAC weekly awards throughout his collegiate career, and was the 2008 Lancaster High School Male Athlete of the Year. He also earned the 2011 Cortland C-Club Red Letter Award. He received SUNY Cortland President's and Dean's List academic honors and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology, with a concentration in Fitness Development.  Ryan Pericozzi Assistant Coach Twitter: Ryan Pericozzi was named assistant track and field coach prior to the start of the 2015-16 school year. A 2013 SUNY Cortland graduate, Pericozzi spent one year (2013-14) as an assistant coach at Lancaster (N.Y.) High School and one year (2014-15) as an assistant coach at his college alma mater. He worked with the training and development of the Red Dragon hurdlers and jumpers. He also assisted with sprinters and pole vaulters, supervised the strength and conditioning workouts for the entire program, and took part in the recruitment of pole vaulters, hurdlers, and multi-athletes. Pericozzi represented SUNY Cortland as an NCAA Division III finalist in the pole vault, indoors and outdoors, from 2009 through 2012. He is the former SUNYAC indoor pole vault record holder, a past SUNYAC long jump and pole vault champion, and the 2008 New York State Public High School Athletic Association pole vault champ. He was the 2009 SUNYAC Field Athlete of the Meet, won ECAC and SUNYAC weekly awards throughout his collegiate career, and was the 2008 Lancaster High School Male Athlete of the Year. He also earned the 2011 Cortland C-Club Red Letter Award. He received SUNY Cortland President's and Dean's List academic honors and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology, with a concentration in Fitness Development.