Utica University Women's Track

Parkers promotion was after five increasingly successful years as an assistant overseeing the programs sprinters and hurdlers.   Parkers first year as head coach in 2015-2016 was one for the record books. The mens cross country team had its highest finish ever at NYSCTC and tied its best finish at the Empire 8 championships. The womens track and field team tied its best finish at the Empire 8 Conference outdoor championships. The mens track and field team had its highest finishes at the Empire 8 Conference outdoor championships, NYSCTC indoor and outdoor championships, ECAC outdoor championships and NCAA outdoor championships. 30 school records were broken or tied in 2015-16. After qualifying for two events indoors (60m and 200m), Nicodemus Gambill finished third at the NCAA outdoor championships in the 100m resulting in the programs highest finish at nationals in program history. Sarah Wiatr qualified for the indoor and outdoor NCAA championships in the triple jump. She earned All-American honors at indoors, becoming the second athlete and first female in program history to earn All-American honors multiple times. She ended her illustrious career with the seventh best outdoor long jump mark in DIII history. Rob Tutein placed fifth in the high jump at outdoor nationals becoming the third athlete to earn All-American honors multiple times. Parker and his staff finished the year strong earning coaching staff of the year in the Empire 8 during the outdoor track and field season.   Under Parkers leadership Utica Colleges sprinters and hurdlers have been solid contributors in the rise of the track and field programs. He has tutored nine national qualifiers, six conference record holders, 110 ECAC qualifiers, and 56 Empire 8 All-Conference selections. His athletes have earned multiple conference awards including: 2011 Empire 8 and NYSCTC Indoor Rookie of the Meet, 2012, 2014, 2015 Empire 8 Track Athlete of the Year, 2012 Empire 8 Indoor Rookie of the Year, 2012, 2013, 2016 Empire 8 Indoor Track Athlete of the Meet, 2013, 2014, 2015 Empire 8 Outdoor Track Athlete of the Meet. He coached Joe Pruckno, the programs first All-American, to three All-American honors in the high hurdles. Parker coached Nicodemus Gambill to NCAA Atlantic Region athlete of the year during the 2016 indoor track and field season.   Parker is a 2010 graduate of Iowa State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. An All-Big 12 Conference selection both on the track and in the classroom, Parker placed sixth in the 60m hurdles at the 2009 Indoor Championships, eighth in the 4x100m relay at the 2008 Outdoor Championships and All-Academic honors twice. In 2007, he was part of the fastest shuttle hurdle relay team in the nation (Collegiate and Professional) and part of the second and third fastest shuttle hurdle relay teams in Iowa State University history. He currently holds the 5th fastest 60 meter hurdle time in Iowa State University history. Parker is a 2005 graduate of Northwood-Kensett High School (Iowa), where he was a three time state champion, three time state runner-up, 13-time state qualifier, and holds six school records. He previously helped coach the hurdles at Iowa State University after exhausting his eligibility in 2010. Parker currently holds a USA Track & Field Level 1 coaching certification. He resides in Herkimer, New York with his wife Jessica and son Jordan.

Lemieux was elevated to Associate Head Coach for Track and Field and Cross Country.  With this promotion, Coach Lemieux also assumed the role of recruiting coordinator for the Track and Field and Cross Country programs. Since his arrival, the Pioneer throwers and multis have re-written the UC record books and have seen tremendous success within the Atlantic region and have garnered recognition at the national level, including the 2016 Men's Discus and Shot Put squads being ranked top 10 on the USTFCCCA National Event Squad Rankings.   Men's Shot Put (Indoor & Outdoor) Men's & Women's Discus Women's 20# Weight Throw Men's & Women's Hammer Throw Men's & Women's Javelin Women's Pentathlon Women's Heptathlon Prior to Utica College, Coach Lemieux spent four years at Worcester State University in Massachusetts as the men's and women's throws coach as well as the last two years as the women's head coach.  In his time at WSU, Coach Lemieux's throwers developed into one of the most competitive groups in DIII New England, breaking many school records in the process.  This success was highlighted by sending Alyssa Jasper to the DIII National Championships for three consecutive years in the javelin throw. Coach Lemieux also coached Jasper in the heptathlon, where she finished with All-American accolades by placing 8th at the 2014 NCAA Championship meet.   As head coach, Lemieux had one of the most successful women's programs in New England, placing in the top 10 in the region as well as placing seventh at the 2013 Outdoor ECAC Championship meet.  The WSU women's program also received USTFCCCA All-Academic team accolades in both 2013 and 2014 as well as naming seven women as USTFCCCA All-Academic individuals in that span.   Prior to his time at Worcester, Coach Lemieux spent eight years heading up the throwing events at Lowell High School in Massachusetts. In his time at LHS, Lemieux's throwers were some of the most successful in the state, highlighted by breaking the MA Division 1 record in the girl's discus relay, as well as the boy's MA All-Division record in the boy's shot put relay.  In his final year at LHS, Coach Lemieux led senior Ryan Davila to All-American accolades by placing fifth in the shot put at the Nike Indoor Nationals in 2010. Davila's mark of 61'1.5" is currently #4 All-Time in MA High School history.   Coach Lemieux has several coaching certifications including: IAAF Level 5 - Throws, With Distinction USATF Level 3 - Throws USA Weightlifting Level 1 Sports Performance Coach   Lemieux is a 2005 graduate of UMass Lowell, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History.  He was a four-year member of the Men's Track and Field team and was named team captain in his final season.  Competing in the Shot Put, Weight Throw, Hammer Throw and Discus, Coach Lemieux is still ranked in the top 10 All-Time in the Discus Throw.   Lemieux is a 1998 graduate of Whittier Regional Vocational High School in Haverhill, MA where he was a four year member of both the Football and Track and Field teams, being named captain of both as a senior, and breaking the school record in the discus.  Lemieux was also the Valedictorian of his graduating class.   Coach Lemieux currently resides in Mohawk, NY.   Records Broken since 2014: The IAAF Level 5 and USATF Level 3 are the highest levels of certification offered in the sport of Track and Field, both nationally and internationally.

Rhyner was hired as an assistant coach for the Utica College track and field teams in the summer of 2012.  She will be responsible for overseeing the mens and womens jumpers as well as assisting Head Coach Jason Rose with all facets of the indoor and outdoor track and field teams.  Her previous coaching experience includes a one year stint as a jumps assistant coach at Division III Franklin & Marshall College.  In her time at F&M College she had all ten of her indoor jumpers qualify for indoor conferences, where she had seven top ten finishers.  In outdoor all eight of her jumpers qualified for outdoor conferences where she had five top ten finishers.  Her decathlete achieved first place with an overall personal record and earned a spot to compete at ECACs, and her heptathlete achieved fifth place, also with an overall personal record.  Rhyner is a 2011 graduate of Millersville University where she earned a degree in English Secondary Education with an Athletic Coaching Minor.  As a track & field student-athlete at Division II Millersville she qualified for Indoor and Outdoor PSACs every season as a high jumper, long jumper and pentathlete/heptathlete. Originally from Quakertown, PA she currently resides in Utica.