Gabe Sanders, an assistant coach at Boston University the past six seasons, has joined the Stanford track and field staff to coach the sprints and hurdles.
Sanders replaces Jody Stewart, who recently was named Director of Track and Field/Cross Country at Texas State.
“We conducted an extensive search for our next sprints/hurdles coach and all roads kept leading back to Gabe,” Stanford’s Director of Track and Field Chris Miltenberg said. “Gabe has had great success everywhere that he’s been and has thrived in environments that require the balance of athletics and academics at the highest level.”
At Boston University, where he also was the program’s recruiting coordinator, 15 school records were set under his watch and Terriers’ sprinters and hurdles combined for 16 Patriot League titles and 28 America East crowns. He also coached athletes to 10 conference meet records – six in America East and four in the Patriot League.
Sanders was named 2012 USTFCCCA Northeast Region Indoor Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year and had 21 NCAA regional qualifiers and one NCAA Championships finalist.
“He brings great technical expertise but most of all and an incredible passion and enthusiasm that will make him a great asset to our program,” Miltenberg said.
A native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Sanders earned his degree Bachelor of Arts degree in Kinesiology with a major in sport management and communication from the University of Michigan in December 2005. In 2014, Sanders earned his master’s in physical education with a specialization in coaching from Boston University.
“Every step of this process has felt like the right step,” Sanders said. “Stanford is more than a brand but a true spirit and practice of excellence on and off the track. I’m eager to start contributing to Coach Miltenberg’s vision of an elite national level program and become a part of the Stanford community.”
Sanders was an assistant coach for jumps and multi-events at Williams College in 2006 and 2007, coaching 12 All-Americans and overseeing eight school records. He coached sprints, hurdles, relays, jumps and throws at Colgate in 2008, and his athletes broke five school records.
I’d like to give my sincerest thanks to director Chris Miltenberg and the Stanford administration,” Sanders said. “I could not be more humbled and honored to be welcomed into the Stanford family.”
Stanford’s sprints and hurdles crew is in strong shape. Australian Steven Solomon is taking the 2015-16 academic year off as he makes a run at his second Olympics berth in the 400, but will return for the 2017 season to headline a group that should be balanced.
One of last year’s team highlights was Stanford’s dominance in the sprints and hurdles against California in the annual Big Meet dual. Stanford’s men and women won every individual sprinting event from 100 to 400 meters, captured both women’s hurdle races and swept the 4×400 relays to close out the meet.
Among individual standouts, Indoor women’s 400-meter school-record holder Kristyn Williams returns for her senior year, Isaiah Brandt-Sims set a Stanford freshman record in the 200 last year and Daniel Brady ran the second-fastest 400 hurdles time ever for a Stanford frosh.
Last year, Stanford’s women’s 4×400 relay advanced to the NCAA Championships for the second time in three years.
In addition, Stanford’s recruiting class will strengthen the Cardinal even further in the sprints and hurdles.
“Our sprints/hurdles group has made great progress over the past three years and I know that Gabe is the coach that can continue to take us to the next level, ” Miltenberg said.
By David Kiefer/Stanford Athletics
By David Kiefer/Stanford Athletics
By David Kiefer/Stanford Athletics