Jeff Jenkins
ASSISTANT COACH HEAD CROSS COUNTRY COACH First Year
Jeff Jenkins is in his first season as the head men’s and women’s cross country coach and assistant track & field coach in charge of the distance and middle distance runners. Before joining the staff at Troy University, Jenkins was an intern with the Track & Field program at Auburn University. While at Auburn, Jenkins assisted in aspects ranging from meet management to performance analysis. Jenkins also brings a rich background of high school and club coaching where he has coached eight state champions, thirty-four school record holders, state championship MVPs, All-Region athletes, and four Junior Olympic qualifiers. Jenkins has a background in exercise physiology seminars ranging from the U.S. Olympic Committee International Altitude Training Symposium to the Nike Distance Summit as well as a Level II Endurance coaching certification from USA Track & Field. During his collegiate career at Huntingdon College, Jenkins earned four All-Conference selections, an All-Freshman team selection, an Individual Conference title, and a Male Conference Runner of The Year award all en route to three team conference cross country championships. Jenkins holds a Bachelor’s degree in Coaching Education from Huntingdon College and is currently completing his Master’s degree in Sport and Fitness Management-Exercise Science from Troy University. He attended Beauregard High School in Opelika, Ala. and is the oldest of three children; one sister and one brother, who is an accomplished junior distance runner.
MARK LUKasko ASSISTANT COACH JUMPS/SPRINTS Second Year
Mark Lukasko is in his second season as graduate assistant and assistant coach at Troy University. A USA Track and Field Level 2 Certified coach in jumps and combined events, Lukasko also focuses on sprints and hurdles for the Trojans. He serves as the meet director and meet manager for the annual Coach O cross country and track and field meets. Lukasko is also responsible for equipment management for the team. In his first season with the Trojans, Lukasko helped coach Hayley Watts, Troy’s first female pole vaulter to score at the Sun Belt Championships. Three Trojans qualified for the NCAA First Round and two were junior national qualifiers under his tutelage, while several others earned All-Sun Belt Conference accolades. Lukasko came to Troy after serving as assistant track and field coach at Pennsylvania State, the Behrend College during the 2010-11 season, where he helped develop an ECAC and a NCAA DIII qualifier in the long jump. He also served as a volunteer assistant with the program the prior season, coaching the horizontal jumps. Lukasko’s coaching background began in high school athletics, where he was an assistant at both Sharpsville Area and General McLane high schools. While at McLane, he focused on the horizontal jumps and the sprints, while coaching multiple PIAA State qualifiers. A collegiate athlete himself, Lukasko participated in a variety of events while attending Penn State Behrend, serving as the team captain during his senior season. Lukasko resides in Troy and is set to graduate in July with his Master’s degree in Sports and Fitness Management with a concentration in exercise science.
2012-13 TROY UNIVERSITY TRACK AND FIELD
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