Now in his fifth year as head coach for the men’s and women’s cross country and track and field programs at Allegheny College, Brent Wilkerson has ensured that the programs’ tradition of excellence has continued.
Since being named head coach, the Gator cross country and track and field athletes have combined for 11 All-America honors, 18 individual North Coast Athletic Conference championships, and 65 All-NCAC accolades, while the 2012 men’s cross country team earned the 11th NCAC title in program history.
In the 2013 cross country campaign, the Gator men finished second at the NCAC championship, before going on to take fourth at the Mideast Regional Championships, earning their ninth consecutive trip to the NCAA Division III Championship, where they finished 18th. Bobby Over became the first runner in program history to earn three All-America honors, taking ninth at the NCAA championship, after winning his third consecutive regional crown, and second NCAC individual title. Over was one of four Gator men to earn All-NCAC honors, while he and sophomore Logan Steiner also earned All-Region accolades. On the women’s side, the Gator harriers placed four in the top-25 at the conference championship race, with senior Kristina Martin, sophomore Alyssa Brindle, and junior Andy Sharfman each earning All-NCAC accolades.
The 2012-13 Gator track and field team combined to produce 15 All-NCAC performances (7 indoor/8 outdoor), while Over was crowned the NCAC Indoor Distance Runner of the Year, after setting a new conference mark in the 5,000 meter run with a time of 14:32.4, while then-freshman Ben Plohr won the outdoor championship in the 800 meters.
In 2011-12, Lauren Butler was named NCAC Field Athlete of the Year for both the indoor and outdoor seasons, while Taylor Throckmorton was named NCAC Sprinter/Hurdler of the Year during the indoor campaign. Along with Over (steeplechase), Butler qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships where both competitors secured All-America honors. Wilkerson also ignited a strong effort for the men’s cross country program, which qualified for the NCAA Championships for the eighth straight year despite losing most of the previous season’s scoring. Under Wilkerson’s tutelage, Over was signaled as the NCAA Mideast Region Runner of the Year while earning All-America plaudits at nationals.
In his first full season as commander of the Gators’ running corps, Wilkerson led the men’s distance relay team to the 2011 NCAA indoor national championship. The men’s and women’s teams combined to break nine school records and boasted 39 All-Conference performances. The men’s cross country unit climbed to its highest national ranking in school history (No. 2) before cruising to its seventh straight NCAC team title and seventh consecutive appearance at the NCAA Championships.
As an assistant in 2009-10, Wilkerson helped guide the men’s cross country team to a third-place finish at the NCAA Division III Championship, while then-sophomore Lauren Butler copped All-American honors in the javelin. Under his direct supervision, the Gators’ track and field unit claimed six conference titles and secured 17 NCAC All-Conference accolades.
Prior to Allegheny, Wilkerson spent three seasons as the assistant track & field coach at Marietta College, helping the Pioneers crown two conference champions and break 49 school records in 22 events.
A 2006 graduate of Wilmington College of Ohio, Wilkerson was a two-time track & field All-American and 2005 Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Runner of the Year. He was also a 15-time All-Conference performer and 13-time All-Ohioan for the Quakers.
After earning his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Wilmington, he went on to earn a Masters of Education from Marietta this past March. Wilkerson also has a USATF Level 1 Coaching Certification.
Brent and his wife, Brenda, reside in Meadville, Pa.
