Bobby Wilson - Track & Field Coach - University of Akron Athletics

Bobby Wilson

Title:
Assistant Track and Field Coach (Pole Vault)
Email:
bwilson@uakron.edu
Phone:
(330) 972-7964

Bobby Wilson joined The University of Akron track and field program as an assistant coach in charge of pole vault in October 2025.

Wilson comes to Akron with more than 20 years of coaching experience where he has mentored a pair of national champions, 10 All-American honorees, five academic All-Americans, eight NCAA qualifiers, 15 ECAC/IC4A qualifiers/champions, 13 conference champions, one conference record holder, nine school record holders, two men's team championships, and five women's team championships.

He most recently serving as head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach at the Academy of Art in San Francisco, Calif. This past spring, he mentored an indoor and outdoor All-America recipient in the 800 meters in Lina Hanich.

He arrived in California after spending two seasons (2022-24) as an assistant cross country, distance and jumps coach at Angelo State, where he helped led the Rams to multiple all-conference accolades, postseason berths, All-America recognition, and an individual National Championship. Jacobee Jones finished third at the NCAA DII Outdoor Championships in 2024 in the pole vault, while Kylyie Paden earned Second-Team All-America honors in the pole vault at the NCAA DII Outdoor Championships in 2024.

In 2023, Wilson coached the men’s vault group to a top 10 national ranking including Jacobee Jones who garnered second-team all-conference honors during both the indoor and outdoor campaigns. Additionally, Jones qualified for the NCAA Championships (Indoor and Outdoor) en route to placing fifth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships for his first All-America honor.

The first cross season for Wilson saw the Rams women’s team improve from 11th place to sixth place on the women’s side in 2023. Just two points out of fifth place collectively, the squad was led by walk-on freshman Anna Eischen who earned All-Conference honors.

Prior to Angelo State, Wilson was the assistant coach at Davidson where he mentored the vertical jumps, combined events, and throws from 2014 to 2016.

Over two seasons at Central Michigan, Wilson served as first assistant coach and led the jumpers, pole vaulters, and multi-event athletes including Josh Kettlewell. Kettlewell won the heptathlon at the Penn State National Invitational, shattering a 14-year-old school record by 300 points before moving on to win the Mid-American Conference Championship and finishing 17th in the country.

Prior to his time at Central, Wilson served as the head coach for cross country and track & field at Oswego State for one year after acting as an assistant coach at Bucknell. During his three seasons at Bucknell, Wilson guided the women's squad to three consecutive Patriot League team championships and the men's team to its first title in 19 years.

Additionally, Wilson worked with Amy Mantush who set a Patriot League record in the high jump in 2010, Nicholas Hruch, Kyle Anthony, and Drew Fitzgerald who all qualified for the NCAA Regional/First Round in the high jump, long jump/triple jump, and high jump/pole vault respectively.

Wilson has also coached at William & Mary, Oneonta State, and his alma mater Virginia Commonwealth.

He is certified by the USATF Level II coaching education program. He earned his bachelor’s degree in travel and tourism with a minor in information systems from VCU and finishing his collegiate career as a 16-foot pole vaulter and Colonial Athletic Association Champion. He earned his master’s degree in administration from Central Michigan.