RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced on Wednesday the hiring of Mike Embry, who spent the last four seasons as an assistant coach at Coastal Carolina, as a new assistant coach with the track & field programs.
 
Embry will work primarily with the jumps squad while assisting in recruiting.
 
During his career, Embry has recruited two of the top ranked recruiting classes in the Sun Belt while earning Southeastern Regional Assistant Coach of the Year Finalist honors and coaching three Sun Belt Athletes of the Year and seven team conference champions.
 
"Adding Coach Embry to our staff is the final piece to the puzzle," UTRGV head coach Shareese Hicks said. "He was a strong recruiter in the Sun Belt Conference and maintained a steadfast tradition of developing athletes throughout his career."
 
While at Coastal Carolina, Embry coached the jumps squad while serving as recruiting coordinator.
 
This past season, Embry's men's long jump crew ranked 10^th in the NCAA and first among non-Power 5 teams.
 
Embry coached Dallas Wise to the NCAA East Preliminary Round in the high, long, and triple jumps, the only student-athlete in the nation to compete in all three jumping events during the postseason. Wise is set to compete in the Tokyo Summer Paralympic Games starting Aug. 27 with the long jump and continuing Aug. 29 with the high jump.
 
Embry guided David Ejumeta to All-American Honorable Mention after finishing 21^st in the long jump at the NCAA Championships. The Sun Belt Conference Field Athlete of the Year, Ejumeta broke the Sun Belt and program outdoor records in the long jump with a conference championship-winning leap of 7.97 meters, the 12^th-best mark in the NCAA.
 
Embry also helped Erik Eckleben to qualify for the NCAA East Preliminary Round in the long jump twice while breaking the program indoor record in the long jump.

During his tenure, Embry's student-athletes recorded the top three men's outdoor long jumps and six of the top 10 as well as the top two triple jumps, and three of the top five, in program history. 
 
His student-athletes also hold two of the top 10 women's indoor long jump marks.
 
"It has been a blessing learning from Larry & Yvonne Wade, Karl Goodman, Sandy Fowler, Tim Vaught, Curtis Frye, Miles Smith, Lonnie Green, Duane Ross, Chandra Cheeseborough, Brenton Emanuel, and countless other coaches," Embry said. "They have helped shape who I am as a coach and recruiter. I look forward to bringing this passion to UTRGV and helping to build a powerful program."
 
Embry got his start in collegiate coaching from 2014-17 as an assistant coach with his alma mater, Eastern Illinois, working primarily with student-athletes competing in sprints, jumps, hurdles, and relays.
 
During the 2017 indoor season, Embry coached his squad to the #5 NCAA Division I ranking in men's long jump and the #24 NCAA Division I ranking in the men's 60-meter dash.
 
Then, during the 2017 outdoor season, Embry guided Angelica Anyaogu to the NCAA Championships West Preliminary Round in the long jump.
 
Under his instruction during the 2016 outdoor season, Embry helped Brion Portis and Kendall Williams advance to the NCAA Championships West Preliminary Round in the long and triple jumps. Both Portis and Williams were ranked in the top 100 nationally in their respective events.
 
Embry competed in both football and track & field at Eastern Illinois. He was a standout on the track & field team, finishing his career ranked in the top 10 in program history in the 60-meter hurdles while competing in both the long jump and 4x100-relay events.
 
Embry earned his Master of Arts in Aging Studies from Eastern Illinois in 2009 after finishing a Bachelor of Science in Health Studies in 2008.
 
Originally from Lakeland, Fla., Embry earned 12 letters at Jenkins High School, in football, wrestling, track & field and weightlifting. He was a two-time state qualifier in hurdles, a two-time state qualifier in wrestling at 171 pounds, and earned all-conference and all-county honors in football by setting a school record with eight interceptions in 2001.
 
"Our entire staff shares my vision for this program and how we will make a positive impact here in the Valley," Hicks said. "Each coach is bringing something different to the table and as a team we will be a force in the WAC."
                                                                                          
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