Charles Ryan (Academy of Art)

2012-2013 Women's Track & Field Coaching Staff

Ryan, CharlesOlson, TorreyJohnson, LamontSmith, LaurenRoss, EvelynSpeer, Derek
Coaches
Expand Charles Ryan
Head Coach



Charles Ryan, who enters his third year as head coach, took over the Urban Knights Track & Field/Cross Country program in September of 2010 ushering in a new direction of concentrated focus. The mission: Build a National Class NCAA Division II program. The philosophy: Something that Ryan simply refers to as "D-R-I-V-E." Dedication - Respect - Intensity - Vision - Education.

Year two with Ryan at the helm was highlighted by a historic first meet at Boise State and many elite performances including an Urban Knight, Vashti Thomas, in the U.S. Olympic Trials and USA Track & Field Indoor National Championships. The ART U men's and women's track & field teams combined to set a grand total of 39 new program records (21 in indoor, 18 in outdoor) this season.

In his first season as the head coach for ART U, Ryan re-wrote the record books in one season as the 2010 Urban Knights set records in every running discipline, truly a testament to the new standard that Ryan envisions for the program. However, more than the records, the crown jewel of year one of his tenure was the phenomenal recruiting class that Ryan and staff were able to recruit to the Academy. A parade of State Champions, National Class talent and prominent Division I transfers highlighted a fresh crop of athletes who succeeded in fulfilling the program's goal of rewriting its record books in 2011.

Ryan is no stranger to success, be it as an athlete or a coach. Prior to his arrival to the Urban Knights, Ryan spent three seasons as the Assistant Sprints/Hurdles Coach for Louisiana Tech. While coaching at LA Tech, Ryan developed 30 WAC Conference Champions, 28 NCAA Regional Qualifiers, and 12 NCAA National Qualifiers. His most decorated athlete, Antoinette Cobb, was honored at the 2009-10 Collegiate Women’s Sports Awards with the Honda Inspiration Award. Cobb received the honor for her tremendous story of determination and perseverance having survived colon cancer and then developing into one of the NCAA premier hurdlers. Ryan’s athletes at Louisiana Tech lead the charge that would see the Lady Techsters sweep every conference title they competed for in his three years, a perfect six-for-six sweep (three indoor, three outdoor).

Before Ryan’s achievements at Louisiana Tech, the Bay Area native from Richmond, CA had major success at the club and high school levels. He led numerous athletes to All-American high school accolades. His athletes broke three US National records, won six individual national championships and 15 state champions. Ryan co-founded Track Knoxville in 2005, a club team out of Knoxville, TN, that sent 100 percent of its graduates to Division I NCAA programs. The most decorated of those athletes was Jacquelyn Coward who was named to the DyeStat ESPN RISE All-Decade Team next to Olympic and world legends the likes of Allyson Felix, Sanya Richards, and Lashinda Demus.

During his four year college tenure, Ryan ran hurdles and relays for both UCLA and South Carolina. While at South Carolina, he earned a BA in Liberal Arts, graduating in 2004 with a major in Sociology, and was a part of the quartet that set an American record in the Shuttle Hurdle Relay in 2003. Ryan also earned and was a US Junior All-American while at UCLA and made the US Championships Semi-Finals in 2002. His roots in the Bay Area run deep as he graduated from McClymonds High School (West Oakland) in 1999.

“The goals are simple: Domination of the region and take over the NCAA DII national scene,” Coach Ryan says. “I do not accept taking a back seat to anyone. We are setting the foundation for what will be the next powerhouse in our sport. We will do it the right way, but our own way, the ‘Be Artist. Be Athlete.’ way.”

Courtesy Academy of Art