JENKINS ADDS JOHNSON, MILLER TO WKU TRACK AND FIELD COACHING STAFF
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU head track and field and cross country coach Erik Jenkins announced Willie Johnson and Taylor Miller as assistants to his coaching staff on Thursday morning. Johnson will assist Jenkins with the sprints and jumps while Miller will head the women’s distance runners.
“Taylor and Willie will be positive additions to the staff, athletic department, the WKU campus and Bowling Green community,” said Jenkins.
Johnson comes to the Hill after spending the previous three seasons as an assistant at Marshall University, where the Thundering Herd experienced unprecedented success under his direction from 2010-2013. During his three years of directing sprints, jumps, and multis at Marshall, Johnson mentored five NCAA Championship qualifiers, two first-team All-Americans, four Conference USA champions and 10 All-Conference USA performers.
Johnson was named the Mid-Atlantic Region Assistant Coach of the Year following the 2012-13 season after guiding two first-team All-Americans at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Johnson’s tutelage produced 31 school-record performances over the past three seasons, seven of which were set by 2013 All-American and Mid-Atlantic Women’s Field Athlete of the Year Vanessa Jules. In total, 227 personal bests were recorded during Johnson’s time as assistant.
"We're very happy to have Willie join us. He has done a great job of identifying, recruiting and developing quality student athletes at every stop in his coaching career,” said Jenkins. “I have admired his commitment to developing his student athletes and helping them mature. His recent accolades are proof positive of his technical knowledge as well as his ability to connect and communicate with the student athletes. I am excited to have him and his wife Lacee joining us in Bowling Green.”
Originally from Orlando, Fla., Johnson was a two-time All-American and four-time All-ACC triple jumper at Florida State from 2002-05.
“I’m very excited to join the WKU staff,” said Johnson. “I have a strong belief in the vision of Coach Jenkins and have always been a follower of the success at WKU.”
Miller joins the WKU coaching staff after spending the 2012-13 season directing the distance program at Murray State as an assistant. Under Miller’s guidance the Lady Racers track and field team finished runner-up at the Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Championships, aided by four point-scoring performances in the distance events. Miller directed Carolyne Tanui to a runner-up finish in the 10,000 meter run and All-OVC honors.
During the cross country season, Miller led the Lady Racers to a fourth-place finish at the OVC Cross Country Championships. Miller helped guide Abigail Ashbee-Simmonds to a school-record performance in the 6,000-meter run at the NCAA Southeast Regionals while aiding two other athletes to personal records at regionals.
“I really like Taylor's energy. She is passionate about the sport and is proving to be a tenacious recruiter,” said Jenkins. “She has a great vision for what our distance program can be. She is a tireless worker with drive and ambition. I am excited to have her as vibrant member of the staff and leading our women's distance runners. She has experience at several levels which will help her positively connect with her student athletes.”
A native of Owensboro, Ky., Miller graduated from the University of Kentucky where she was a standout runner for the cross country and track and field teams. She earned All-Southeastern Conference accolades in the 10,000 meter run and holds the fifth-fastest time in Lady Wildcats history in the event at 35:45.
“It truly is a dream job for me, being from western Kentucky. I feel like a hometown girl,” said Miller. “The tradition here is like none other in terms of winning championships. It’s an exciting, young coaching staff. I’ve talked to some of girls already and I’m really excited about what we can accomplish.”