Track and Field Coaching Staff
Head Coach Greg Cooper
Greg
Cooper was appointed the men’s and women’s track and field and cross country
head coach on January 21, 2007. Cooper previously served under his father,
Dave Cooper, as assistant coach of the track and field team for five years
and the cross country team for two years. He also coached and taught at the
high school level.
As an assistant coach Cooper specialized in the 400 and 800 meter sprints as well as the hurdles. He played an integral role in coaching Isiah Meek to national qualifying times in both the indoor and outdoor hurdles. This season Cooper will also be taking on the additional assignments of coaching the 100 and 200 meter sprint events.
Cooper was a cross country and track standout at Union City High School where he was a PIAA champion in track & field (4 x 800 meter relay) and captain of Union City’s 1996 PIAA State Champion cross country team. Cooper continued his success at Behrend, where he set records in the 400 and 800 meters as well as three relay records.
Cooper graduated from the Behrend MBA program in May of 2006. In addition to coaching Cooper also instructs in the health and physical education department.
E-mail Coach Greg Cooper: gdc120@psu.edu
Assistant Coach Dave Cooper
Coach
Dave Cooper enters his sixth year as track and field and cross
country coach at Penn State Behrend. Cooper previously served as the
head coach for both track and field and cross country at Behrend for
five seasons before transitioning to the assistant coach role in the
spring of 2007.
In his five seasons at the helm, the men's and women's track and field teams have set scores of records, both indoors and outdoors. Cooper's staff has qualified a total of 130 athletes at the ECAC Championships. In addition to three NCAA qualifiers.
Cooper had previously served the Union City School District for 31 years where he taught physical education and health and wellness classes. Cooper also led the very successful cross country program for 28 seasons and was the head coach of the track and field program for six years after serving as an assistant coach with that program for three years.
Among his many accomplishments are the capturing of the Boys State Cross Country Championship Title in 1996 and 1997, the state runners-up title in 1990, and 19 league titles. His boys dual meet record was 249 wins and 32 losses. The girls program, which was initiated by Cooper, secured ten conference crowns. In 2000, he was listed among the "Coaches of the Century" by the Erie Times Sports Department.
While serving as a coach at Behrend, Cooper also instructs in the health and physical education department.
E-mail Coach Dave Cooper: dac26@psu.edu
Assistant
Coach Mike Palmer
Mike Palmer enters his third year as a Behrend assistant coach and brings a wealth of experience to an already successful jump squad. His ability to coach technique aids his jumpers in reaching championship form. As head coach at General McLane High School he has lead his team to the District 10 Championship. In the past two season's, Palmer’s jumpers have broken the Behrend Lions records ten times.
Assistant Coach Joe Sanford
Joe Sanford is perhaps the most successful high school pole vault coach in Pennsylvania. His vaulters have brought home 29 state medals including seven gold. His vaulters have achieved high school All-American status eight times and have included a National Champion. Starting his sixth year at Behrend, Sanford has qualified eleven vaulters to the ECAC championships.
Assistant Coach Gary Senyo
Gary Senyo returns for his sixth season as javelin coach at Behrend.
This is his second season taking on the additional duties of
coaching the shot put and discus. As a high
school mentor, Senyo qualified numerous javelin, shot put, and discus throwers to district
and state levels. Under Senyo, Behrend javelin throwers routinely
qualify for ECACs, with Dan Mitchell also qualifying for NCAAs in
2004 and 2006.
Assistant Coach Doug Stratton
Doug Stratton returns as the Behrend Lions high jump coach for the third season. Stratton has coached high school All-Americans and state champions at McDowell High School. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Behrend’s high jumpers. In the spring of 2006 he guided Staci Banazek to the ECAC Championship and a ninth place finish at the NCAA Championships.