April 19, 2007

Daytona Beach, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman first-year track & field head coach Garfield Ellenwood has recently been named as the 2008 Olympic coach for the Liberian National Team.

Ellenwood, who joined the B-CU staff in September 2006, has quickly established an elite track & field recruiting plan for the Wildcats while helping the team jump in the MEAC Indoor results from this past February compared to last year's standings. Along with that, he has helped to bring two very-well established coaches in Chris McCoy and USA Track & Field Olympian Kia Davis to the program as assistant coaches.

For his outstanding background and coaching services known around the track & field world, Ellenwood has been selected to start as the Liberian National coach immediately. That entails serving as the team liaison for all events; training and preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing; as well as the development and implementation of a sustainable youth program.

"This is a great honor for not only me, but the school [Bethune-Cookman University] as well," exclaims Coach Ellenwood. "I am looking forward to building a great relationship over there, and hopefully start to mend some great international ties towards the track & field program here at B-CU. This is certainly a way to attract some international attention to Bethune-Cookman Track & Field as well as Daytona Beach within this ever-growing sport, if we can continue to grow on the facilities and host some major meets in the future."

Garfield's duties begin immediately as he helps the Liberian Team get ready for the World Championships in September, as well as the African Championships and ... of course, the Olympic Games in the summer of 2008 in Beijing.

"This is allowing me and the school to open gates that haven't been opened before," states Coach Ellenwood. "With this partnership, we get the chance to open up the international gates to Liberian students through the UNCF [United Negro College Fund] by supporting African nations. This is just an amazing opportunity with so many levels of possibility that I can't name them all. This is certainly going to help put B-CU Track & Field on the map."

For more information on this amazing position given to Garfield Ellenwood, please call the B-CU Office of Sports Information at (386) 481-2206.