2008-2009 Ram RamapoapoQuickFacts Quick Facts General Information Name Ramapo College of New Jersey Location Mahwah, NJ Founded 1969 President Dr. Peter Mercer Director of Athletics Michael J. Ricciardi Associate Athletic Director Kathleen Finnegan Assistant Athletic Directors Paul Lizzo, Ben Allen Nickname Roadrunners Colors Maroon and Black Affiliation NCAA Division III, ECAC Conference New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Track and Field Information Head Coach Mike Jackson Alma Mater Northeastern, 2004 Office Phone 201.684.7090 Office Fax 201.684.7958 E-Mail [email protected] Assistant Coaches Richard Carlin, Branko Miric Gina Baker, Eamon O’Brien, Kirk Roberts Athletic Department Main Phone 201.684.7674 Main Fax 201.684.7958 Director of Sports Information Rachel L. Pinton Office Phone 201.684.7679 Office Fax 201.684.7920 E-Mail [email protected] Assistant Sports Information Kate Levin Office Phone 201.684.6293 E-Mail [email protected] Athletic Trainer Megan Priddy Office Phone 201.684.7913 Office Fax 201.684.6261 E-Mail [email protected] Athletic Trainer Luis Pomales Office Phone 201.684.7676 Office Fax 201.684.6261 E-Mail [email protected] Ram RamapoapoCollegeofNJ College of NJ Ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the top public universities (master’s) in the region, Ramapo College of New Jersey is sometimes mistaken for a private col- lege. This is, in part, due to its unique interdisciplinary academic structure, its size of approximately 5,700 students, and its pastoral setting in the foothills of the Ramapo Mountains on the New Jersey/New York border. Established in 1969, Ramapo College offers bachelor’s degrees in the arts, business, humanities, social sciences and the sciences, as well as in professional studies, which include nursing and social work. In addition, Ramapo College offers courses leading to teacher certification at the elementary and secondary levels. The College also offers three graduate programs as well as articulated programs with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and New York Chiropractic College. Undergraduate students choose to concentrate their studies in one of five schools with more than 700 course offerings and 40 academic programs. Ramapo College boasts an average student/faculty ratio of 18:1 and average class size of 23, affording students the opportunity to develop close ties to the College’s exceptional faculty. The College’s mission is focused on the four “pillars” of a Ramapo education: interna- tional, intercultural, interdisciplinary and experiential, all of which are incorporated throughout the curriculum and extracurriculum. The international mission is further accomplished through a wide range of study abroad and student exchange links with institutions all over the world through the New Jersey State Consortium for International Studies (NJSCIS). Additional experiential programs include internships, co-op, and service learning. A campus-wide building program during recent years has resulted in the completion of the Anisfield School of Business academic facility, a central feature of the main entrance to the campus; the Bill Bradley Sports and Recreation Center, with its 2,200- seat arena, fitness center, climbing wall, track and dance/aerobics studio; the Overlook and Laurel residence halls and the Village apartment complex. The Angelica and Russ Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts, completed in 1999, houses performance theaters, art galleries, and specialized spaces devoted to fine arts, com- puter art, photography, theater, dance, and music. In addition to Ramapo’s ranking in U.S. News, the College recently was recognized by two national publications. An article in the February 2008 issue of Kiplinger’s mag- azine named Ramapo College among the top 100 public colleges and universities. Ramapo College also is one of 222 select colleges and universities profiled by The Princeton Review in the 2008 edition of The Best Northeastern Colleges. Dr. Peter Philip Mercer became the College’s fourth president on July 1, 2005. The College is governed by a Board of Trustees who are appointed by the Governor of the State. The Reverend Dr. Vernon C. Walton is the chairman of the board. TRACK AND FIELD 1 Head CoacCoachh Mike Jackson Coach Mike Jackson enters his fifth season as the head coach of women’s and men’s cross country/track & field at Ramapo College. He brings a wealth of experience to the programs, which was evident in his first four seasons. Since Jackson's arrival in 2004, the Roadrunners have broken into the national scene. Jackson has had six All-Americans over his career with the Roadrunners. In 2006, Todd Lowber won the NCAA Division III Men's High Jump Championship with a jump of 7'0.5". Lowber is now a wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys after having never played football. Most recently, the Men’s 4x100 meter relay team placed 5th overall at the 2008 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships. Coach Jackson has experienced much success within the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC). During his tenure, Jackson has had 7 All-NJAC athletes in cross country. In track & field, he's had 14 Individual champions and 97 All-NJAC competitors. Jackson also gained the attention of his peers by being named Coach of the Year on three occasions. Jackson was tabbed as the Coach of the Year for Men’s Indoor & Outdoor Track in 2007– 2008 and for Women’s Cross Country in 2005. The teams placed 2nd overall at the championships, the highest finish in school history. Those who participate in Ramapo’s running programs show that they are true student-athletes through their work in the classroom. Both genders have kept a team Grade Point Average (GPA) of over 3.0 for the last four years. The women’s and men’s cross country teams were recognized by the USTFC- CCA for their academic achievements in the Fall of 2007. Senior Captian Briane Jacob was named Academic All-Conference by the NJAC. Jacob boasts a 3.96 GPA over her four-year career. In October of 2006, Jackson was upgraded to full-time status. He is the first full-time cross coun- try/track & field coach in Ramapo College history. In addition, Coach Jackson was integral in the plan- ning of renovations to the track & field facility. The facility, which has not had any repair since 1977, will feature an eight lane, all-weather track as well as all necessary field event areas. The project is expected to be complete by July 2008. Coach Jackson is a 2004 graduate of Northeastern University where he earned a BS in Business Administration. He was a four-year member of the Northeastern track & field team where he compet- ed as a sprinter and jumper. During his athletic career, Jackson helped his team win America East Indoor Championships in 2000-2002 and Outdoor Championships in 2001 and 2002. He earned All- Conference honors while serving as the team’s captain. Jackson also was a defensive back for the 2002 Atlantic 10 Champion football team. This was the team's first conference championship and NCAA playoff birth. After completing his eligibility, Coach Jackson served as an assistant coach for track team during the 2003-2004 season and helped lead the men's and women's programs to America East Championships. Prior to his collegiate career, Coach Jackson was an All-County sprinter in the 55-meter dash going undefeated during his senior year at Hackensack High School. He led his team to Indoor Group 4 Relay and Individual Championships in 1999. He holds a school record for the 4x100 meter relay. He was also named team Most Valuable Player Coach Jackson’s during his senior year. All-Americans 2005 Indoor Track Coach Jackson is a USATF Level 1 Certified Track & Field Coach. He is Christina Gray also the Chairman of the Olympic Sports Committee for the Black 400-Meter Run Coaches and Administrators Association. In 2007 Coach Jackson was 4th Place elected as Atlantic Region Representative at the United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Convention, 2006 Outdoor Track Todd Lowber which took place on December 16-20, 2007. As region representative, High Jump Jackson is the point person for the Atlantic region, which covers all 1st Place Division III programs in New Jersey and New York. Coach Jackson was voted unanimously by his peers and will serve a three-year term. 2008 Outdoor Track 4x100 Meter Men’s Relay 5th Place Coach Jackson currently resides in Englewood, NJ. TRACK AND FIELD 2 Assi Assistantstant Coaches Richard Carlin Coach Richard Carlin, who was a volunteer track coach at Ramapo College for the 2005-2006 season, became an official member of Coach Jackson's staff in 2006-2007. He continues this year as a second year assistant coach. Coach Carlin has a BA in English and a Master’s in Counseling; he has 17 years of experience as a NYC English teacher and 25 years as a guidance counselor. He is cur- rently employed as a guidance counselor at the East Orange Campus High School. During his years in NYC public school system, Coach Carlin served as Head Coach for the Martin Luther King High School track team for 25 years. During his tenure he developed 15 All-City athletes, 10 City Champions and two All-Americans. He also served as a NYC Public School Athletic League Clinician in four events; hurdles, high jump, long jump and triple jump. Last year as a volunteer high jump coach at Ramapo College, Coach Carlin was instrumental in aid- ing Todd Lowber in his successful quest as Ramapo College’s first NCAA DIII National High Jump Champion. Coach Carlin’s depth of experience and love of track is a welcome addition to Ramapo College’s Cross Country and Track Team staff.