Perkins Announced as Track and Field Assistant

NORMAN, Okla. University of Oklahoma head track and field coach Martin Smith announced the hiring of assistant coach Jeff Perkins Thursday, Sept. 22. Perkins is the fifth staff member hired by Smith to comprise an entirely new track and field staff.

Perkins enters his first season with OU as the men's sprints, hurdles and relays coach after working three years in a similar role at Cal State Northridge.

“There were a couple of factors that made Jeff a strong candidate for this position,” Smith said. “One was the time he spent at the University of Tennessee, which for many years has been noted for having one of the best track and field programs in the nation, a very balanced program and, specifically, one of the strongest in the sprints and the hurdles. He was able to work with and study under Vince Anderson, who is considered one of the more prominent and successful sprints/hurdles coaches in the country, as well as a very good group of other coaches.

“The last few years he spent at Cal State Northridge where I've been able to watch him, while I was on the West Coast myself Oregon, completely rebuild, change and develop a very impressive, young sprints/hurdles corps. The other coaches and I obviously think he's ready to take that next step and bring those things to our sprints/hurdles program here.”

The Matadors' sprinters and hurdlers enjoyed success under Perkins. In 2005, the CSUN men claimed their second straight Big West Championship with the help of Anthony Brown and James Frederickson.

Brown defended his 110-meter hurdles title while Frederickson posted a victory in the 400-meter hurdles.

Frederickson, along with hurdler Ashleigh McGrew, also claimed Junior All-America honors at the USA Junior Outdoor Track and Field Championships during the summer.

The Matador women also fared well last season, claiming the runner-up spot at the conference meet. Perkins' athletes shined during the championships.

Among those were Julie Eze, who was voted Big West Freshman Athlete of the Year. Eze won the 400-meter hurdles and placed fourth in the 100-meter hurdles. She was also the leadoff runner for the winning 4x400-meter relay and runner-up 4x100-meter relay teams.

In 2004, CSUN sprinters dominated the Big West. Led by Hung Nguyen, the Matador men swept the 100 at the conference championships. The Matador women claimed both sprint relays en route to their second Big West title in three years.

Perkins coached then-freshman Shauna Hackett, a walk-on, to the Big West 100 meters title and a national qualifying time. Hackett also set the CSUN freshman indoor 60-meters record with a time of 7.61 seconds at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Indoor Championships.

Perkins' coaching experience began in 1996 as an undergrad at the University of Tennessee. Working primarily as a manager/volunteer assistant, Perkins coached the sprinters, hurdlers and horizontal jumpers for six seasons (1996-2002). He has also coached for AAU Track and Field, working mostly with vertical jumpers.

During his time at UT, Perkins worked with Justin Gatlin, who won NCAA National Championships in the 100 and 200 meters as a true freshman before winning the World Outdoor Championship in the same events in 2005.

Perkins earned a bachelor's degree in sport management from Tennessee in 2000.

“He and (assistant coach) Jeremy (Fischer) have known each other for a number of years and have worked together. So, they already have an additional component there of building a chemistry and awareness which is very positive when you have a completely new staff. And, because of Jeremy, he's also been able to develop a connection with (assistant coach) Mark (Napier) through their mutual friendship.”

A native of San Diego, Calif., Perkins prepped at Camarillo High School for two years before graduating from Marshall High School in Falls Church, Va., in 1995. In high school, he competed in the high jump, long jump and triple jump.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Perkins Announced as Track and Field Assistant

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