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Track Team Wins Jane Herrmann

Donald Young Named BGSU Assistant Track and Field Coach

Tue, Oct, 12 | Women's Track and Field

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University Department of Athletics has announced the hiring of Donald Young as an assistant coach for the women's track and field team.

Young joins the staff of head coach Cami Paulson, who is in her 12th season with the university.

 “I was very impressed with Donald during the hiring process and feel he is exactly the fit we were looking for to complete our staff and move the program as a whole in the right direction,” Paulson said. “He understands what it takes to build a championship attitude, and he brings tremendous enthusiasm and a strong desire to succeed. Donald is ready to mentor the student-athletes he will oversee in the program to be the best they can be in all areas.”

Young combines experience as both an athlete and coach, and he has worked with a variety of athletes on both the high school and college level.

Most recently, Young was the assistant track and field coach for Archbold High School in Archbold, Ohio. 

In his season at AHS, Young designed and implemented practice plans for distance runners, long sprinters and hurdlers. He also created weightlifting programs for three different classes of runners.

His team won its 2010 conference championship as seven athletes had first place finishes. One set a conference record. His team also set two school records and had state qualifiers in two relay and two individual events.

John Downey, track and field head coach at Archbold, said, “I was Donnie Young's football and track coach, and he was a highly successful three sport athlete here. As a coach, he coordinated the training program last season. He was very responsible with the team's conditioning and helped us finish fourth at the Division III state meet. He's very personable with athletes. Donnie is a really energetic, hardworking coach, and I think he'll be tremendous for BGSU.”

Prior to his work at Archbold, Young was an assistant men's track and field coach at Eastern Michigan University from 2009 to 2010 and also served as the team's administrative assistant from 2007 to 2008.

At EMU, Young coached sprinters, hurdlers and relay teams. He was also responsible for meet management and event planning, as well as team travel.

While Young was at EMU, the men's team won the 2008 MAC championship for the 12th time in 13 years and set a MAC record for the largest margin of victory (207 team points). The team also had the MAC champion and an NCAA qualifier in the 60 meter dash.

“Donnie was a member of a number of MAC championship teams at EMU. He knows what it means to work and compete hard for a top track and field program,” said Sue Parks, head coach of cross country and women's track and field at Eastern Michigan. “He has carried over what he learned as an athlete to his coaching career, and I believe that his intensity and desire to succeed will be a huge boost to the Bowling Green staff.”

As an athlete, Young was a four-year letter winner at Eastern Michigan in track and field. He earned co-captain honors from 2004 to 2007.

In 2004, he finished in the top five of two events at the indoor MAC Championships, placing third in the 400 meters and fourth in the 200 meters. He also placed in the top five in the 400 meter event at both the 2005 and 2007 outdoor MAC Championships.

Young ran on numerous MAC championship 4x400 relay teams from 2003 to 2007, and in 2007, he was an All-NCAA Regional Qualifier in the 4x400 relay at that year's outdoor NCAA Championships.

“Donnie was a team captain for me for three years at EMU and was a tireless worker and outstanding team leader. He was always willing to go above and beyond our expectations for him as a student-athlete. Donnie has a great passion for track and field and will be a great coach,” said former Eastern Michigan head track and field coach Brad Fairchild.

Young is looking forward to his new challenge.

“I am absolutely thrilled to join BGSU athletics and to be a part of Coach Paulson's staff. Bowling Green is a special place in northwest Ohio, where you have a great college atmosphere along with highly competitive student-athletes,” Young said. “Having competed at Eastern Michigan, with the success we had there, I know what it takes to win in the MAC. I can't wait to start working with the student-athletes.”

Young will replace outgoing assistant coach Jody Stewart on the track and field staff.