CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Head track & field coach Mike Turk announced Wednesday the promotion of Adrian Wheatley to associate head coach of track & field. Wheatley has served as the assistant coach for track & field sprints and hurdles for the past seven seasons for the Fighting Illini.
"Coach Wheatley has been an integral part of our culture and success over the past seven years and earned this opportunity with his contributions," said Turk. "Along with coaching the sprint and hurdle events for both men and women, this change will include an expanded role in the planning and day to day operations of the program, with an emphasis in the areas of leadership development and student athlete welfare."
In his time at Illinois, Wheatley has coached 46 All-America performances, 48 NCAA qualifiers, 73 Regional Qualifiers, 13 individual Big Ten champions, three Big Ten relay titles and 40 All-Big Ten finishers. He has been named USTFCCCA Midwest Region Men's Assistant Coach of the Year three times. Wheatley's athletes have gone on to have success following their graduation from Illinois, with former Illini Juan Paul Green representing the U.S. in the 2013 Pan Am games with a gold medal in the 4x400m relay. Wheatley also coached Stanly Azie and David Kendziera to Olympic Trials.
Prior to Illinois, Wheatley coached at the University of Virginia and guided athletes to two indoor All-American honors and three outdoor All-American honors. Collegiately, Wheatley ran for the University of Tennessee, where he was a member of the 2001 Outdoor NCAA Championship team, the 2002 Outdoor NCAA Runner-up team, and won back-to-back SEC Outdoor Championships in 2001 and 2002. He earned All-American honors in 2001 and 2002 running legs on the 4x400m relays. He was elected team captain by his teammates in 2000.
"I would like to thank Coach Turk and our Athletic Director, Josh Whitman, for this opportunity," said Wheatley. It's been a privilege to lead at the University of Illinois for the past seven years, and I look forward to continuing the work of developing world-class student-athletes as associate head coach."
Illinois also added Jebreh Harris to the coaching staff as an assistant track and field coach specializing in middle distances. Harris arrives in Champaign after five seasons as head cross country coach and assistant track & field coach at UNLV.
"I am thrilled to add Jebreh Harris to the staff," Turk said. "The addition of Coach Harris will allow us to grow the program in a little different direction including his specialty, the middle distance events. I've had a chance to get to know Jebreh over several years and have enjoyed watching his development as a coach. He is passionate, hard-working and relates well to the athletes. We have an outstanding tradition in the middle distance events and I'm looking forward to rebuilding that tradition with Coach Harris."
During his time at UNLV, Harris coached conference champions in the indoor 400m, three times in the outdoor 800m and the outdoor high jump. In 2018, he coached Avi'Tal Wilson-Perteete to the second fastest time in the 800m in the NCAA. He has also been a part of the coaching staff for two USA National Teams, most recently as the men's distance coach for the World Jr. Team this summer.
A University of Tennessee alum and teammate of Wheatley, he was a two-time NCAA All-American in the distance medley relay and the 4x400m relay. He helped lead the Volunteers to both the SEC and NCAA Outdoor Championships team titles in 2001.
As a professional, Harris competed in seven U.S. Outdoor Championships, advancing to the finals four times and two Olympic Trials finals. In 2006 he was a member of the American record-breaking 4x800m relay team, which posted a time of 7:02.82 in Brussels, Belgium. He held a #2 ranking in the U.S. in the 800m in 2007.
"I'm excited to join the Illinois program and family," said Harris. "I want to thank the Illinois athletic department, coach Turk and his staff for bringing me on to the team. I look forward to the opportunity and I am ready to get to work."
Jacob Cohen also returns for his third season as an assistant coach for track & field. Cohen works primarily with jumps, vault and multi-athlete events. Cohen has developed Jonathan Wells into one of the top jumpers in the country and Illinois program history with four All-America honors and two Big Ten high jump titles in the past two seasons.
On Tuesday, Turk announced that assistant coach Sarah Haveman will be promoted to head coach of the men's and women's cross country teams. Haveman replaces Jake Stewart, who left the program to fill the same position at Gonzaga. Additionally, volunteer coach Nolan Fife was promoted to assistant coach for cross country to finalize the coaching staff.
"I am really pleased with the staff moving forward," Turk said. "There is a synergy to this staff of outstanding individuals that will make the sum greater than the parts, which is really special. That synergy is rooted in the sharing of common core beliefs, objectives and goals. Each member of this staff reflects our core values of unity, inspiration, development and achievement, and has the student athlete experience at the forefront of their philosophy."
For complete coverage of Fighting Illini Track and Field, visit FightingIllini.com, follow the Illini on Twitter (@IlliniTrackXC) and Instagram (illinitrackxc) and like Fighting Illini Track and Field & Cross Country on Facebook.
