Sept. 5, 2006

Daytona Beach. Fla. - The new era of Bethune-Cookman College Athletics has now switched from the hiring of a softball coach to the hiring of Garfield Ellenwood as the new head coach of the Wildcats track & field program. Ellenwood comes to Bethune-Cookman College via the University of Nevada-Las Vegas where he served for two years as an assistant coach with the women's track & field squad for the Runnin' Rebels.

"I'm thankful for the opportunity to be here at Bethune-Cookman College," expressed Ellenwood. "This is a tremendous area for potential being in Florida. This is a new beginning and a new era both for me and the college. That is our team motto, actually."

Prior to his coaching stint at UNLV, Ellenwood served for two years at Campbell University in Buies Creek, N.C. While coaching there, Ellenwood guided high jumper Eric Bergemann to the NCAA Indoor Championships as the first Campbell student-athlete to ever advance to the national championships and first All-American since 1983. Sprinter Akeisha Flegler won the Atlantic Sun 100-meter championship and set school records indoors in the 55- and 60- and 200-meter events and the outdoor 200. The men's 4x100 meter relay squad also earned all-conference honors with a third-place finish at the league championship.

"We are proud to have an outstanding young coach on our staff like Garfield Ellenwood," exclaims Lynn W. Thompson (B-CC Director of Athletics). "We hope that he will turn our women's and men's track & field, as well as cross country, teams into top caliber teams. We want this to become a championship level program, and we are excited about what the future holds under his leadership."

As a graduate of Seton Hall, earning a degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences and a minor in Psychology in 1998, Ellenwood set Big East Conference indoor record in the 55-meter dash and finished third in the event in the 1997 NCAA Indoor Championship. During his career, Ellenwood won five (5) Big East titles and was a three-time All-America performer. Prior to joining the Pirates program, Ellenwood attended Essex Junior College in 1995.

Garfield Ellenwood not only knows the sport of track & field, but he also lives it. Before arriving at Bethune-Cookman College, Ellenwood started his own track & field club team called Elite Athletes International TC. He has helped to coach Olympians such as Duane Ross and Kia Davis.

"I want to thank everyone along the way that has made this possible for me to get a head coaching position at Bethune-Cookman College," stated Ellenwood. "I want to make the best of this situation, and I know we can do great things here as a Wildcat."