Jerrod Cook has served as Abilene Christian's head track and field coach since the start of the 2020-21 season. He was promoted to this position following 15 seasons as a decorated assistant coach for the Wildcats, specializing in the throws and multi events.
Cook is the 21st head coach in the 100-plus-year history of the Wildcats' championship track and field program.
ACU made its WAC Championship debuts in 2022. The women were the Outdoor Championship runner-ups with 143 points while the men placed sixth with 91.5 points. Indoors, the women placed third with 106.5 points and the men ranked fifth of 10 schools with 73.5 points.
In May 2022 Cook guided seniors Annina Brandenburg and JJ Play to First Team All-America status. Brandenburg placed eighth in the shot put with a school-record distance of 17.30 meters (56-09.25), while Ply recorded an eighth-place decathlon total of 7,739 points.
The year prior (2021), Cook and his assistant coaches directed the women's team to its first Southland Conference Indoor Championship.
Competing at the Birmingham (Ala.) Crossplex, the Wildcat women showcased their depth by scoring 107 points across 13 events to edge Northwestern State (103 points) for top honors. They also brought home 10 medals (four gold, four silver, two bronze).
ACU's point distribution included 18 in the sprints, plus 29 in the jumps and 21 in the distances. The Wildcats also netted 12 points in the shot put, 13 in the heptathlon, six in the 60-meter hurdles and eight in the meet-closing 4x400-meter relay, which secured ACU's first track and field conference team championship since 2013 (Lone Star Conference Indoors).
Cook: By The Numbers
1 Olympic Trial Qualifier
Nick Jones (2012 Shot Put and Discus)
11 NCAA National Champions
Linda Brivule - (3x) 2008-10 Javelin
Nick Jones - (5x) 2008-09, 2011-12 Discus; 2012 Indoor Shot Put
Paige Newby - 2010 Discus
Camille Vandendriessche - (2x) 2008-09 Decathlon
3 DI Outdoor All-Americas
Annina Brandenburg - 2019 Discus, Second Team | 2022 Shot Put, First Team
JJ Ply - 2022 Decathlon
Kayla Melgar - 2019 Outdoor Shot Put, Third Team
4 DII Indoor All-Americas
Kelli Clements - 2007 Shot Put
Nick Jones - (2x) 2011-12 Shot Put
Parker Petty - 2012 Heptathlon
24 DII Outdoor All-Americas
Linda Brivule - (3x) 2008-10 Javelin
Kelli Clements - 2008 Shot Put
Tyler Fleet - 2010 Discus
James Hardin - 2010 Decathlon
Andrew Hudson - 2013 Discus
Nick Jones - (7x) 2008-09, 2011-12 Discus; 2009, 2011-12 Shot Put
Baptiste Kerjean - (2x) 2012-13 Hammer
Ameilia Mitchell - 2013 Javelin
Paige Newby - (2x) 2009-10 Discus
Chris Pounds - 2008 Decathlon
Jessica Sloss - 2010 Hammer
Jessica Withrow - 2008 Heptathlon
Camille Vandendriessche - 2008-09 Decathlon
14 NCAA West Region Prelim Qualifiers
2022 (3): Annina Brandenburg, Zoe Burleson, JJ Ply
2021 (2): Annina Brandenburg, Thomas Wilson
2019 (5): Annina Brandenburg, Joshua Hunter, Morgan Knight, Kayla Melgar, Ryan Simmons
2018 (6): Joshua Hunter, Morgan Knight, Kayla Melgar, Kai Schmidt, Ryan Simmons, Lonnie Smith
3 WAC Conference Champions
18 Southland Conference Champions
33 Lone Star Conference Champions
10 School Record Holders
August 2022 marked the start of Cook's 17th year with the Wildcats and his third year as head track and field coach. He was hired in 2006 by then-head coach Don D. Hood to be the Wildcats' throwing coach following a distinguished career as a student-athlete and assistant coach at McMurry ('04 B.S. Exercise and Sports Studies). He later served in a similar capacity under coaches Roosevelt Lofton (2009-13), Keith Barnier (2013-16) and Bingham (2016-20). He was elevated to Associate Head Coach in May 2015.
There's rarely, if ever, been a lull in the Wildcats' throwing operation since Cook's arrival. He coached Kelli Clemens to DII All-America honors in his first year at ACU, and by the end of year two both Nick Jones (discus) and Linda Brivule (javelin) were national champions in their respective events. Jones would become only the second athlete in NCAA history (regardless of division or gender) to win four national titles in the discus joining former UCLA women's great Seilala Sua, who won titles for the Bruins from 1997-2000.
Cook's extensive list of proteges also includes DI All-Americas Annina Brandenburg (discus) and Kayla Melgar (shot put), plus DII national champions Paige Newby (discus), Camille Vandendriessche (decathlon) and Jessica Withrow (heptathlon).
Cook doubled as the Wildcats' multis training coordinator from 2008-16.
ACU's return to DI brought with it one of Cook's best all-around recruiting classes, as from 2015-19 the crew of Melgar, McKennon Cecil, Joshua Hunter, Morgan Knight, Reagan Mabery, Taylor Posey, Ryan Simmons, Kai Schmidt and Lonnie Smith combined for nine conference victories, 34 medals and 423 points (47.0 points per thrower).
This group additionally features four school record holders and more than 20 all-time top-10 performers.
Overall, Cook's athletes have set 10 (of 12) school throwing records. In January 2020, Brandenburg reached an indoor shot put distance of 52 feet-3.75 inches (15.94 meters) at the Texas A&M-hosted Ted Nelson Invitational. Her mark broke Marlene Lewis' previous record of 50-9 (15.46m) that had stood for 32 years (Dec. 1987).
ACU's throwers were responsible for 37 points in March 2020 at the Birmingham Crossplex, where both teams placed third of 13 schools. The Wildcats swept the shot put as redshirt freshman Tyler Richardson won his event behind a first-place toss of 56-1.75 (17.11m) and scored 17 points in the men's weight throw as freshman Jacob Mechler, junior Thomas Wilson and Richardson placed second, fourth and fifth, respectively.
In recognition of his efforts, Richardson was voted Southland Conference Indoor Freshman of the Year.
A consistent, loyal and productive assistant, Cook has twice earned the designation of interim head coach at ACU. He coached the Wildcats throughout the entire 2013 outdoor season, guiding 16 student-athletes to their final NCAA DII Championship Meet, including triple jump national champion Amanda Ouedraogo and hammer throw runner-up Baptiste Kerjean.
Cook again stepped into this role in April 2016 and helped the men's and women's teams each place fourth at the Southland Conference Championships where Alexandria Hackett was voted Outdoor Athlete of the Year.
Personal
Cook and his wife, Melinda, reside in Potosi with their two children: Katelyn and Carter.
Cook was a seven-time national qualifier in the indoor weight throw and outdoor hammer. In 2003, he was a NCAA Division III All-America selection for his performance indoors in the weight throw. He won five conference titles with the McMurry Warhawks from 2001-04 throwing the hammer and the javelin. His throw of 59-5.00 set the school’s record in the weight throw, while his mark of 188-11 is a record for the hammer.
He was inducted into McMurry's Hall of Honor in October of 2022.
Cook is certified at Level I by the USA Track and Field and also spends time as a personal trainer and helps conduct summer track and field camps throughout the state. Cook graduated from McMurry in 2004 with a B.S. in exercise and sports studies and helped coached three Warhawks to All-America honors.
