LOGAN, Utah – Utah State director of track & field and cross country Matt Ingebritsen announced Friday the addition of Ryan Grinnell to his staff as an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator.
 
In his second stint with the Aggies, Grinnell will be the sprints/hurdles and horizontal jumps coach.
 
"We are so excited to have Ryan return to Utah State," Ingebritsen said. "During his time here, he helped recruit and develop some of the best athletes Utah State has ever had. With his experience and accomplishments in two power-five conferences, he can help bring this program to the next level. I can't wait to see where we go from here."
 
Grinnell arrives in Logan after spending the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons at Georgia, where he worked under the tutelage of head coach Petros Kyprianou and helped coach two NCAA individual champions and 20 first-team All-Americans, as well as assisted with 11 individual 2020 Olympic Trials qualifiers, six of which went on to qualify for the Tokyo Games.
 
"Growing up in southeast Idaho, Logan is home for me and I am thrilled to return and join one of the finest programs in the country," Grinnell said. "I have thoroughly enjoyed my conversations with Matt and am excited about his vision. Matt is passionate about the success of his team and I am eager to begin working with him, the rest of the staff and the wonderful group of student-athletes that make up this fantastic program."
 
At the 2021 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships, the Georgia men placed third overall, while the women finished fifth. The Lady Dogs placed third at the NCAA Outdoor Championships that same season.
 
From 2016-19, Grinnell coached Washington State's horizontal jumpers, hurdlers and combined event competitors. While in Pullman, he instructed three Pac-12 champions and coached a number of team members to the NCAA West Preliminary Championships, as well as the NCAA Championships.
 
Under Grinnell's guidance, a pair of Cougars earned first-team All-American honors and another was named second-team All-American.
 
Prior to heading to Pullman, Grinnell was an assistant coach for sprints, jumps, pole vault and combined events from 2014-16 at Utah State. During his first stop in Logan, he coached seven Aggies to second-team All-America honors and helped guide the 2016 men's team to a runner-
up finish at the Mountain West Indoor Championships, where the sprinters and jumpers combined for 89 of the team's 141 points.
 
Grinnell also coached Chari Hawkins, who finished fourth in the heptathlon at the 2015 World University Games, and was a recipient of numerous accolades during her illustrious Utah State career, including the 2015 MW Indoor Athlete of the Year, Mountain Region Women's Indoor/Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year, MW Outdoor Student-Athlete of the Year and MW Outdoor Championship Outstanding Performer.
 
Originally from Idaho Falls, Idaho, Grinnell finished his bachelor's degree in business administration with an emphasis in business management from Boise State in 2009. While with the Broncos, he was a six-time first-team NCAA All-America honoree with four certificates in the triple jump and one each in the high jump and long jump.
 
Grinnell won a school-record nine individual Western Athletic Conference titles and had three runner-up finishes. He was named the WAC's Male Performer of the Year, in addition to being BSU's nominee for the WAC's Joe Kearney Award. Additionally, Grinnell was a two-time Academic All-American honoree and made the Dean's List from 2005-2007 with eight WAC All-Academic honors. He ended his collegiate career as the most decorated student-athlete in Boise State history.
 
Grinnell began his coaching career as a volunteer at Georgia from April 2010-September 2012, while training for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials. He was a member of the staff that led the Bulldogs to a school record most combined points scored at the SEC Outdoor Championships.
 
From 2012-14, Grinnell coached jumps, throws and combined events at Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina, where he coached four individual Big South Conference champions and one BSC Male Indoor Athlete of the Year.
 
As a professional athlete, Grinnell competed and qualified for the finals in the 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials in the triple jump. In 2013, he was the USATF Championships bronze medalist in the triple jump with a leap of 17.02 meters (55-10.25). A week later, he soared to a personal-best leap of 17.22 meters (56-6), which finished the 2013 season as a top-10 World IAAF ranking in the triple jump.
 
For more information on the Utah State track & field/cross country programs, follow the Aggies on Twitter at @USUTF_XC, on Facebook at USUTrack and on Instagram at USUTF_XC.
 
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