Coach Mike Jackson is entering his fourth season as the head coach of women’s and men’s cross country/track & field programs at Ramapo College. He brings a wealth of experience to the programs which was evident in his first three seasons. In 2007 Coach Jackson was elected as Atlantic Region Representative at the United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association(USTFCCCA) Convention which took place on December 16-20, 2007. As regionrepresentative, Jackson is the point person for the Atlantic region, which coversall Division III programs in New Jersey and New York. Coach Jackson was votedunanimously by his peers and will serve a three year term.
Coach Jackson’s success began in the fall of 2005, when he was named New Jersey Athletic Conference Coach of the Year for the Women's Cross Country team. The women placed 2nd overall at the championships, the highest finish in school history.
Since Jackson's arrival in 2004, the Roadrunners have broken into the national scene. Christina Gray earned All-America honors in the indoor 400-meter dash with a 4th place finish and most recently, Todd Lowber won the 2006 NCAA Division III Men's High Jump Championship with a jump of 7'0.5".
Coach Jackson is a 2004 graduate of Northeastern University where he earned a BS in Business Administration. He was a four-year member of the Northeastern track & field team where he competed as a sprinter and jumper. He earned All-Conference honors while serving as the team’s captain.
Jackson also was a defensive back for the 2002 Atlantic 10 Champion football team. This was the team's first conference championship and NCAA playoff birth. After completing his eligibility, Coach Jackson served as an assistant coach for track team during the 2003-2004 season.
Prior to his collegiate career, Coach Jackson was an All-County sprinter in the 55-meter going undefeated during his senior year at Hackensack High School. He holds a school record for the 4x100 meter relay. He was also named team Most Valuable Player during his senior year.
Coach Jackson is a USATF Level 1 Certified Track & Field Coach. He is also the Chairman of the Olympic Sports Committee for the Black Coaches Association. Coach Jackson currently resides in Hackensack, NJ.
Coach Andres Cordero joins Coach Mike Jackson’s staff for the second year and will serve as cross country coordinator.
In 2006, coach Cordero worked closely with the men's team and was instrumental in the squad's highest finish during Coach Jackson's tenure. Cordero will now take over both programs and looks to lead them to a championship.
Coach Cordero attended Manhattan College on a scholarship where he shined as a top runner in the program’s history. In his freshman campaign, he captured first place in the 8k (27:51.91) in his collegiate debut at the William Paterson Cross-Country Invitational. In his sophomore season he qualified for the NCAA Regionals where he crossed the finish line in 36th place running the 10k in 32:23.7. Cordero continued to standout in the 10k making Manhattan College history on November 10, 2001 at the NCAA Northeast Regionals where he ran a personal best (30:48.90), placing 20th, and recording the fastest time in the college’s history. At the 29th Annual Lehigh Paul Short Run in 2002, coach Cordero placed 19th overall. He wrapped up his collegiate career with a 39th place at the NCAA Northeast Regionals in 32:13.8, and was the first Jasper to cross the finish line in 25:41.9 (8k) for 11th place at the IC4A Country Championships on November 23, 2002.
Cordero continues to run for leisure and currently resides in Clifton, NJ.
Gina Baker - ASSISTANT COACH
201.684.7836
Coach Gina Baker will be assisting Head Coach Mike Jackson and closely working with Assistant Coach Andres Cordero for her first year as a volunteer Cross Country and Track & Field Coach. Coach Baker will work with both the men’s and women’s teams and will concentrate on the women’s mid-distance and distance runners.
Ms. Baker graduated from Iona College, cum laude, in 2006, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication. Coach Baker was a four-year member of the Iona College Women’s XC and Track & Field teams. Additionally, she was a contributing member of the 2005 XC MAAC Championship team. During her senior year, she played an instrumental role on the indoor distance medley relay team. Running the 800-meter leg, the four-member squad not only won the conference race, but set a school and MAAC conference meet record, guaranteeing the squad a prime position at the ECAC regional meet in Boston, MA.
In May of 2007, Coach Baker competed in the Long Island Half Marathon and continues to run for leisure and likes to participate in road races whenever possible.
Coach Baker currently resides in Rockaway Township, NJ.
Coach Mike Jackson is entering his fourth season as the head coach of women’s and men’s cross country/track & field programs at Ramapo College. He brings a wealth of experience to the programs which was evident in his first three seasons. In 2007 Coach Jackson was elected as Atlantic Region Representative
