Coach Mike Jackson is in 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.
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’s success continued 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.
In October of 2006, Jackson was upgraded to full-time status. He is the first full-time cross country/track & field coach in Ramapo College history. In addition, Coach Jackson was integral in the planning of renovations to the track & field facility. The facility, which has not had any repair since 1977, will feature an eight lane, all-weather track as well as all necessary field event areas. The project is expected to be complete by May of 2008.
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. During his athletic career, Jackson helped his team win America East Indoor Championships in 2000-2002 and Outdoor Championships in 2001 and 2002. 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 and helped lead the men's and women's programs to America East Championships.
Prior to his collegiate career, Coach Jackson was an All-County sprinter in the 55-meter dash going undefeated during his senior year at Hackensack High School. He led his team to Indoor Group 4 Relay and Individual Championships in 1999. 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 continues with Coach Mike Jackson’s staff for the second time this year bringing a wealth of running experience to the program.
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 36:23.7. 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. 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 Little Falls, NJ.
Richard Carlin - ASSISTANT COACH
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Coach Richard Carlin, who was a volunteer track coach at Ramapo College for the 2005-2006 season, became an official member of Coach Jackson's staff in 2006-2007. He continues this year as a second year assistant coach. Coach Carlin has a BA in English and a Master’s in Counseling; he has 17 years of experience as a NYC English teacher and 25 years as a guidance counselor. He is currently employed as a guidance counselor at the East Orange Campus High School.
During his years in NYC public school system, Coach Carlin served as Head Coach for the Martin Luther King High School track team for 25 years. During his tenure he developed 15 All-City athletes, 10 City Champions and two All-Americans. He also served as a NYC Public School Athletic League Clinician in four events; hurdles, high jump, long jump and triple jump.
Last year as a volunteer high jump coach at Ramapo College, Coach Carlin was instrumental in aiding Todd Lowber in his successful quest as Ramapo College’s first NCAA DIII National High Jump Champion. Coach Carlin’s depth of experience and love of track is a welcome addition to Ramapo College’s Cross Country and Track Team staff.
Coach Carlin resides in Hillsdale, NJ.
Branko Miric - ASSISTANT COACH
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Coach Branko Miric enters his second year on Coach Mike Jackson’s staff. An experienced pole vaulter, Coach Miric will focus on coaching the Roadrunners’ pole vaulting squad. A 2004 graduate of William Paterson University, Coach Miric earned a BS in English.
Besides coaching at Ramapo College, Coach Miric currently is the assistant coach for West Milford High School. At West Milford he has coached three girls and two boys to the New Jersey Group State Championship level. In 2005, one of his students climbed to the Passaic County Championship. under his direction.
Coach Miric is also an instructor at the Hudson Valley Flying Circus Pole Vault Club. He coaches along side Tim St. Lawrence and Hugh Cauthers.
Mary Jones - ASSISTANT COACH
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Mary Jones was a new addition to the men's and women's coaching staff in 2006-2007. She will join Coach Mike Jackson's staff for the second straight year. An NJAC standout as a three-year captain at New Jersey City University (NJCU), she brings to Ramapo College a broad-range knowledge of track & field that includes the horizontal jumps, the high jump, and the high hurdles. Her athletic success earned her the honor of 2000 NJAC Athlete of the Year and set the platform for a wave of NJCU standouts.
Freshman jumper Juliana DaCosta, has won numerous awards in her first year under Coach Jones's tutelage, including 2006 NJAC Field Athlete of the Year for indoor track.
Alongside Head Coach Jackson, a former Hackensack High School teammate of hers, and the Ramapo coaching staff, the men's and women's teams are instant contenders in the conference and nation with the help of Coach Mary Jones.
Coach Jones graduated from NJCU in 2006 with a BA in English. She currently resides in Hackensack, NJ.
Gina Baker - ASSISTANT COACH
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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 in 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
Coach Andres Cordero continues with Coach Mike Jackson’s staff for the second time this year bringing a wealth of running experience to the program.
Coach Richard Carlin, who was a volunteer track coach at Ramapo College for the 2005-2006 season, became an official member of Coach Jackson's staff in 2006-2007. He continues this year as a second year assistant coach. Coach Carlin has a BA in English and a Master’s in Counseling; he has 17 years of experience as a NYC English teacher and 25 years as a guidance counselor. He is currently employed as a guidance counselor at the East Orange Campus High School.
Coach Branko Miric enters his second year on Coach Mike Jackson’s staff. An experienced pole vaulter, Coach Miric will focus on coaching the Roadrunners’ pole vaulting squad. A 2004 graduate of William Paterson University, Coach Miric earned a BS in English.
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.