Gardner-Webb Track & Field Promotes Wright to Associate Head Coach
July 21, 2026 | Track & Field
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Now official, head coach Greg Thiel and the Gardner-Webb track and field team have announced the promotion of Roman Wright to associate head coach
"We are excited to announce Coach Wright as associate head coach of Gardner-Webb track and field. Over the last three years Coach Wright has built a powerful throws program and has been instrumental in bringing top level recruits not only in the throws but across the board in all the events. Coach Wright has displayed great leadership and a tireless work ethic that has helped set a new standard for Gardner-Webb track & field"
Wright joined the Runnin' Bulldogs program as an assistant coach in September of 2023 and immediately joined head coach Greg Thiel in taking Gardner-Webb track and field to new heights. During the 2026 outdoor season, the Runnin' Bulldogs posted dual fourth place finishes at the Big South Championships, tied for the best by a GWU men's team in the Big South era and second highest for the women's team
Individually, Wright has been instrumental in the development of several notable athletes and performances. Wright worked directly with Quentin Peterson, one of the most decorated athletes in Gardner-Webb history, helping Peterson to numerous Big South accolades including both indoor and outdoor All-American status and top-20 finishes at the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships in shot put. As part of the throws program, Wright has also coached numerous athletes to impressive NCAA East Regional and Big South Championship finishes, including Calvin Fernandes who competed in javelin at regionals in 2025, Blaine Blose who landed 2026 Big South Scholar Athlete of The Year after a terrific performance in javelin, and Hannah Hoffman who was named 2026 Big South Freshman of The Year for her stellar debut season and championships in hammer throw and weight throw
Just during the 2025-26 season, Wright helped to lead a program that combined to set 88 new top-ten marks between indoor and outdoor, including new school records in men's shot put and women's weight throw during the indoor campaign and women's long jump, men's long jump, women's shot put, men's shot put and women's javelin across the outdoor season
Wright first joined the Gardner-Webb staff from Southern Wesleyan, where he had previously worked alongside Coach Thiel. Wright helped lead 24 different student-athletes to All-Conference awards in three and a half years at SWU, with two being named as conference champions and four being selected to take part in NCAA Championship events
While at Southern Wesleyan, Wright competed in the long and triple jump, the 200, and the 400 during a decorated college career. He also served as a strength and conditioning intern for the program during the 2016-17 campaign, before being added as a volunteer coach for 2017-18 season, following his graduation
