Track & Field Adds Gribbins As Next Assistant Coach
July 28, 2026 | Cross Country, Track & Field
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - Now official, head coach Greg Thiel and the Gardner-Webb track and field team have announced Ben Gribbins was the program's next assistant coach
"We're excited to welcome Ben Gribbins, an outstanding distance coach, to our staff," said Thiel. "His passion for developing student-athletes and building a championship culture will elevate our program from day one. This is an exciting day for our program. Ben brings the knowledge, leadership, and passion to help our student-athletes reach new heights."
Gribbins arrives at Gardner-Webb after an impressive run at Ferrum College. New to NCAA Division II when Gribbins first joined the Panthers program, he oversaw the distance and jump squads and helped lead Ferrum to immediate success in 2025-26. In just one season, Gribbins oversaw 38 different school records achieved, as well as Ferrum's first NCAA Division II indoor conference champion and six Conference Carolinas all-conference performers. The first Conference Carolina's Championship Meet for Ferrum, also included an eighth place finish for the women's team.
Before joining Ferrum, Gribbins spent a season at Midwestern State University as a graduate assistant. During his time with the Mustangs, Gribbins helped lead recruiting efforts, team evaluations, as well as working with program record keeping. Midwestern State saw 18 personal bests and improved on 19 marks, all while setting three school records at that season's LSC Championship Meet, where the Mustangs achieved the program's highest finish since 2020.
Prior to entering the collegiate coaching ranks, Gribbins served as Assistant Coach at United Unattached Athletics. During a year in that role, Gribbins organized practices, tracked athlete performance and specialized in several disciplines, including sprints, jumps, hurdles and distance.
A 2025 graduate of Lees-McRae, Gribbins was a 2022 recipient of the Conference Carolinas Presidential Honor Roll and named to the 2024 Conference Carolinas All-Academic team while running both cross country and track and field over four years for the Bobcats
