Mary Wood begins her first season as an assistant coach afterspending one year as a graduate assistant coach for theGardner-Webb track and field teams.
Wood was promoted from the graduate assistant to the assistantcoach as the Bulldogs entered the Big South Conference.
Wood works with the multi-events, sprinters and jumpsgroups.
During her first season, she guided rookie Carrie Long to anAtlantic Sun Conference title, enabling Long to qualify for theNCAA East Region Championships where she finished 10th. Longshattered the school record with her winning vault of12’1.50” at the conference meet.
Wood also assisted multi-sport conference champions VictoriaArgus, Evan Brusich and Elliott Haynie while coaching a multitudeof all-conference performers.
Wood, a graduate of Eastern Illinois, was a pole vaulter duringher collegiate career with the Panthers.
Upon finishing her eligibility, Wood held the school record inthe indoor pole vault and was the co-record holder in the outdoorpole vault. She was a three-time Ohio Valley Conference Indoor polevault champion. Wood was also the OVC indoor pole vault recordholder. She was a three-time OVC Outdoor pole vault runner-up atthe league meet.
Wood was a team captain for EIU and was the EIU Athletic MeritAward recipient.
After completing her eligibility, Wood took a job withCharleston H.S. where she was the jumps coach until she acceptedthe position at GWU. For two years, she also worked with theLincoln Summer Track Club as an assistant coach.
Wood has coached the Apollo Conference girls’ pole vaultchampion. She has also coached a decathlete that was a USATF JuniorNational Qualifier and medalist.
Wood currently resides in Shelby, N.C.
