Brendon Gilroy, a McNeese State graduate and successful high school coach, is in his first season as head cross country coach and track assistant coach at McNeese State.

A native of Ireland, Gilroy was a four year cross county letterman at McNeese where he received his bachelor degree in Chemistry in 1993 and his master in Health & Human Performance in 1999.

He has spent the last nine years as head cross country and track coach at Iowa High School and has been head coach for the Lake Area Express Track Club for the past 10 seasons.

Gilroy was named the Louisiana Class AAA coach of the year for both cross country and track in 2004 and led Iowa to two state titles, the first such championships in any sport for the high school.

In USATF junior Olympic competition he has had his athletes earn 105 all-America honors as well as set seven national records and win 35 national championships.

He is married to the former Keri Ange, a McNeese distance running record holder and champion and former school athlete of the year, and the couple has two children.