University of Connecticut men’s track and field head coach Greg Roy enters the 2007-08 season with the Huskies hoping to guide the team to new heights while at the same time continue the tradition of excellence that the squad has come to know.

Roy enters his 23rd year as head coach of the UConn men’s cross country team and his 19th at the helm of the men’s track and field squad. Along the way, he has been able to elevate a national caliber program to prominence at the conference, regional and national levels.  His squads have produced a remarkable 257-40-3 record in dual competitions during his tenure.

He led the 2006-07 indoor track and field team to wins in the Sorlein Invitational, the Reebok Boston Indoor Games, the Harvard Select Meet and the New England Championships. The team finished third in the BIG EAST Indoor Championships where Roy led senior Jake Radzevich to an individual crown in the pole vault, and senior Sean Berg to the title in the heptathlon. At the conclusion of the season, he was named the New England Coach of the Year. The success continued in the outdoor season when Roy led the Huskies to wins in two more events, the UConn Alumni Invitational and the Husky Spring Invite. His team finished in second place in the BIG EAST Championships in Storrs, leading Brian Gagnon (800m run), Andrew Dubs (shot put), and Jake Radzevich (pole vault) to BIG EAST individual championships, as well as coaching the 4x100m relay team to one as well.

During the 2005-06 Indoor track and field season, UConn won two events under Roy’s direction, including a third BIG EAST Indoor Championship in the last five years.  Roy also guided the Huskies to a pair of first place finishes and a 13-1 overall record during the outdoor season as well.  The Huskies went on to place third at the BIG EAST Outdoor Championships.  Under Roy’s tutelage, seven Huskies were selected to compete in the NCAA Regionals following outstanding performances in the regular season.  In fact, senior Joel Lagare finished third in the NCAA Regionals and advanced to the NCAA Championships for the second time under Roy.  Sean Berg also appeared in his first NCAA Championships as the junior competed in the decathlon and finished in 18th place.   

In the 2004-05 season, the Huskies saw success across the board while some of the program’s greatest talents suffered injuries. Will Thomas advanced to the NCAA Championships in the decathlon for the fourth-consecutive season, but was injured during the competition and could not finish. UConn finished in ninth place at the BIG EAST Indoor Championship, with numerous athletes scoring points in different events. The Huskies also finished in a tie for seventh at the New England Championships. Outdoors, UConn finished fifth at the BIG EAST Championship and third at New Englands. Ellis Gaulden and Thomas both advanced to the NCAA Regionals, with Gaulden competing in the high jump.

Roy’s squad captured its fourth BIG EAST Indoor Championship in 2003-2004, its second in three years and won an 11th-straight New England Championship. The team took second at the IC4A Championships and saw two of its members take home All-America honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships as Will Thomas finished fourth in the heptathlon to become a three-time All-American and Logan Jones earned All-America honors in the 800-meter run. The Huskies took third at the Outdoor BIG EAST Championships and Paul Pisano became the first-ever three-time javelin champion.  Joel Legare earned All-America honors at the outdoor NCAA Championships in the 800-meter.

In 2002-2003, Roy produced four All-Americans for the second consecutive year. Will Thomas earned the honor for a second time in the decathlon, placing second at the NCAA Championships. Thrower Paul Pisano also earned All-American status for the second straight year, as did Joe Mendel in the sprints. Mike Deibler earned his first All-America honor by placing eighth in the high jump. The team suffered disappointing losses to Notre Dame at both the indoor and outdoor BIG EAST Championships after leading early in the meets, but finishing second at each. Indoors, UConn saw its usual success at the New England Championships, bringing home their 10th consecutive title.

Throughout his tenure at UConn, Roy has established a solid foundation for the cross country and track and field programs. With the addition of new indoor and outdoor facilities in the past nine years, the program now has the tools to match the ambitions of Roy and his Huskies. The gradual improvement over the years and recent success should be a springboard for building an even greater tradition of success in the future.

Roy came to Connecticut in May of 1985, assuming the post as head coach of cross country and assistant coach of track and field. He added responsibilities as UConn head track and field coach in 1989-90 and his first team won the New England Indoor Track and Field Championship. For his efforts, Roy and his assistants were named the New England and NCAA District I Staff of the Year.

In the fall of 1990, Roy and his cross country squad were in the national spotlight, finishing 10th in the nation at the NCAA Division I National Championship meet while also winning the IC4A Championship. UConn ended the year ranked No. 12 in the nation and Roy helped produce UConn’s fifth cross country All-American, Andy Ball, who finished seventh at the NCAA Championship meet. Following the 1990 season, Roy was honored as the NCAA District I and New England Cross Country Coach of the Year. The Huskies followed up that effort with a solid 1991 season which saw the Huskies capture the Connecticut Intercollegiate Championship (CIC) and finish second at the New England Championship. The 1992 Huskies duplicated their CIC and New England Championship performances of a year before and finished sixth at the IC4A Championship.

Roy’s 1993-94 indoor track and field squad began UConn’s dominance in New England collegiate circles when the Huskies won their first of eleven consecutive New England Indoor Championships. UConn would also claim a pair of fourth place finishes at the BIG EAST Indoor and Outdoor Championships and tie for third at the BIG EAST Cross Country Championship. Roy was honored as the 1993-94 NCAA District I Indoor Track Coach of the Year.

In 1994-95, UConn repeated as New England Indoor Track and Field Champions while placing third (outdoor) and fourth (indoor and cross country) at the BIG EAST Championships.

The 1995-96 UConn track and field squad posted an overall dual meet record of 21-1-1 while winning its third New England Indoor Championship, finishing second at the BIG EAST Indoor and Outdoor Championship, and placing second at the IC4A Indoor Championship and fourth at the IC4A Outdoor meet. Roy was honored as the NCAA District I Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year and the staff was named BIG EAST Conference Indoor Track and Field Staff of the Year.

In 1996-97, Roy led the Huskies to a spotless 15-0 record in dual meet competition. UConn won its second BIG EAST Indoor Track and Field Championship (the first coming in 1980) and added their fourth consecutive New England Indoor title while also placing second at the IC4A Indoor Championship. Roy was named the 1996-97 NCAA District I Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year and Roy and his staff were named two years in a row as the BIG EAST Indoor Track and Field Staff of the Year. The 1996-97 academic year also saw Roy complete his guidance of UConn’s four-time All-American hurdler Dudley Dorival who earned All-America status in 1995, 1996 (twice) and 1997.

The 1997-98 UConn squad posted a dual meet mark of 27-1 overall while making it five years in a row as champion of the New England Indoor Track and Field Championship. Travis Landreth earned All-America status in cross country and Steve Santoli was an All-American in the 35-pound weight throw.

In 1998-99, the Huskies captured their sixth-straight New England Indoor Championship and finished third in the BIG EAST Championships at both the indoor and outdoor meets. During the indoor season, Roy and his staff produced yet another All-American, thrower Ray Wilks. Under Roy’s direction, the Huskies recorded a regular season meet record of 21-3 (12-3 indoor and 9-0 outdoor) and Roy was named District 1 Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year.

Along with a pair of New England titles in 1999-2000, Roy led the Huskies to an overall record of 21-1, a runner-up performance at the BIG EAST Outdoors and a third-place finish at the indoor edition of the meet. During the indoor season, four more All-Americans were added to the school list as the distance medley relay team of Haven Barnes, Elliott Blount, Kevin Jensen and Dan Wilson finished fourth at the NCAA national championships with a  time of 9:33.85. Roy added to his list of achievements by being selected by his peers as the United States Track Coaches Association Northeast Region Coach of the Year following both the indoor and outdoor seasons. Over the last five years, the UConn track program is 96-8 (51-5 indoor and 45-3 outdoor) in regular season meets.

In 2001-2002, the program  saw continued success. For the eighth consecutive year, the program boasted All-Americans as four athletes were awarded the honor. Dan Wilson garnered All-America status three times to become the first five-time All-American in UConn history. Wilson finished 14th at the NCAA cross country championships, eighth in the indoor track mile run and registered the fifth All-America title at the outdoor track and field championships, finishing ninth in the 1,500 meter run. Joe Mendel finished among the top eight in the indoor 400-meter dash to claim the honor, while Paul Pisano and Will Thomas earned their All-America status at the outdoor championships. Pisano earned a 12th place finish in the javelin and Thomas competed in the decathlon, finishing eighth with a school record 7,630 points. The squad claimed the BIG EAST Indoor and Outdoor Championships, finishing with a record of 10-0-1 in dual meets. In addition, the team successfully defended the New England Indoor Championship title.

A native of East Brunswick, N.J., Roy earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Rochester in 1978, where he held the school record in the 220 and 440-yard runs. He added a master’s degree in Sport Management from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in 1982. At UMass, he was also the assistant track and cross country coach from 1981-83.