Eastern Illinois director of track & field James Gildon has completed his coaching staff for the upcoming season with the hiring of Mitchel Couch as an assistant coach along with the promotion of
Riley Baker to a full-time position.
Couch will coach the Panthers throws group while Baker will coach hurdles and sprints. The two join current coach Erin Howarth who coaches distance while serving as the head cross country coach and Josh Stice who coaches pole vault.
Couch comes to EIU following a five-year coaching career at SUNY Oneonta where he served as the throws coach for the staff. During his tenure he coached one NCAA Division III All-American, four individual conference champions and 18 All-Conference performers. He has coached both the SUNYAC Men's and Women's Field Athlete of the Year with ten athletes earning All-Region honors. Couch is a graduate of SUNY Cortland where he was a three-time NCAA Division III National Qualifier and the national runner-up in the hammer throw in 2017.
Baker, a former All-OVC hurdler for the Panthers, started this summer and fall semester as a graduate assistant coach with Panthers. He was elevated to a full-time position in the early fall following the hiring of Gildon as the Panthers new director of track & field.
