Ben Hibbert named UNO Interim Track and Field/Cross Country Head Coach for 2023-2024

BEN HIBBERT BIO

NEW ORLEANS – University of New Orleans Vice President for Athletics and Recreation Tim Duncan has named Ben Hibbert as the Track and Field / Cross Country program’s interim head coach for the 2023-2024 season.

“Ben was the first and easiest choice for Kim Gallow (Associate Athletic Director, and Track & Field sport administrator) and I to select as our Interim Head Coach. He is a talented and driven leader who has helped our track and field program continue its ascent up the Southland Conference and NCAA Regional rankings.  I look forward to watching and evaluating him this year,” said Duncan.

Hibbert, a native of Bakersfield, Calif. came to the Lakefront last September as an Assistant Coach in charge of Jumps, Hurdles and Sprints. Last season all five Privateers who qualified for the NCAA’s Outdoor East Regionals were directly coached by Hibbert.

Freshman Jorim Bangue qualified in the 110M Hurdles with a time of 13.87 during the Southland Championships – the second-best time in both the Southland, and state of Louisiana. Elliott Cummings qualified in the 100M following a mark of 10.13 also set at the Southland Championships. Jayden Sloan’s 51.19 in the 400M Hurdles won the Southland Championship in the event and qualified him for the East Regional as well.

Ellis Cummings, Mason Melancon, Elliott Cummings, and Sloan also qualified for the NCAA East Regional’s 4×100 competition after their time of 39.75 at LSU’s Alumni Gold. The foursome ran well in cold and windy conditions in Jacksonville and ended up one spot short of qualifying for the NCAA National Championships.

Ten school records were broken by student-athletes who were directly under Hibbert’s guidance last season. During the indoor campaign Vivette Green set the school record for the 200M, Sloan set the school record for the 400M, Nicholaus Smith set the record for the triple jump, and freshman Alimot Alowonle set the school records for both the triple and long jump.

During the outdoor campaign Sloan set the school record for the 400M Hurdles, Christopher Murphy and Smith set the school records for the Long Jump and Triple Jump respectively, and the women’s 4×100 team consisting of Aisha Johnson, Green, Helen Baumgarten and Alowonle set a new mark in that discipline. Alowonle set a new outdoor long jump record as well – her third school record during an outstanding freshman campaign under Hibbert.

Alowonle was crowned Southland Indoor Champion in the long jump, and Sloan was crowned Southland Outdoor Champion in the 400M Hurdles.

Hibbert was also part of a coaching staff that guided the Privateer women’s team to 98 points and a third place finish at the 2023 Southland Outdoor Championships – the best finish and points total by either a men’s or women’s program at any conference championship in program history. The UNO women’s fourth place finish with 87 points during the Southland Indoor Championships also marks a program best.

“I owe a big thank you to Tim Duncan and Kim Gallow for trusting me to step into this role and lead this program. Additionally, I want to thank Brock Moreaux for allowing me to be a part of the success he’s had during his time here. He has been a great friend, mentor and advocate throughout this process. I look forward to continuing the standard of excellence that has been established by him and by these student-athletes.

I believe in this team, this staff, and the vision we have for the New Orleans Cross Country and Track & Field programs as we work to be at the top of the Southland Conference and the NCAA” said Hibbert.

Prior to his arrival at UNO, Hibbert was a volunteer coach for the Indiana Hoosiers. He was instrumental in the development of First Team All-American sprinter Rikkoi Brathwaite. During his lone season in Bloomington, Braithwaite finished second in the NCAA Indoor Championships with a 60M time of 6.52 – an Indiana school record.

An outstanding collegiate runner, Hibbert was an All-Big West Selection in 2019 in the 4×100 at California State University, Northridge. Successful not just on the track, but in the classroom as well, Hibbert was a three-time All-Academic Big West Honoree during all three of his years with the Matadors.

Hibbert earned his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with a Concentration in Sports Studies from CSUN in 2020. He graduated Magna Cum Laude and was on the Dean’s List from 2017-2020. A recipient of the Big Ten’s post graduate scholarship, Ben earned his Master’s of Science in Kinesiology with a Concentration in Sport and Coaching Science from Indiana with 4.0 GPA in May of 2022.

Erick Loomis will remain as the Assistant Throws coach for the Privateers for his second season. An Associate Head Coach for the New Orleans Distance Program will be named in due course.

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