BUFFALO, NY - University at Buffalo Athletic Director Bob Arkeilpane announced today that Vicki Mitchell and Perry Jenkins, both three-year assistant coaches with the Bulls' track and field and cross country teams, have been promoted to replace Dick Barry, who retired this month after 17 successful seasons.

Vicki Mitchell

Mitchell will coach the men's and women's cross country teams and the women's indoor and outdoor track and field squads, while Jenkins will oversee the men's indoor and outdoor track and field teams. Both have been part of the success garnered by UB track and field athletes in the past few years -including two athletes - Sarah Fletcher and Biaunca McFarland - winning MAC championships over the weekend.

"We are very pleased that Vicki and Perry have accepted the challenge of taking over our track and field and cross country teams," said Arkeilpane. "They have been a big part of the program's success the past few seasons and have a great opportunity to continue the winning legacy that head coach Dick Barry has built in those programs. They are both bright, enthusiastic coaches with great backgrounds, in both coaching and their own athletic careers, to draw from. We expect continued success in these programs with Vicki and Perry in place."

Mitchell has overseen the cross country program and UB's recruiting efforts over her three seasons at Buffalo. This past fall she helped cross country athlete Jerimie Slick become the first UB runner to earn a berth in the NCAA Division I Championships in over 30 years. An internationally-acclaimed athlete in her own right, Mitchell has competed in the Olympic Trials in both 1996 and 2000 and was a seven-time NCAA champion at Cortland State, where she earned her bachelor's degree in Physical Education. She went on to earn her master's in Exercise Physiology at UNC-Greensboro in 1994 and came to UB from William Jewell College in Kansas City. Last summer she was invited to join the Fila Discovery USA training program that is helping to develop American distance runners into elite marathoners at the international level.

"Being named a head coach at the University at Buffalo is an honor," said Mitchell. "I am very excited to be working with Perry Jenkins to further develop the team that Coach Dick Barry has established. UB exemplifies everything that I have wanted for a coaching environment: a growing NCAA Division I program with incredible support from the administration. It has the potential to become one of the top programs within the Mid-American Conference, and we are well on our way to achieving that status. This is a wonderful opportunity and I am very excited."

Perry Jenkins

Jenkins, meanwhile, has also spent the past three seasons at UB after serving as the head track and field coach at Erie Community College in Buffalo for 23 years. While at ECC, he was the National Junior College Coach of the Year in 1998 and collected a pair of national titles (1998 and 1999). While at ECC, Jenkins coached over 50 All-Americans and 30 Academic All-Americans and also coached the women's track and field team at Buffalo State concurrently for three years (1992-94).

Since coming to UB, Jenkins has seen numerous sprint and hurdle records fall while handling those duties. A 1981 graduate of Empire State College, Jenkins also served as an assistant football coach at Buffalo State (1993-94) and as a speed consultant for the Buffalo Bills. He played semi-pro football in the Buffalo area and starred at Hudson Valley Junior College.

"It's a dream come true for me," said Jenkins. "Coming from ECC to the University three years ago as an assistant coach, my goal was to be the head coach here someday. Now that it's going to happen, I'm looking forward to the challenge. With Coach Mitchell and myself and the student-athletes we have here, we have a great chance to bring the University at Buffalo into the limelight in the Mid-American Conference."