TicketsCINCINNATI – The Cincinnati track and field program has announced the hiring of Jed Helker, a former UC standout, and Erich Sullins as assistant coaches for the coming season.
Helker, who will work with distance and cross country, boasted an impressive career for the Bearcats, including earning All-Big 12 honors in the 1500m this spring. He qualified for the NCAA East First Round and reached the semifinals as well. The year prior, he clocked a career-best 1000m (2:25.02 for ninth place) at the Big 12's Indoor Championships. He was also an assistant coach for Walnut Hills High School during his time in the Queen City.
“I am excited about the hiring of Jed Helker as our new assistant distance coach,” Susan Seaton, Cincinnati’s Director of Track and Field and Cross Country, said. “With his impressive background as a D1 distance runner and his intimate knowledge of our program as a former team member, I am confident that Jed will bring valuable expertise and guidance to our distance squad and team as a whole. Jed will be working closely with Coach Rothenberger, who will be our lead coach for the distance group."
Prior to his time at UC, where he earned his master's in sport management, he also obtained his bachelor's in business administration from Wichita State in 2022. He also competed at Oklahoma during the 2022-23 school year. He hails from Edmond, Okla.
"I am very excited to add Jed Helker to our staff here at UC,” associate head cross country coach and track distance coach Lucas Rothenberger said. “I believe he will do a great job with both our men's and women's distance runners. He has a lot of high-level experience as an athlete from his time spent competing in the American Athletic and Big 12 Conferences, and that experience is going to allow him to contribute valuable insight to our entire program as we continue to grow in the Big 12."
Sullins, Arkansas' program record holder in the weight and hammer throws (the former since broken in 2021), was a volunteer on the coaching staff the last four years in addition to working in the private sector. He competed for Arkansas from 2014-19 and earned his bachelor's degree in retail supply chain management, in addition to his master's in operations management in 2021.
“I am thrilled about the addition of Erich Sullins to our team!” Seaton said. “He comes to us after a successful career as a thrower and volunteer coach at Arkansas. Erich's wealth of experience and passion for our sport will make him a valuable asset to our program. Coach Sullins will assist me in coaching our throws group and will also lend a hand to coaching our multi event athletes in the throws."
Sullins is a native of Arlington, Texas.