Women's Track and Field
Gildon, James
James Gildon
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach (Sprints, Hurdles, Jumps)
- Email:
- Jgildon@bgsu.edu
- Phone:
- 419-372-7124
James Gildon began at Bowling Green as an assistant coach for the 2013 season. He has been promoted to Associate Head Coach. His responsibilities include working with the jump, sprint and hurdle groups for BGSU Track & Field.
Gildon’s groups came into their own during the 2020 indoor season. The 1600 relay team shattered the school record and became MAC Champions for the first time since 1992. Along with that, the Falcons posted four top-five finishes in sprints, with Savannah Nevels finishing third in the 60 and Iyanna Ross third in the 400. The Falcons put two triple jumpers on the podium as well as one long jumper.
The success carried into the 2021 indoor season, as the 1600 relay team retained their crown at the MAC Championships. Additionally, Nevels (200) and Ross (400) won titles in their individual races. The Falcons also saw top-five finishes in the 60, 200, and triple jump, giving the team a third-place finish, highest since 1999.
Gildon oversaw a historic group of runners in the 2021 outdoor season, as the 1600 relay team broke the school record on multiple occasions en route to a MAC title. The 400 relay team also broke a school record, helping the Falcons to a first-place team finish at the Gibson Invitational. Brianna Richard earned the MAC crown in the triple jump and the Orange and Brown had at least one top-five finisher in the 100, 200, 400, and 400 hurdles. Nevels and Ross qualified for the NCAA East Regionals for the first time in their careers, with Nevels running the 100 and Ross competing in the 400. The duo, running with Chasatea Brown and Ryen Draper, also competed in the 1600 relay.
The 2022 season saw four more top-five finishes in jumping events at the MAC Championships, two at the indoor meet and two at the outdoor meet. At the 2023 MAC Indoor Championship, Brianna Richard won the MAC title in the triple jump, with Katherine Mendenhall adding a runner-up finish in the high jump. Gildon's groups had success at the MAC Outdoor Championship, with Richard finishing second the triple jump, the 4x400 relay team placing second, and Jenna Lucas earning a sixth-place heptathlon finish with the second-best score in school history. BGSU finished third at the indoor championship, matching the team's best finish since 1999. The Falcons were fourth at the outdoor championship, the best team finish since 1998. Additionally, Richard qualified for the NCAA East Regional in the triple jump, her second career regional appearance.Â
Gildon came to Bowling Green from Fort Hays State University where he coached two national champions, nine NCAA All-Americans, 24 national qualifiers, nine conference champions and two ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-Americans.
Under Gildon’s tenure, four Fort Hays University records were broken. Along with 19 of his athletes that rank in the top five of various school records, Gildon is responsible for producing the top five women long jumpers in school history, averaging 5.93 meters per jump. Three of Gildon’s athletes also held the top three women’s triple jump records, averaging 12.16 meters.
Gildon produced at least one NCAA Division II All-American for four consecutive seasons.
Prior to arriving at FHSU, Gildon coached at Creighton Prep High School in Omaha, Neb. from 2005-2007. While in charge of the horizontal and vertical jumps, he coached 20 Nebraska State Athletic Association qualifiers and 17 athletes to All-State honors.
Gildon competed for Loyola University of Chicago from 2001 to 2004. He ranks in the top 5 in the long Jump and triple Jump both indoors and outdoors. He was also a six-time Horizon League All-Conference performer while competing primarily in the jumps, but also in the short sprints and relays.
Gildon completed his master’s of science in health and human performance from FHSU in 2009. He graduated from Nebraska-Omaha in 2007 with a bachelor’s of science degree in exercise science.
Gildon now resides in Bowling Green with his wife Jennifer (Faas).
Gildon’s groups came into their own during the 2020 indoor season. The 1600 relay team shattered the school record and became MAC Champions for the first time since 1992. Along with that, the Falcons posted four top-five finishes in sprints, with Savannah Nevels finishing third in the 60 and Iyanna Ross third in the 400. The Falcons put two triple jumpers on the podium as well as one long jumper.
The success carried into the 2021 indoor season, as the 1600 relay team retained their crown at the MAC Championships. Additionally, Nevels (200) and Ross (400) won titles in their individual races. The Falcons also saw top-five finishes in the 60, 200, and triple jump, giving the team a third-place finish, highest since 1999.
Gildon oversaw a historic group of runners in the 2021 outdoor season, as the 1600 relay team broke the school record on multiple occasions en route to a MAC title. The 400 relay team also broke a school record, helping the Falcons to a first-place team finish at the Gibson Invitational. Brianna Richard earned the MAC crown in the triple jump and the Orange and Brown had at least one top-five finisher in the 100, 200, 400, and 400 hurdles. Nevels and Ross qualified for the NCAA East Regionals for the first time in their careers, with Nevels running the 100 and Ross competing in the 400. The duo, running with Chasatea Brown and Ryen Draper, also competed in the 1600 relay.
The 2022 season saw four more top-five finishes in jumping events at the MAC Championships, two at the indoor meet and two at the outdoor meet. At the 2023 MAC Indoor Championship, Brianna Richard won the MAC title in the triple jump, with Katherine Mendenhall adding a runner-up finish in the high jump. Gildon's groups had success at the MAC Outdoor Championship, with Richard finishing second the triple jump, the 4x400 relay team placing second, and Jenna Lucas earning a sixth-place heptathlon finish with the second-best score in school history. BGSU finished third at the indoor championship, matching the team's best finish since 1999. The Falcons were fourth at the outdoor championship, the best team finish since 1998. Additionally, Richard qualified for the NCAA East Regional in the triple jump, her second career regional appearance.Â
Gildon came to Bowling Green from Fort Hays State University where he coached two national champions, nine NCAA All-Americans, 24 national qualifiers, nine conference champions and two ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-Americans.
Under Gildon’s tenure, four Fort Hays University records were broken. Along with 19 of his athletes that rank in the top five of various school records, Gildon is responsible for producing the top five women long jumpers in school history, averaging 5.93 meters per jump. Three of Gildon’s athletes also held the top three women’s triple jump records, averaging 12.16 meters.
Gildon produced at least one NCAA Division II All-American for four consecutive seasons.
Prior to arriving at FHSU, Gildon coached at Creighton Prep High School in Omaha, Neb. from 2005-2007. While in charge of the horizontal and vertical jumps, he coached 20 Nebraska State Athletic Association qualifiers and 17 athletes to All-State honors.
Gildon competed for Loyola University of Chicago from 2001 to 2004. He ranks in the top 5 in the long Jump and triple Jump both indoors and outdoors. He was also a six-time Horizon League All-Conference performer while competing primarily in the jumps, but also in the short sprints and relays.
Gildon completed his master’s of science in health and human performance from FHSU in 2009. He graduated from Nebraska-Omaha in 2007 with a bachelor’s of science degree in exercise science.
Gildon now resides in Bowling Green with his wife Jennifer (Faas).
BGSU In the Nest : Track and Field
Tuesday, June 10
Lou Snelling Post-MAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships Interview (May 17, 2025)
Wednesday, May 21
Lou Snelling Post-Meet Interview (December 7, 2024)
Wednesday, December 11
BG TF : Coach Snelling Postmen
Saturday, January 13
