Lions Track and Field/Cross Country Coaching
Staff
Assistant Coach, Michael
Bartolina
Michael Bartolina, a former track athlete at Oklahoma
State and graduate assistant coach at Southeastern from 1992-93, begins
his first season as an assistant coach at with the Lions.
Bartolina, who will direct the Lions’ cross country team, jumps and multi-event
athletes, spent the past three years as National Equipment Manager/Texas
Regional Manager for Carlinville, Ill.-based First to the Finish, Inc. Working
for the second-largest track and field supply company in the United States,
Bartolina managed the equipment division and oversaw all sales and promotional
activities within the state of Texas.
Prior to his position in the private sector, Bartolina spent two seasons
as assistant track coach at McNeese State where he coached the multi-events,
jumps and served as recruiting coordinator. Among his pupils was standout
decathlete Kristian Rahnu, who was ranked second in the nation in 2002 and
competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
“I am very excited to have Mike join the Southeastern family,” Southeastern
head coach Sean Brady said. “Mike comes to us after a brief stint in the
private sector. As a track coach, has a proven record of success in junior
college and at the Division I level. I am certain he will have a positive
impact with the Distance, Jumps and Multi event athletes.”
Before taking the job at McNeese, Bartolina served as head coach at Ranger
(Texas) College where he led the team to three finishes in the top three
at the JUCO National Meet. He coached Sylvia Chelimo, the 1999 JUCO national
champion in cross country and Cameal Rhule, who established a JUCO record
for points scored by a heptathlete at the national meet.
Bartolina, a 1992 graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma, began
his coaching career as assistant track coach at Edmund Memorial (Okla.)
High School before moving to Southeastern for the 1992-93 season. Bartolina
then moved back to his home state, taking a position as assistant coach
at Edmund North High School before becoming head coach at Brazosport (Texas)
High School. Bartolina also spent one season as an assistant coach at Texas-Pan
American, where he coached the sprinters and jumpers while also serving
as recruiting coordinator.
Bartolina, who has USA Track and Field Level I certification and Level II
certification in jumps and multi events, competed in track at OSU from 1987-90.
A native of Edmund, Okla., Bartolina is married to the former Erica Boren,
a former standout pole vaulter at Texas A&M and fourth-place finisher at
the 2005 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships, and has a son, Ethan.
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