Paul Zalewski Announced as Track & Field Assistant Coach
8/10/2026 10:30:00 AM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
RADFORD, Va. – The Radford track and field programs have announced that Paul Zalewski has joined the program as an assistant coach, focusing on the jumpers and multi-event athletes. Zalewski boasts over 20 years of experience as an assistant coach at the NCAA Division I level where his expertise will help him lead the Radford Track and Field jumpers and combined event athletes.
"We are so excited to add someone of Coach Zalewski's caliber to our program," said Sayers. "He has produced national level jumpers throughout his career and will elevate this group to the next level at Radford. Coach Zalewski's care for his student-athletes is also a huge part of his success and fits right in with our team culture and philosophy."
Returning to the New River Valley, Zalewski spent a majority of his career as an associate head coach at Virginia Tech, from 2013-25. He comes to Radford after spending two seasons as an assistant coach at Purdue University. Zalewski guided four Boilermakers to All-American honors while in Indiana, including Praise Aniamaka to First Team honors and a fifth-place finish in the triple jump at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
While with the Hokies, Zalewski coached countless All-Americans and conference medalists across his 11 seasons with the program. During the 2022-23 season, his jumpers took five All-American honors, four ACC gold medals while setting four school records. Victoria Gorlova earned the ACC Most Valuable Field Performer award at the indoor championships before taking fourth at the NCAA Championships. In total, Zalewski's jumpers set three school records and were ranked second (high jump) and third (triple jump) in the nation, respectively.
In prior seasons at Virginia Tech, Zalewski's athletes helped win the ACC Indoor Championship (2021), ACC Most Valuable Field Performer (2019), take fifth in the NCAA Championships in the triple jump (2018), and ACC Field Athlete of the Year (2015).
Across 2005-13, Zalewski was an assistant coach at East Carolina, where he led Pirate athletes to two All-America honors, seven Conference USA individual titles, and a women's conference title in 2012, the first in program history. He coached springs, hurdles, jumps, and combined events in his eight seasons in Greenville, N.C. Zalewski also served as the degree director for the bachelor's degree in sports studies and taught classes in sport management, sport sociology, and coaching theories at East Carolina.
As a college athlete, Zalewski was a four-time SUNY Athletic Conference individual champion at SUNY Cortland, a Division III program. He helped the Red Dragons win three SUNYAC titles and two Eastern College Athletic Conference championships. Zalewski also earned seven All-ECAC awards.
Zalewski graduated from Cortland with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and exercise science and received a masters degree in biomechanics from East Carolina. He is joined in the New River Valley by his wife, Elizabeth, and three children.
STAY SOCIAL WITH RADFORD CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK & FIELD
For all the latest on Radford Cross Country and Track & Field, be sure to follow the team on X (@Radford TrackXC), Instagram (@radfordtrackxc), and "like" the team's official FacebookPage (Radford Cross Country and Track & Field).
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"We are so excited to add someone of Coach Zalewski's caliber to our program," said Sayers. "He has produced national level jumpers throughout his career and will elevate this group to the next level at Radford. Coach Zalewski's care for his student-athletes is also a huge part of his success and fits right in with our team culture and philosophy."
Returning to the New River Valley, Zalewski spent a majority of his career as an associate head coach at Virginia Tech, from 2013-25. He comes to Radford after spending two seasons as an assistant coach at Purdue University. Zalewski guided four Boilermakers to All-American honors while in Indiana, including Praise Aniamaka to First Team honors and a fifth-place finish in the triple jump at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
While with the Hokies, Zalewski coached countless All-Americans and conference medalists across his 11 seasons with the program. During the 2022-23 season, his jumpers took five All-American honors, four ACC gold medals while setting four school records. Victoria Gorlova earned the ACC Most Valuable Field Performer award at the indoor championships before taking fourth at the NCAA Championships. In total, Zalewski's jumpers set three school records and were ranked second (high jump) and third (triple jump) in the nation, respectively.
In prior seasons at Virginia Tech, Zalewski's athletes helped win the ACC Indoor Championship (2021), ACC Most Valuable Field Performer (2019), take fifth in the NCAA Championships in the triple jump (2018), and ACC Field Athlete of the Year (2015).
Across 2005-13, Zalewski was an assistant coach at East Carolina, where he led Pirate athletes to two All-America honors, seven Conference USA individual titles, and a women's conference title in 2012, the first in program history. He coached springs, hurdles, jumps, and combined events in his eight seasons in Greenville, N.C. Zalewski also served as the degree director for the bachelor's degree in sports studies and taught classes in sport management, sport sociology, and coaching theories at East Carolina.
As a college athlete, Zalewski was a four-time SUNY Athletic Conference individual champion at SUNY Cortland, a Division III program. He helped the Red Dragons win three SUNYAC titles and two Eastern College Athletic Conference championships. Zalewski also earned seven All-ECAC awards.
Zalewski graduated from Cortland with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and exercise science and received a masters degree in biomechanics from East Carolina. He is joined in the New River Valley by his wife, Elizabeth, and three children.
STAY SOCIAL WITH RADFORD CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK & FIELD
For all the latest on Radford Cross Country and Track & Field, be sure to follow the team on X (@Radford TrackXC), Instagram (@radfordtrackxc), and "like" the team's official FacebookPage (Radford Cross Country and Track & Field).
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