Michael Smart was named head Men’s and Women’s Track & Field Coach at Essex County College in October 1986. A native of Newark, Smart returned to the school for which he had competed in 1973-75.

Smart is the only coach at Essex County College who played for and coached a National Championship team in the college’s sports history. He was named an All-American twice in the 1970s. During the past 22 years, Smart was named National Junior College Coach of the Year four times and honored by the NJCAA Region XIX three times. He was also named District/Region Coach of the Year 14 times.

Smart has developed 5 Olympic medalists 27 Olympians, 257 National Champions, 369 All-Americans, and over 300 All-Region picks. His runners currently hold 3 out of 5 NJCAA National Records in the hurdles. His women’s teams have won the NJCAA National Championship twice (1997, 2007), placed second at Nationals nine times, and placed third twice. Smart’s success is not only on the track. His runners have amassed an outstanding 98% student graduation rate at the college, and at least 90% have gone on to run for major Division 1 colleges and universities. Smart was named as a coach for the 1996 Olympic team for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and the 2001 United States under 25 National Team. Smart is certified by the United States of America Track and Field (level 1) for sprints and jumps. He is also certified by the International Amateur Athletic Federation in sprints, jumps, and hurdles.

Kye’Airre Cary
Assistant Track Coach

Kye’Airre Cary was named assistant men’s and women’s track/field coach at Essex County College in January 2009. A native of Brooklyn, New York; Cary joined Essex County College in Fall 2003 after graduating from Queen of Peace High School, where she competed as a track athlete.

Cary worked as a head manager for the men’s and women’s track/field team for the 2007/2008 academic school year at Essex County College. In June 2008, she became a graduate of the track/field program with an A.A degree in Education.

Cary is currently enrolled as a junior at New Jersey University, earning her B.A in Early Childhood Education and a minor in Sociology.

Rodney Briggs
Assistant Track Coach

Rodney Briggs goes into the 2008-2009 season as a 2nd year assistant Men’s and Women’s track and field coach at Essex County College. Coach Briggs is a certified USATF Level 1 coach.

In 1996, Coach Briggs began his coaching career as the volunteer assistant coach at Camden High School in Camden, NJ. While training and working under head Coach Martin Booker, Coach Briggs was successful in helping the sprinters and hurdlers achieve speed improvements. From 1996-2005 the Camden High School boys track team became one of the best programs in the nation while achieving honors which included: Penn Relays 4X400 and 400 hurdles (record) Champions in 2001, several indoor and outdoor NJ state team and individual titles, in addition to having nationally ranked sprinters and hurdlers. The list of Camden athletes who Coach Briggs has coached include: Anwar Moore 110h, Danyne Brown 110h/400h, Dwight Ruff 110h/400h and Albert Newkirk 400m

Coach Briggs attended Essex Community College in Baltimore where he won three NJCAA regional titles in 55h, 110h and 400h in addition to being made a two-time All-American.

Managers

Quasi Cary	Je’vaun McPherson	Avena Walters	Dominique Innocent