Famed Track Coach and Jersey guy, Frank Gagliano will be returning to Rutgers University as a volunteer coach.
RU Head Coach Mike Mulqueen confirmed today that Coach Gagliano (Gags as he is know in the sport) will be helping out with the Scarlet Knights' middle distance and distance runners . Mulqueen also announced a list of Jerser athletes who will be attending Rutgers in the Fall (See College Signings tab)
Gagliano began his coaching career as coach at Roselle Catholic from 1960-69 and produced New Jersey and Penn Relays champions as well as coaching national record setters. He then served as assistant coach to Fred Dwyer at Manhattan College from 1969 to 1974 during which time the Jaspers won the NCAA Indoor Championships and dominated the IC4A in cross country. He then was an assistant coach at Rutgers and became Georgetown's head coach in 1983.
Gaglianos tenure teemed with the accomplishments of his athletes: 140 All-America performers; five Olympians; seven individual national champions; 23 BIG EAST championship teams; eight indoor IC4A team titles; two outdoor IC4A crowns; 58 individual IC4A champions; eight Penn Relay Championship of America titles, including a world-record-breaking distance medley relay team; and 46 school records.
"Gags" earned two National Coach of the Year awards and coached Team USA at the 1993 World University Games.
Gags moved to the west coast in 2001 to mentor the Nike sponsored Farm Team, a post grad program in Palo Alto Ca. Later he moved north to Eugene Or. to coach the prestigious Oregon Elite Track Club. He also coached other Nike sponsored elite runners. Gagliano returned to the east coast and has continued to coach post grads, notably Erin Donahue (Haddonfield / U North Carolina / US Olympian) and Rob Novak (Bordentown Reg. / Seton Hall).
Elliot Denman's profile article on Frank Gagliano