Eastern Michigan Athletics
Chris Best Promoted to Assistant Head Women's Track and Field Coach
2/7/2020 10:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
The Charlottesville, Va. native is currently in his sixth season on the women's track and field coaching staff
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan University head women's track and field coach Sue Parks announced the promotion of Chris Best to assistant head coach today, Feb. 7.
"I would like to first thank Sue Parks for believing in me over the past five years." said Best. "I'm truly grateful to have gotten this promotion, and none of this would have been possible without the amazing support system we have in place, and, most importantly, the student-athletes that have made Eastern Michigan a great place to be each and every day."
Best is currently in his sixth season on the women's track and field coaching staff, specializing in sprints, hurdles, and relay teams. Under his tutelage, the EMU women's track and field team has thrived, winning three Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships (2014-15, 2015-16, 2017-18). Best also assisted the team to indoor and outdoor conference titles during the 2015-16 campaign, helping secure the first triple crown in program history.
"Chris has been a big part of our success over the last five and a half years," said Parks. "His personality and teaching skills make him a good fit for our program. He is dedicated to the development of our student-athletes. I have confidence that Chris will continue to work towards elevating our sprint/hurdle area along with assisting the entire team in any way that he can. I'm pleased to be able to reward him with this promotion."
Most recently, Best coached the 4x100-meter relay squad to their fourth consecutive MAC crown, while the cohort also finished their conference title race with a championship meet record of 45.04. With their efforts at the MAC Outdoor Championships, the squad qualified for the NCAA East Regionals, where the quartet broke their own school record and set a MAC-best time of 44.65.
Individually, the 2018-19 campaign saw Best continue his reign of coaching some of the most dominant sprinters in the MAC, as Jessica Harris placed third in the 100m at the conference championships with a time of 11.56, the fifth-best time in program history, while qualifying her for the NCAA East Regional Preliminary Rounds. Harris also tied her career-best 60-meter mark at the MAC Indoor Championships, placing second with a time of 7.48, while current senior co-captain Brittni Mason (Richmond Heghts, Ohio-West Geauga) placed third in the same event with a personal-best effort of 7.49. Fellow senior Micah Johnston (Toledo, Ohio-Toledo Christian) made her mark in the Eastern record books during the indoor and outdoor seasons, finishing third in the indoor 400-meter dash with the second-fastest time in program history at 53.70, while finishing second in the same event at the MAC Outdoor Championships as she set the seventh-fastest mark in EMU laurels and qualified for the NCAA East Regional Preliminary Rounds with a time of 53.55.
Not only did Best lead some of the MAC's best sprinters to top conference efforts, but the Eagles' hurdlers leaped over the MAC competition with their 2019 outdoor conference championship performances. Allyson Goff earned a second-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles, while current sophomore Tiffany Cernej-Garcia (Ann Arbor, Mich.-Pioneer) finished fifth in the 400-meter hurdles with the seventh-fastest mark in program history as both qualified for the NCAA East Regionals. Fellow sophomore Alysse Wade (Mansfield, Ohio-St. Peter's) saw an incredible freshman campaign that included qualifying for the USATF U20 Championships, finishing 11th with a time of 13.87.
The 2017-18 season saw Best enjoy monumental success with the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay teams. On top of the 4x100-meter relay squad winning the MAC Outdoor Championships for the third straight year, the quartet tied the school and conference record at the TCU Invite, recording a time of 44.99. Additionally, the 4x400-meter relay team clocked the third-fastest time in program history during the outdoor campaign, running to a time of 3:37.31 at the Penn Relays.
In previous seasons, Best has continually aided some of the most dominant sprinters in not only the MAC, but in Eastern Michigan history. Specifically, Best has personally assisted Jasmine Jones, Harris, and Johnston on their rise to success. Jones closed out her career at EMU qualifying to the NCAA East Regional, where she ran the second-fastest 200-meter time in school history at 23.20. Before that, Jones was named the Most Outstanding Female Track Performer at the 2017-18 MAC Indoor Championships, a three-time 200-meter conference champion, and two-time 400-meter champion, as well as being a member of the record-setting 4x100-meter and 4x400-meter relay squads.
Before her record-setting senior campaign, the duo of Harris and Best saw success, as she captured Indoor Freshman of the Year honors as well as a runner-up finish in the 60-meter dash. In her rookie campaign, Harris posted a top-10 time in school history in the 60-meter race, and earned Outdoor Freshman of the Year honors.
Leading up to her record-breaking junior campaign, Best oversaw Johnston's emergence as a young force to be reckoned with. In her first two seasons as an Eagle, Johnston was named a First Team All-MAC honoree, a Second Team All-MAC honoree three times, and was a key piece in the then-school record-setting 4x100-meter relay performance, as well as the third-best outdoor 4x400-meter relay in program history.
Best arrived in Ypsilanti after a season-long stint at Garden City (Kan.) Community College, where he coached sprints, hurdles, jumps, and multi-event athletes as an assistant coach. He also served as the primary recruiting coordinator as well as assisting with various administrative duties.
Prior to his work with the Broncbusters, Best was a graduate assistant coach at Troy (Ala.) University between 2012-13. In addition to designing training and conditioning plans for the sprints, hurdles, jumps, and multi-event athletes, he also served as the assistant recruiting coordinator. Best started off his coaching career at Iowa Western Community College, serving as an assistant coach from 2011-12, where he worked with the hurdles, pole vault, and multi-event athletes, in additio to serving as the head strength and conditioning coach for the track program.
Best adds a successful career as a student-athlete to his coaching experience, as he was a member of the track and field team at Liberty University from 2007-10. He competed in the sprints on a team that dominated the Big South Conference with championship titles in every one of his seasons. In 2009, he was a member of the winning 4x400-meter relay team. Best stayed on with the Flames for an extra year to serve as an intern for the program while taking on administrative and analytical duties as he completed his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology.
Since he began coaching, Best has mentored 19 All-MAC athletes and 14 NCAA Regional qualifiers at the NCAA Division I level. During his time at the NJCAA level, he saw seven school records broken during the indoor and outdoor seasons, and 31 student-athletes qualified for national championship competition. Best holds USATF Level 2 coaching certification for sprints, hurdles, and relays. He also holds USTFCCCA Jumps Specialist, Sprints/Hurdles/Relays, and Strength & Conditioning Certifications.
"I would like to first thank Sue Parks for believing in me over the past five years." said Best. "I'm truly grateful to have gotten this promotion, and none of this would have been possible without the amazing support system we have in place, and, most importantly, the student-athletes that have made Eastern Michigan a great place to be each and every day."
Best is currently in his sixth season on the women's track and field coaching staff, specializing in sprints, hurdles, and relay teams. Under his tutelage, the EMU women's track and field team has thrived, winning three Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships (2014-15, 2015-16, 2017-18). Best also assisted the team to indoor and outdoor conference titles during the 2015-16 campaign, helping secure the first triple crown in program history.
"Chris has been a big part of our success over the last five and a half years," said Parks. "His personality and teaching skills make him a good fit for our program. He is dedicated to the development of our student-athletes. I have confidence that Chris will continue to work towards elevating our sprint/hurdle area along with assisting the entire team in any way that he can. I'm pleased to be able to reward him with this promotion."
Most recently, Best coached the 4x100-meter relay squad to their fourth consecutive MAC crown, while the cohort also finished their conference title race with a championship meet record of 45.04. With their efforts at the MAC Outdoor Championships, the squad qualified for the NCAA East Regionals, where the quartet broke their own school record and set a MAC-best time of 44.65.
Individually, the 2018-19 campaign saw Best continue his reign of coaching some of the most dominant sprinters in the MAC, as Jessica Harris placed third in the 100m at the conference championships with a time of 11.56, the fifth-best time in program history, while qualifying her for the NCAA East Regional Preliminary Rounds. Harris also tied her career-best 60-meter mark at the MAC Indoor Championships, placing second with a time of 7.48, while current senior co-captain Brittni Mason (Richmond Heghts, Ohio-West Geauga) placed third in the same event with a personal-best effort of 7.49. Fellow senior Micah Johnston (Toledo, Ohio-Toledo Christian) made her mark in the Eastern record books during the indoor and outdoor seasons, finishing third in the indoor 400-meter dash with the second-fastest time in program history at 53.70, while finishing second in the same event at the MAC Outdoor Championships as she set the seventh-fastest mark in EMU laurels and qualified for the NCAA East Regional Preliminary Rounds with a time of 53.55.
Not only did Best lead some of the MAC's best sprinters to top conference efforts, but the Eagles' hurdlers leaped over the MAC competition with their 2019 outdoor conference championship performances. Allyson Goff earned a second-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles, while current sophomore Tiffany Cernej-Garcia (Ann Arbor, Mich.-Pioneer) finished fifth in the 400-meter hurdles with the seventh-fastest mark in program history as both qualified for the NCAA East Regionals. Fellow sophomore Alysse Wade (Mansfield, Ohio-St. Peter's) saw an incredible freshman campaign that included qualifying for the USATF U20 Championships, finishing 11th with a time of 13.87.
The 2017-18 season saw Best enjoy monumental success with the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay teams. On top of the 4x100-meter relay squad winning the MAC Outdoor Championships for the third straight year, the quartet tied the school and conference record at the TCU Invite, recording a time of 44.99. Additionally, the 4x400-meter relay team clocked the third-fastest time in program history during the outdoor campaign, running to a time of 3:37.31 at the Penn Relays.
In previous seasons, Best has continually aided some of the most dominant sprinters in not only the MAC, but in Eastern Michigan history. Specifically, Best has personally assisted Jasmine Jones, Harris, and Johnston on their rise to success. Jones closed out her career at EMU qualifying to the NCAA East Regional, where she ran the second-fastest 200-meter time in school history at 23.20. Before that, Jones was named the Most Outstanding Female Track Performer at the 2017-18 MAC Indoor Championships, a three-time 200-meter conference champion, and two-time 400-meter champion, as well as being a member of the record-setting 4x100-meter and 4x400-meter relay squads.
Before her record-setting senior campaign, the duo of Harris and Best saw success, as she captured Indoor Freshman of the Year honors as well as a runner-up finish in the 60-meter dash. In her rookie campaign, Harris posted a top-10 time in school history in the 60-meter race, and earned Outdoor Freshman of the Year honors.
Leading up to her record-breaking junior campaign, Best oversaw Johnston's emergence as a young force to be reckoned with. In her first two seasons as an Eagle, Johnston was named a First Team All-MAC honoree, a Second Team All-MAC honoree three times, and was a key piece in the then-school record-setting 4x100-meter relay performance, as well as the third-best outdoor 4x400-meter relay in program history.
Best arrived in Ypsilanti after a season-long stint at Garden City (Kan.) Community College, where he coached sprints, hurdles, jumps, and multi-event athletes as an assistant coach. He also served as the primary recruiting coordinator as well as assisting with various administrative duties.
Prior to his work with the Broncbusters, Best was a graduate assistant coach at Troy (Ala.) University between 2012-13. In addition to designing training and conditioning plans for the sprints, hurdles, jumps, and multi-event athletes, he also served as the assistant recruiting coordinator. Best started off his coaching career at Iowa Western Community College, serving as an assistant coach from 2011-12, where he worked with the hurdles, pole vault, and multi-event athletes, in additio to serving as the head strength and conditioning coach for the track program.
Best adds a successful career as a student-athlete to his coaching experience, as he was a member of the track and field team at Liberty University from 2007-10. He competed in the sprints on a team that dominated the Big South Conference with championship titles in every one of his seasons. In 2009, he was a member of the winning 4x400-meter relay team. Best stayed on with the Flames for an extra year to serve as an intern for the program while taking on administrative and analytical duties as he completed his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology.
Since he began coaching, Best has mentored 19 All-MAC athletes and 14 NCAA Regional qualifiers at the NCAA Division I level. During his time at the NJCAA level, he saw seven school records broken during the indoor and outdoor seasons, and 31 student-athletes qualified for national championship competition. Best holds USATF Level 2 coaching certification for sprints, hurdles, and relays. He also holds USTFCCCA Jumps Specialist, Sprints/Hurdles/Relays, and Strength & Conditioning Certifications.
Players Mentioned
Hurdles
/ Women's Track & Field
Hurdles/Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Hurdles/Sprints
/ Women's Track & FieldNew Outdoor Track & Field Facility Ribbon Cutting
Tuesday, September 23
Track & Field at 2025 Spartan Invitational
Tuesday, April 08
2025 MAC Indoor Track & Field Championships Cinematic Recap
Wednesday, March 05
2025 MAC Indoor Track & Field Championships Day 1 Highlights
Saturday, March 01