Texas State Athletics

Giles McDonnell begins his fourth season as the sprints and hurdles coach at Texas State after spending two seasons at his alma mater, New Mexico, as an assistant coach, where he coached the sprints, hurdles, relays and jumps. In his time at Texas State, McDonnell has coached nine all-conference performers, a conference champion, two scholar-athletes of the year, and been a part of three conference championships.
 
He has also coached three USTFCCCA Academic All-Americans at Texas State along with nine NCAA West Preliminary participants.
 
Last season, McDonnell led the long sprints and hurdles group to make a big impact for the Bobcats, starting with Anthony Johnson. Johnson competed in the NCAA West Preliminary in the 200-meter dash, the 400-meter dash and the 4x400-meter relay. He finished the outdoor season with career bests in the 100-meter dash (11.03) and the 400m (46.77). Johnson ran his 46.77 400m to finish third at the SBC Outdoor Championships after taking third in the indoor championships in the 400m and being part of a second place 4x400-meter relay team. Johnson’s freshman season, McDonnell coached him to a second place finish in the 400m at the WAC Indoor Championship. Before McDonnell, Johnson’s 400-meter dash time was 47.54. He also improved his 200m time from 22.45 to 20.95.
 
Also in 2014, James Hilliard made it to the NCAA West Preliminary under McDonnell’s coaching in the 400-meter hurdles based on his career best 51.46 ran at the Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Championships where he finished second, bettering his previous best before McDonnell of 54.04.
 
McDonnell guided Chante’sean White to success in her senior season in 2013. She competed in the NCAA West Preliminary in the 400-meter hurdles based on her time of 57.76. During the indoor season, White ran a career best 54.89 in the 400m and led the 4x400-meter relay team to a third place finish at the WAC Indoor Championships. Her junior season, White was the 400-meter hurdles champion as she set a new SLC Outdoor Championship meet record and finished with the second-fastest time in school history (57.29). McDonnell coached her from a previous personal best in the 400m hurdles of 59.48 to a lifetime best of 57.29.
 
Also in 2013, McDonnell coached Larron Black to a strong freshman season. Black went on to compete in the NCAA West Preliminary in the 400-meter hurdles bases on a career best time of 51.59, improving on his previous best of 53.21. Black joins a group of three athletes, including Johnson and Hilliard, that McDonnell recruited and coached to the NCAA West Preliminary round.
 
In his first season with the Bobcats, McDonnell worked directly with the long sprints group (400m/400m hurdles) and assisted with the 100m/200-meter group. The men’s team garnered a runner-up finish at the 2012 Southland Outdoor Championships and several individual athletes achieved individual successes as well.    

In addition, Katie Miller and Jennie Thomas shaved time off their personal bests under his guidance. Miller went from 1:00.29 in the 400-meter hurdles to a personal best 58.67. Additionally McDonnell guided most of the 400-meter athletes to lifetime bests in both indoor and outdoor events.

He also helped both Tim Young and William Murray set lifetime bests in the long jump with leaps of 24-feet-3.75-inches and 24-feet-6.25-inches, respectively. Their previous bests were 23-feet-6-inches and 22-feet-7.25-inches before McDonnell.

While at New Mexico, McDonnell helped the Lobos enjoy their highest conference finishes in 2010 and 2011. In 2011, the Lobos had their highest combined finish in program history and set records for most points scored for both programs in the Mountain West Conference. UNM sent athletes to the NCAA Championships in the men’s 100-meter dash (Lamar Thomas), men’s long jump (Kendall Spencer), men’s triple jump (Warrick Campbell), men’s 4x100-meter relay, women’s 400 meters (Shirley Pitts), women’s long jump (Alesha Walker) and women’s triple jump (Deanna Young).
 
An Albuquerque native, McDonnell returned to UNM in 2009 after a stint as an assistant coach at Northern Arizona, where he worked with the sprinters and jumpers. While at NAU, the Lumberjacks won four Big Sky Conference titles in a span of two years and sent athletes to the NCAA Regional Championships in the men’s 200 meters, men’s 400 meters, men’s 4x100-meter relay and the women’s triple jump.
 
McDonnell began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Albuquerque’s Eldorado High School. In his five years there, McDonnell guided more than 40 athletes to the New Mexico 5A State Championships with titles coming in the sprint relay, 4x400-meter relay, 400 meters, 110-meter hurdles and long jump. In 2007, the 4x100-meter relay team broke a 20-year old school record after the 4x200-meter relay broke a 19-year-old record in 2006. McDonnell had five athletes finish in the top five at the state meet, and five of his athletes went on to compete at the NCAA Division I level.
 
As a Lobo, McDonnell competed in the jumping events from 1994-99. He placed in both the long jump and triple jump when he was part of the first Lobo team to compete in the Mountain West Conference Championships.
 
McDonnell earned a bachelor’s degree in communications at UNM. He holds a Level I USATF Certified Instructor, Level I USATF Track and Field Certification and a Level II Certification in sprints, hurdles and combined events.