CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – University of Illinois Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Petros Kyprianou announced Wednesday (June 28) the addition of assistant coach Bridgette Owens.
“We are very excited to welcome coach Bridgette Owens to our team and staff,” Kyprianou said. “Bridgette brings a wealth of knowledge and experience at the highest level of competition and I’m so eager to have her join forces with the rest of our coaching staff in pursuing our team’s dreams and expectations in achieving greatness in the NCAA. She has been recommended and referred by some of the best in the business and after speaking with Coach Owens, I felt the same vibes of someone that demands excellence from herself and others in pursuit of greatness. I am grateful to our administration for the support and willingness to see this team achieve amazing things by adding this position on our staff.”
In her new role with the Fighting Illini track and field program, Owens will coach short sprints and women’s hurdles, while also serving as the staff’s recruiting strategist.
“I am truly excited to be a part of the Fighting Illini track and field program,” Owens said. “I would like to thank Coach Petros for the opportunity to be a part of such a storied track and field program. I look forward to contributing to his vision of success and learning from one of the best coaches in the world.”
Owens comes to Urbana-Champaign after serving as an assistant coach at UTEP during the 2022-23 season. During her stint in El Paso, she helped the Miners sweep the 2023 Conference-USA Track Athlete of the Year awards, while mentoring women’s honoree, Marissa Simpson, a two-time CUSA Champion, and second-team All-America hurdler.
Under Owens’ tutelage, Simpson enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign for UTEP that included gold medals in both the 60-meter hurdles and the 100-meter hurdles at the league’s indoor and outdoor championships, respectively, and a second-team All-America performance in the 100-meter hurdles at the 2023 NCAA Nationals.
Owens began her collegiate coaching career as a volunteer assistant coach for three seasons at California State University, Northridge before moving into an assistant coach role at Western Michigan from 2019-22.
As a coach Owens has had three NCAA Championship berths, 10 conference champions and 13 high school state…
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