Completed Event: Track & Field at VertKlasse Meeting on April 4, 2025 , , Completed
T-F
Final
James Madison
at VertKlasse Meeting
Completed
James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
JMU Welcomes Pete McFadden as Head Track & Field Coach
8/3/2023 4:30:00 PM | Track & Field
HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Delethea Quarles announced Thursday the addition of Pete McFadden as head track & field coach. McFadden has coached at the Division I level for the past 16 years, all at Liberty.
"Life is a journey full of challenges and opportunities," added McFadden. "I've learned to respect and love what comes along with the journey. I'm honored and ready to embrace this incredible opportunity at JMU. Let's go Dukes' nation!"
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During his time in Lynchburg, the Flames won 37 Big South team championships and 16 ASUN team titles, the men's squad captured back-to-back IC4A outdoor titles (2007 & 2008) and the Lady Flames earned their first two ECAC indoor crowns (2018 & 2019).
Last season, the talented trio of Isis Brooks, Omari Lewis and Donald McClinton combined to win six ASUN event titles and break program records in four of those events (outdoor women's 100 – 11.23, outdoor women's 200 – 23.09, indoor men's 60 – 6.70 by Lewis and indoor men's 200 – 20.86 by McClinton).
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During Liberty's 2022 campaign, McFadden guided the Flames' men's 4 x 100 relay quartet of Brandon Letts, Donald McClinton, Christian Lyon and Diamantae Griffin. They became the first All-American relay team in program history with a 12th-place NCAA finish in a Liberty and ASUN-record time of 39.08. On the women's side, Isis Brooks won the ASUN 100 title in a Liberty and conference-record 11.35 and became the first Lady Flame to reach the NCAA women's 100 quarterfinal round.
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McFadden boasts international coaching experience, serving as the USA Team's head track & field coach for the World University Games in Naples, Italy. He also coached Olympian Alejandro Perlaza Zapata who set both the South American indoor men's 400 record (46.14) and the Colombian outdoor men's 400 record (44.86) during his first season with the Flames. Meanwhile, Tanner Ealum raced to the world's No. 4 women's 500-meter time of 2018, 1:11.17. At season's end, McFadden traveled to Perlaza Zapata's home continent as an assistant coach for the USA team at the inaugural 2018 FISU America Games in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
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McFadden was a standout sprinter for the Flames in the mid to late 90s and held the Big South Championship meet record at 100 meters (10.32) until 2010. In 1996, he led off for Liberty's victorious 4 x 100-meter relay squad at the IC4A Championship, helping the Flames capture the team title. The quartet ran a time of 39.86 seconds, which stood as the school record for 26 years. In total, he was a six-time All-East selection at 100 meters, 200 meters and in the 4x100-meter relay.
McFadden also excelled on the football field at Liberty. He played for the 1995 Flames who went 8-3 and were ranked No. 19 nationally. That season, McFadden returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and averaged a school-record 37.8 yards per return. His 93-yard punt return against Delaware State is still a school record. At season's end, he was named a first-team All-American as a return specialist by both the Football Gazette and the Sports Network.
McFadden participated in the Indianapolis Colts' 1998 preseason training camp but was released just before the team's last cut. He then spent the 1999 season with the Portland Forest Dragons of the Arena Football League.
In addition to his position on the Flames' coaching staff, he works part-time with troubled youth in Lynchburg as a home-based therapist. He also works with an inner-city youth group at Power of God Deliverance Church in Lynchburg and founded an organization called Dream Again Life, which teaches children the importance of being educated, while also motivating them to chase after their dreams.
McFadden and his wife, the former Brittany Melvin, were married in July 2022.
"We are excited to have Coach McFadden join our JMU Family," said Quarles. "He excelled as a multi-sport athlete in football and track, and impacted both on the national stage. He comes to us with many years of proven successful coaching experience and a great love for his community and young people. He is passionate and will roll up his sleeves to recruit, coach, and win here at James Madison University. We are honored to have him on board."
After serving in a part-time role during the 2007 season, McFadden was promoted to Associate Head Track & Field Coach in January 2018 and primarily worked with the sprints (up to 800 meters) and relays."Life is a journey full of challenges and opportunities," added McFadden. "I've learned to respect and love what comes along with the journey. I'm honored and ready to embrace this incredible opportunity at JMU. Let's go Dukes' nation!"
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During his time in Lynchburg, the Flames won 37 Big South team championships and 16 ASUN team titles, the men's squad captured back-to-back IC4A outdoor titles (2007 & 2008) and the Lady Flames earned their first two ECAC indoor crowns (2018 & 2019).
Last season, the talented trio of Isis Brooks, Omari Lewis and Donald McClinton combined to win six ASUN event titles and break program records in four of those events (outdoor women's 100 – 11.23, outdoor women's 200 – 23.09, indoor men's 60 – 6.70 by Lewis and indoor men's 200 – 20.86 by McClinton).
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During Liberty's 2022 campaign, McFadden guided the Flames' men's 4 x 100 relay quartet of Brandon Letts, Donald McClinton, Christian Lyon and Diamantae Griffin. They became the first All-American relay team in program history with a 12th-place NCAA finish in a Liberty and ASUN-record time of 39.08. On the women's side, Isis Brooks won the ASUN 100 title in a Liberty and conference-record 11.35 and became the first Lady Flame to reach the NCAA women's 100 quarterfinal round.
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McFadden boasts international coaching experience, serving as the USA Team's head track & field coach for the World University Games in Naples, Italy. He also coached Olympian Alejandro Perlaza Zapata who set both the South American indoor men's 400 record (46.14) and the Colombian outdoor men's 400 record (44.86) during his first season with the Flames. Meanwhile, Tanner Ealum raced to the world's No. 4 women's 500-meter time of 2018, 1:11.17. At season's end, McFadden traveled to Perlaza Zapata's home continent as an assistant coach for the USA team at the inaugural 2018 FISU America Games in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
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McFadden was a standout sprinter for the Flames in the mid to late 90s and held the Big South Championship meet record at 100 meters (10.32) until 2010. In 1996, he led off for Liberty's victorious 4 x 100-meter relay squad at the IC4A Championship, helping the Flames capture the team title. The quartet ran a time of 39.86 seconds, which stood as the school record for 26 years. In total, he was a six-time All-East selection at 100 meters, 200 meters and in the 4x100-meter relay.
McFadden also excelled on the football field at Liberty. He played for the 1995 Flames who went 8-3 and were ranked No. 19 nationally. That season, McFadden returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and averaged a school-record 37.8 yards per return. His 93-yard punt return against Delaware State is still a school record. At season's end, he was named a first-team All-American as a return specialist by both the Football Gazette and the Sports Network.
McFadden participated in the Indianapolis Colts' 1998 preseason training camp but was released just before the team's last cut. He then spent the 1999 season with the Portland Forest Dragons of the Arena Football League.
In addition to his position on the Flames' coaching staff, he works part-time with troubled youth in Lynchburg as a home-based therapist. He also works with an inner-city youth group at Power of God Deliverance Church in Lynchburg and founded an organization called Dream Again Life, which teaches children the importance of being educated, while also motivating them to chase after their dreams.
McFadden and his wife, the former Brittany Melvin, were married in July 2022.
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