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Wayne Angel served as the head men's track and field coach for six seasons at the University of Illinois. The former world-class 400-meter hurdler and Illinois alum made an immediate impact on the Illini track and field program from 2003-09.
He upheld the rich tradition that was passed on to him by his former coach and mentor, the legendary Gary Wieneke. Angel quickly set out to instill in his athletes the same philosophy and work ethic that has made Illinois one of America's most prestigious and successful track and field programs.
In 2009, freshman Andrew Riley earned All-America honors during both the indoor (60m hurdles) and outdoor (110m hurdles) season along with setting school records in both those events under Angel's tutelage. The Kingston, Jamaica native also was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year after winning the 60m hurdles title at the Big Ten Indoor Championships. Along with Riley's title at the indoor conference meet, Gakologelwang Masheto (400m) and Gary Miller (600m) also won Big Ten titles in their respective events. During the outdoor season, Masheto won the 400m title at the Big Ten Championships while both relays tallied runner-up finishes.
Under Angel's guidance, Masheto established himself as one of the top sprinters in the country. Masheto represented Botswana by competing in the 400m in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, becoming the second Olympian Angel has coached. Angel also led Masheto to the NCAA indoor 500m record in 2008, as Masheto made headlines with a time of 1:00.82 at the New Balance Invitational in New York. He followed that performance by winning his fourth career Big Ten title, taking the 400m at the indoor conference championships. After suffering a stress fracture in his foot that kept him out much of the 2008 season, Masheto recovered by earning his second consecutive trip to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 400m. In addition to Masheto's success in 2008, Angel pupil Dominique Worsley set the Illinois school 60m record at the Big Ten Championships with a time of 6.72 and the 4x400m relay of Yawusa Kinda, Gary Miller, Cody Wisslead and Masheto earned All-Region honors.
Masheto had a banner season in 2007 as a two-time All-American, earning the accolade in the 400 meters by finishing fourth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships and fifth at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Masheto won three Big Ten titles in his first season with the Illini, taking the 600m indoor title and the 400m and 4x400m relay titles outdoor. He also broke two schol records (400m and 600m indoor) and was the Drake Relays 400m champion.
Angel and the Illini had success in the hurdling events in 2007, as Adrian Walker won the Big Ten title in the 400m hurdles and Walker and Anthony Young both qualified for the event at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships.
In 2006, the Illini experienced much success under Angel's direction. The Orange and Blue continued their undefeated streak at home meets during both the indoor and outdoor seasons and were ranked 24th in the country indoor in the U.S. Track and Field Coaches Association poll. Angel coached the Illini to three new school records in the 400m, 500m and 4x400m relay, but the highlight of the 2006 season was the mile relay. The indoor 4x400m relay team won the Big Ten title, placed second at the NCAA Championships and were ranked fifth in the world. Worsley was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year during both the indoor and outdoor seasons after successful showings at the conference meets. Additionally, Tramell Smith broke the 600m Armory Track record and Abe Jones claimed the Big Ten 400m hurdles title and also broke the 400m and 500m school records.
In 2005, the Illini were a force nationally, ranked eighth indoor and 18th outdoor in the U.S. Track and Field Coaches Association dual meet power ranking polls. Illinois' 4x800m, 4x400m and sprint medley were all ranked among the top relays in the nation tabbed fifth, 13th and third, respectively.
Angel established himself as one of the top sprint and middle distance coaches in the Big Ten. In his six seasons at his alma mater, Angel coached and developed two Olympic Trial participants, seven All-Americans that earned 15 All-America citations, 31 Big Ten Champions, one NCAA Regional Champion and record holder, and 69 All-Big Ten accolades. His program also has seen 12 school records fall in his six yers.
"At the University of Illinois, our focus is to build a strong and cohesive unit that is battling year in and year out for Big Ten Championships, as well as striving to become a force on the national scene," Angel said. "Relays are an extension of our overall philosophy. In our pursuit of excellence, we use relays as an expression of our passion and desire for greatness."
In his short tenure at the collegiate level, Angel compiled quite a record. He earned Central Collegiate Coach of the Year honors twice, was a two-time sprint coach at the World Scholar-Athlete Games (1997, 2001) and served as an assistant coach at the 2001 World Track and Field Championships in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Angel also took pride in having coached five athletes to timing under 1:50 in the 800 meters (1:47.28, 1:47:80, 1:48:20, 1:48:81, 1:49:54) and three 400-meter hurdlers who have run 50 seconds or better (49.60, 49.81, 50.01). His coaching abilities extend past the 400m, as he coached two of the top 4x400m relays in the NCAA in 2005 and 2006 (indoor: 3:06.79, outdoor: 3:04.64), in the NCAA in 2005 and 2006.
Prior to Illinois, Angel had a brief stint at the University of Iowa as the head women's cross country coach and assistant women's track coach. During that time, he helped guide the Iowa women's track and field team to a sixth-place finish at the Big Ten Championships, the program's highest finish in nine years. The Rantoul, Ill., native also coached Sarah Arens to a school record and NCAA Championships appearance in the steeplechase. In addition, he developed one of the top distance medley relay teams in the country.
Before Iowa, Angel spent two-and-a-half years at Wichita State as the head men's and women's cross country coach and assistant track coach. During his tenure with the Shockers, the women's cross country team was ranked as high as third in the Midwest region and 30th in the nation. At the Missouri Valley Championships, his Lady Shockers were runners-up and also had three All-Regional performers.
The 2001 season was perhaps Angel's most notable before arriving at Illinois, as he helped lead Wichita State's men's team to an outdoor Missouri Valley Conference track and field title. Indoor, he coached two of the nation's top 800m runners, Viktor's Lacis (1:48.63) and Solomon Birir (1:48.81) to appearances at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. His 800m runners also were dominant at the Missouri Valley Conference Championships as they swept the top-three places. Lacis, a 2000 Olympian, also qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 400m hurdles, where he placed third (49.60), setting a university and national Latvian record as well as earning All-American honors. Lacis, the Most Valuable Athlete at the Missouri Valley Championships, also competed at the World Track and Field Championships in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
During his tenure at Wichita State, Angel's athletes accounted for nine of the school's track records. In addition, he coached five athletes to NCAA or provisional qualifying times as well as five Missouri Valley titles.
Before entering the college coaching ranks, Angel was a highly successful head track and field coach at Pike High School in Indianapolis, Ind., from 1993-1998. He led his team to an undefeated season (15-0) and the Indiana State High School Championship in 1997 and a runner-up finish in 1998. Angel's Red Devils won three conference and four regional championships during his tenure. He also received numerous Coach of the Year honors during this period.
The former Illini tri-captain received his B.S. in physical education from Illinois in 1982 while enjoying a successful track and field career. A two-time Big Ten Champion as a member of the 4x400 relay team, Angel ended his Illinois career as the school record holder in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 50.56 seconds and currently ranks sixth on the school's all-time list in the event. Angel won his first Big Ten title at the 1981 Big Ten Indoor Championships in the 4x400m relay with a time of 3:12.70. He helped claim the same title outdoors with a time of 3:08.0. He also finished fourth in the 500m for the Illini at the Big Ten Indoor Championships and fourth in the 400m hurdles at the outdoor championships.
Angel was a participant in two Olympic trials (1980, 1984) and a three-time World Military Games Gold Medalist. The former Army Airborne Ranger and Distinguished Honor Graduate of the Army's Air Assault School holds the current armed forces record in the 400-meter hurdles (49.93). A two-time USATF and Junior College All-American, Angel was inducted into the Parkland College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Rantoul High School Hall of Fame in 1985.
During Angel's competitive career, he represented the United States in international competitions in Finland, Korea, Germany, Egypt, Algeria, Mexico and Great Britain.
THE WAYNE ANGEL FILE
EDUCATION
B.S., University of Illiois (1982)
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Head Coach, University of Illinois, 2003-2009
Assistant Coach, University of Iowa, 2002-2003
Assistant Coach, Wichita State, 1999-2002
Assistant Coach, University of Tennessee-Martin, 1999
COACHING HONORS
• Coached two Olympians (Masheto - 2008; Lacis - 2000)
• Coached Canadian National Champion (400m)
• Coached three national record holders
• Coached NCAA Runner-Up 4x400m relay (2006)
• Top-25 team finish at the 2006 NCAA Indoor Championships
• 15 NCAA All-America honors
• 18 NCAA Championship qualifiers
• Two-time Central Collegiate Coach of the Year
• Coached two Big Ten Freshman of the Year
• 31 Big Ten Champions (15 individual / 16 relays)
• Four Big Ten 4x400m relay titles
• 69 All-Big Ten athletes
• Two top-three team finishes at the Big Ten Championships
• 12 school records
• University of Illinois Tri-Captain, 1981
• Parkland College Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee, 2009
• Rantoul High School Hall of Fame Inductee, 1985
• Sprint Coach at the World Scholar Athlete Games, 1997 and 2001
ATHLETIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• Olympic Trials participant (1980 and 1984)
• Three-time World Military Games Gold Medalist
• Seven-time Armed Forces Champion
• Two-time USATF All-American
• Two-time NJCAA All-American
• Two-time Big Ten Champion in the 4x400-meter relay
• Armed Forces 400m hurdles record holder (49.93)
