07/18/2016
Associate head coach Brett Willmott spent the last nine years coaching at Vermont. The former Plattsburgh State head track & field coach was hired in September of 2007. Willmott was responsible for coaching the sprints, hurdles, jumps, and multi-event athletes.
In nine seasons with the Catamounts (2007-16), he has coached over 100 all-conference performers, seventeen conference champions, and his student-athletes have broken over 25 school records. Willmott also coached the first-ever men's contingent Vermont has sent to the NCAA East Regional Meet, including a total of eight men and women.
On the men’s side, NCAA qualifier Mitchell Switzer (now Division I head coach) extended his career in Europe with current hurdler Martin Kallur. Switzer finished his first summer tour with a victory in the intermediate hurdles, while Kallur became Swedish Junior National Champion in the high hurdles running a lifetime best of 14.31. Most recently, Mallory Duncan won his third straight America East title in the 400 intermediate hurdles while breaking his own school record. Ian Weider also won two long jump titles at the America East Championships and has qualified for NCAAs.
In 2011, Willmott helped Ase Lundin win an Outdoor New England Championship in the high jump in dramatic fashion by winning with a personal best performance in a 10 round jump-off to break a three-way tie. In 2012, heptathlon standout Brittany St. Clair followed up with another high jump victory at the championships and tied the school record (1.80), helping her to advance to the NCAA level. Recently, heptathlete Sara Roderick captured both America East and ECAC championships in her event. Mallory Honan added a long jump title at the New England Championships.
A 1995 graduate of Plattsburgh, Willmott came to Vermont after four years as the head track & field coach at his alma mater. During his four-year tenure, the Cardinals established many school records, crowned 18 State University of New York Athletic Conference individual champions, and produced 13 All-Americans and scholar All-Americans.
At the 2006 NCAA Division III Championships, the men’s indoor team posted a No. 22 final ranking and the women’s outdoor squad recorded a school-record 25th place showing.
At the 2007 NCAA Championships, Willmott coached John Daly to a fifth place finish in the decathlon. Daly, who earned an All-America citation, broke the Plattsburgh State school-record by 236 points and the Cardinals finished 49th overall.
Willmott also guided Daly to his second Olympic games in the sport of skeleton. He also tutors U.S. slider Annie O’Shea (ranked #1) a 2016 silver and gold medalist on the World Cup tour, Savannah Graybill (ranked third), and former Catamount Mike Rogals who are 2018 Olympic hopefuls.
Willmott has also served as a clinician and guest speaker for the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Additionally, he serves as board member for the National Postural Institute, and is also certified through the NSCA and USAW.
