Track and Field
- Title:
- Assistant Coach-Combined/Jumps
- Email:
- rickaby@kent.edu
- Phone:
- 330-672-8441
Kent State University track and field standout Phil Rickaby is in his seventh season as a member of the Golden Flashes' coaching staff. Rickaby works with the horizontal jumpers and short sprints performers.
"As a graduate of Kent State, Phil brings inside knowledge about the programs," said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Bill Lawson. "He has been a tremendous assistant to me, especially in the combined events and the jumps. He is also a diligent recruiter for our program."
As a coach, Rickaby is responsible for 32 total All-Time Top Performers in Kent State History. Twenty-five of Rickaby’s 32 All-Time Top Performers come form the women’s side. For the indoor seasons, he coached the athletes who hold the top-4 marks in the long jump, five in the top-10 for triple jump, two in the top-10 for the 60m dash and three in the 200m dash. For the outdoor seasons, he coached athletes who hold two of the top-5 in the triple jump, three of the top-10 in the long jump and one in both the 100m and the 200m dashes. The other four under Rickaby’s direction that sit in the All-Time Top Performers list come from three men’s indoor top-10 marks in the triple jump and one in the outdoor triple jump.
Rickaby continued his success in the long jump and triple jump in the 2013-14 season as the women's team swept the podium for the second straight season at the indoor Mid-American Conference Championships for the long jump. With following suit from the 2012-13 season, Rickaby led the girls to first (Roseanne Erickson), second (Ann Marie Duffus) and third (Dior Delophont) places, while in the triple jump Delophont took second and Erickson came away with third. Erickson has continued to dominate the long jump winning the titles at the indoor and outdoor championships since arriving at Kent State and backed her title in 2014 at the outdoor championships. Delophont took third in the long jump this past season as she backed up her MAC Champion title from the previous season.
Rickaby led the men's side to a second and third place finish at the indoor championships in 2013-14, as Donovan Tolbert took second and Jailyn Twitty took third in the triple jump. Twitty followed his indoor season up with an outdoor third place finish.
Under Rickaby's direction in 2012-13, the women's team swept the titles in the long jump and triple jump both indoors and outdoor. At the 2013 indoor MAC Championships, Dior Delophont took home first in both the outdoor titles in the triple jump and long jump. In the long jump behind Delophont, Roseanne Erickson and Keri Dantley finished out the top-3 (second and third, respectively). Continuing their run from the indoor season, Rickaby led the jumpers to the podium again to sweep first, second and third place in the long jump (Erickson - First, Ann Marie Duffus - Second, Delophont - Third), while for the triple jump they came away with first, second and fourth (Delophont - First, Dantley - Second, Erickson - Fourth).
Rickaby closed out the 2012-13 season with being reconginized by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as being named the Great Lakes Region Indoor Women's Assistant Coach of the Year.
In 2011-12, Rickaby mentored two-time NCAA Championship participant Penina Acayo in the triple jump. In just one season at Kent State, Acayo was a two-time MAC champion under Rickaby's guidance.
During the 2012 season, Rickaby led the women's triple jump crew to a first and third place finish at the indoor MAC Championships as well as a first and second in the outdoor championships (Penina Acayo and Keri Dantley, respectively). Roseanne Erickson claimed the long jump title as a freshman at the outdoor championships. Additionally to the women's success in the 2012 season, on the men's side, Rickaby led three guys to second, third and fourth place at the outdoor championships in the triple jump (Rob Falchi, Justin Bailey, Andrew Linebarger).
Rickaby’s success as a coach comes from not only a vast background in competition in a wide array of events as a former collegian, but his passion for excellence.
From 2006 to 2008, Rickaby served as a graduate assistant at Kent State. He has also served as a term instructor for the Physical Education Department in the School of Exercise, Leisure and Sport. In addition, he served as a volunteer assistant coach in 2007 and was named Kent State's track and field assistant meet manager in 2006.
During Rickaby's tenure at Kent State, he proved to be a top competitor making his way onto the all-time record lists of the track and field program. He is currently ranked in the 60m (ninth), indoor and outdoor long jump (fourth and second), the javelin (eighth) and indoor and outdoor triple jump (sixth and eighth), respectively.
In his final season of competition, Rickaby was named to the 2007 ESPN the Magazine and CoSIDA Academic All-American Second Team for his efforts.
As a freshman, Rickaby claimed the Mid-American Conference title in the triple jump, which paved the way to an All-MAC first team selection in 2004; his efforts helped the Kent State men capture the 2004 team title at the MAC Outdoor Championships. In the three succeeding years, Rickaby again earned First Team All-MAC honors while capturing three MAC Champion tiles in the javelin. He qualified for the NCAA Track and Field Championships in 2006 in the long jump.
A native of Winmalee, Australia, Rickaby came to the United States and Kent State in 2004. Prior to his arrival in the U.S., Rickaby was a three-time Australian Junior Triple Jump Champion from 2000-02. During his collegiate career, Rickaby continued to add to his collection of athletic accolades in various events. Known for his triple jumping and long jumping abilities, Rickaby also proved to be a top contender in the javelin.
Rickaby earned his Bachelor of Science degree in human movement studies in 2006 from Kent State University. In May of 2008, he graduated with a Masters of Arts in sports management from Kent State. He also earned his Level 2 United States of America Track and Field Coaching Certification in 2011.
