Heather Leverington enters her first year (2018-19) as the Lock Haven head men's and women's indoor/outdoor track & field coach and her 12th season coaching at the university.
Leverington has helped take the teams to new heights in the previous eleven seasons as a co-head coach and takes the reins as head coach this season looking to build on a strong 2017-18 season
She is also responsible for coordinating the team’s strength and conditioning program, and works closely with the throwers.
Since joining the LHU track & field program prior to the start of the 2006-07 season, Leverington has guided Bald Eagle throwers to a number of accolades. Last season was no different as the women soared in the indoor which saw all-time marks and records being broken. The two records that were broken this season was the women's 60-meter hurdles and the women's 300-meters. Rashana Tompkins was able to lower that record by three tenths of second (.30) to 8.87. Kayla Braithwaite, who broke the 300-meter record, ran to a time of 43.06 which is .06 faster than the previous record that stood for eight years. Laurel Moyer hit numerous top-five all-time marks in numerous events across the board. She ran up the record books to mark herself second all-time in the 1,000, 3,000, and 5,000 races! She also hit the fourth fastest mile time in school history at the Mid-Major Invite at Youngstown University.
In the outdoor season, the LHU women hit 11 different individual Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) qualifying marks in the six different individual events. Highlighting the way was four individual qualifying marks at 1,500-meters. The men hit 25 individual Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) qualifying marks in 12 different events. Seniors Mitchell Coakley (steeplechase) and Matt Taylor (10K) have been named to the All-Region Team.
2016-17 was once again another successful year for the Haven track & field teams. At the PSAC Indoor Championships Lock Haven had eight All-Conference athletes as well as eight athletes earning All-Region teams in seven events. Highlighting the performances was senior Lindsay Hepburn who defended her championship in the weight throw.
Following a stellar indoor championship The Haven had some great individual performances at the PSAC Outdoor Championship. Leading the way was Tyler Burger and Rahjeir Miles-Eubanks. Burger capped his freshman year by winning the decathlon. Miles-Eubanks was second in the javelin and both mens performances were NCAA provisional marks. Also hitting a NCAA provisional mark was Elizabeth Kravitz in the javelin throw.
Leading the way in 2014-15 was standout men’s throwers Jake Heim and Rahjeir Miles-Eubanks, along with Lindsay Hepburn of the women’s team.
In the spring of 2015 after winning the PSAC title in the javelin, Miles-Eubanks earned his second straight trip to the NCAA Division II National Championships in the javelin.
Heim won the weight throw during the indoor PSAC Championships and turned in a stellar season outdoor, as well.
Hepburn, who earned Academic All-American honors, was an All-Region thrower during the indoor and outdoor seasons. She also won the weight throw at the indoor PSAC Championships.
Also, highlighting the 2014-15 season was Bobby Shorthouse winning the PSAC Sportsmanship Award.
In 2014, Miles-Eubanks was second in the javelin at the PSAC Championships and earned a spot in the NCAA Championships. Miles-Eubanks also became a USA Track & Field Junior National Qualifier, finishing seventh at the USATF Junior Nationals in July, 2014.Â
Leverington has helped LHU throwers set seven school records and win 16 individual PSAC Championships. She was named PSAC Coach of the Year in 2007 (outdoor) and 2009-10 (indoor). Following the 2007 outdoor season, she was named Co-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year.
Prior to her time at Lock Haven, Leverington served as assistant track & field coach at her alma mater Emporia State University from 2004-06. From 2002-04, she served as graduate assistant coach at the University of South Dakota.
In all, Leverington has guided nearly 90 student-athletes to NCAA Division II provisional marks and 15 to DII All-American status. She’s guided two student-athletes to Division II national championships.
Leverington is a 2002 graduate of Emporia State University with a Bachelor of Science in Recreation. She earned her master’s in Health and Physical Education and Recreation from South Dakota in 2004.
A five-time NCAA Division II shotput National Champion, Leverington enjoyed a standout career at Emporia State. The seven-time DII All-American set the DII National shotput record in 2001. In 2000, Leverington finished ninth at the United States Olympic Trials.
Leverington is a member of the Mid-Inter Collegiate Athletic Association Athletic Hall of Fame (’14), Emporia State University Athletic Hall of Fame (’12) and the USTFCCCA NCAA Division II Hall of Fame (’07).
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