Women's Indoor Track—Coaches

Head coach Deb Aitken, in her 28th year at Colby in the 2012-13 academic year, teams up with five dedicated and knowledgeable individuals to provide every athlete with the direction and technical advice for success. Aitken brings 33 years of collegiate coaching experience to Mayflower Hill. In her tenure, the Skowhegan, Maine, native and 2005 NESCAC Track and Field Coach of the Year, has led the women's program to Maine and New England crowns.

Aitken is also head coach of the highly successful women's cross country team at Colby. The Mules finished fifth at both the 2004 and 2005 NCAA Division III Championships. Aitken was named NESCAC and NCAA Regional Coach of the Year in cross country after the 2004 season.

Aitken heads up the high jumpers, middle distance/distance runners, and multi-event athletes.

Assistant Coaches

Jared Beers '01 is entering his seventh year as head coach for men's country and track and field at Colby after being an assistant coach for both programs. Beers coaches the men's mid-distance and distance runners and has redesigned the strength and conditioning programs for all sprinters, hurdlers, jumpers, and throwers.

Emily Hackert, a Bowdoin College graduate with assistant coach experience at two colleges, is in her second year as an assistant coach with the Mules in the 2012-13 academic year. Hackert’s position with the Mules will concentrate on hurdles, horizontal jumps, and sprints. She was responsible for coaching the horizontal jumps, hurdles, and high jump as an assistant coach at Washington and Jefferson College from 2007 to 2009. Hackert was a graduate assistant coach --- she just earned her master’s degree in August 2011 --- while coaching the hurdles, sprints, and high jump at Springfield College since 2009. A versatile athlete during her track and field career at Bowdoin, Hackert competed in numerous events for the Polar Bears. She earned All-New England honors four times, All-New England Small College Athletic Conference once, and All-ECAC twice.

Jose "Eric" Garcia, a collegiate 400-meter runner, joined the staff in 2006 as sprint coach. Garcia brings several years of track coaching experience, knowledge, and great enthusiasm. He also serves as an assistant football coach in the fall.

Gene Roy joined the staff in 2006 as pole vault coach. Roy has made a great impact on Colby vaulters, seeing great improvement and consistency. He has coached area pole vaulters for more than 20 years.

Matt Harmon, who helped the University of Southern Maine to six Little East Conference titles in indoor and outdoor track, will coach the shot put, hammer, discus, and weight throws. He takes over for long-time throws coach Dan Camann, who decided to retire from coaching. Harmon, a native of Auburn, Maine, was a captain his junior and senior season for Southern Maine. A 14-time Little East All-Conference selection, Harmon holds USM records in the indoor weight throw, the outdoor hammer throw, and the outdoor shot put. He was a past school-record holder of the indoor shot put.