Oct. 9, 2009

Brent Shelby Joins Coaching Staff as Throws Coach

Youngstown -- Youngstown State track and field head coach Brian Gorby has announced the addition of Brent Shelby to the coaching staff beginning with the upcoming 2009-10 season. Shelby assumes duties as throws coach for the Penguins.

Prior to joining the YSU program, Shelby was a five-year thrower at Kent State and was the throws coach at Pittsburgh for the 2008-09 season.

Gorby said Shelby's experience on a national level will contribute heavily to keeping the throws program a dominate force in the Horizon League.

"Coach Shelby brings a tremendous amount of experience and a wealth of knowledge from the Big East and the national level, which will continue to help build on the great foundation of success in the throws program that Coach (Shawn) Cobey developed and strived to achieve the past eight years," Gorby said.

While at Kent State, Shelby qualified for NCAA Regionals four times in the discus during the outdoor circuit as well as qualifying three times in the shot put and once in the hammer.

Other accolades that Shelby has to his name are the 2003 Mid American Conference outdoor discus champion, ranking second in Kent State history in the shot put and has the ninth-best toss in the weight throw.

During his indoor circuits at Kent, Shelby was an NCAA provisional qualifier in the shot put in his junior and senior years. He also was the 2004 shot put MAC champion.

"We are excited to give Coach Shelby and the throws program continued tremendous support as they build on many conference championships and national and regional qualifiers in the future," said Gorby.

A 2001 West Lake (Ohio) High School graduate, Shelby competed three years in track and field and was a standout football player.

Shelby replaces Cobey, who was named the throws coach at Clemson in late August.