Cortney Stafford was named the head coach of the women's track and field programs on August 30, 2021 and is entering her fourth season on the ESU staff in 2024-25.
In 2023-24, the Warriors captured a fifth place finish at the PSAC Indoor Championships for the second straight year, before taking ninth at the outdoor championships. Junior Samiyah Little secured the third PSAC weight throw title in school history and became the first thrower in program history to win the the hammer at the outdoor conference meet. During the indoor season, the Warriors broke a trio of school records which included Ddestiny Thompson (200m), Nickolina Annelli (pole vault) and Little (weight).
ESU continued to improve in its second year under Stafford as the Warriors finished fifth at both the PSAC Indoor & Outdoor Championships. Graduate student Jeanette Jones wrapped up an outstanding career by capturing the conference title in the 400m hurdles and the Warriors broke a number of school records which included Destiny Thompson (55m, 60m), Nickolina Annelli (pole vault) and Elizabeth Makar (hammer throw). Academically, Makar was named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Third Team, becoming only the ninth selection in program history.
In her first season at the helm, ESU finished ninth and tied for seventh respectively at the PSAC Indoor & Outdoor Championships. Additionally, the Warriors set six school records which included Elizabeth Makar in the shot put (indoor/outdoor), Nikolina Annelli in the pole vault (indoor/outdoor) as well as Isabella Marte in the discus. Makar also earned a pair of Second Team All-America honors in the shot put, the PSAC Athlete & Freshman of the awards during the indoor season and a conference title in the shot put at the outdoor championships.
Stafford brings seven years of collegiate experience and joins the Warriors after previously working as an assistant coach at Cal State Fullerton from 2015-21.
Stafford coached three student-athletes to four Big West individual titles and has had 13 NCAA DI West Preliminary Qualifiers. The women’s team had their first-ever high jump competitor at the NCAA Championships, which she went on to earn 2nd Team All-American status with a top-15 finish. Under Stafford’s direction, five women's school records were also broken.
She was apart of four Big West Conference Championships and had 18 student-athletes earn All-Academic honors.
Prior to joining Cal State Fullerton in 2015-16, Stafford spent one year as a volunteer assistant coach for UC Irvine where she focused on the horizontal jumps.
Before coaching at UCI, Stafford spent four years (2010-14) serving as an assistant sprints and jumps coach at Long Beach Polytechnic High School. Stafford assisted the Jackrabbits in their 2011 Boys and Girls CIF-Southern Section, and the CA-CIF State Championship titles as well as the Girls 2013 & 2014 CIF-Southern Section and CIF State Championship titles. During her stint, the Jackrabbits also produced numerous national leading marks and in 2011 ESPN ranked the track and field program as #1 in the nation.
Prior to her coaching career, Stafford competed for four years as a jumper at Cal Poly. Competing in both the long and triple jump, and sprint relay, Stafford was a two-time Big West Conference champion in the triple jump in 2004 and 2005. As a Big West Conference triple jump record holder, her mark of 13.45m (44-1 ¼) still stands today. During the 2005 season, Stafford placed ninth in the triple jump at the NCAA Indoor Track Championships, fourth at the NCAA West Regional and competed at the Outdoor NCAA Championships that year.
Stafford earned her undergraduate degree in political science and ethnic studies from Cal Poly in 2005. She added a master’s degree in sport management from Long Beach State in 2012.
She is a certified USATF Association Level Official, Level 3 Jumps & Multi Events coacn and an IAAF Level 5 Jumps & Multi Events coach.
Recent PSAC Championships by ESU
2024 outdoor - Samiyah Little (hammer throw)
2024 indoor - Samiyah Little (weight throw)
2023 indoor - Donavan Anderson (triple jump)
2023 outdoor - Jeanette Jones (400m hurdles)
2023 outdoor - Kobe Jenkins (110m hurdles)
2023 indoor- Donavan Anderson (triple jump)
2022 outdoor - Elizabeth Makar (Shot Put)
Recent NCAA Qualifiers by ESU (All-Americans bold)
2023 outdoor - Donavan Anderson (Triple Jump - First Team)
2023 indoor - Donavan Anderson (Long Jump - Second Team)
Donavan Anderson (Triple Jump - Second Team)
2022 outdoor - Elizabeth Makar (Shot Put - Second Team)
2022 indoor - Elizabeth Makar (Shot Put - Second Team)
PSAC Overall Award Winners
2024 - Bri Hennett - Indoor Track & Field Freshman
2022 - Elizabeth Makar - Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year, Freshman of the Year
