EAST STROUDSBURG – Quanette Ford, a Division II All-American and PSAC champion in the triple jump as an undergrad at East Stroudsburg University, has been named head coach of the Warriors' women's track and field program.

Ford, formerly known as Quanette Jester, was inducted into the ESU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014. She placed seventh nationally in the triple jump as a senior in 2001, and she was crowned PSAC champion in the event during her debut season in 1998. Ford graduated with five school records, and she remains the ESU record holder in the indoor triple jump (37-7), the outdoor triple jump (39-5 3/4) and the shuttle hurdles relay.

"It is with great excitement that I rejoin the ESU Warrior family," Ford said. "For a former student-athlete to go back to their alma mater and be able to coach is truly a dream come true. I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve the student-athletes and campus community in a passionate, professional and respectful manner. Thank you to Dr. Gray and the search committee for putting their trust in me. I look forward to continuing the legacy that was started by Dick DeSchriver, and enhanced by Joe Koch and Chris Merli."

Ford returns to ESU following a two-year stint as the head track & field and cross country coach at Lincoln (Pa.). She was previously an assistant coach for the Lions for three years, and during that time period she was honored as the USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Women's Assistant Coach of the Year in 2013.

Across her five years at Lincoln, Ford coached six CIAA conference champions, four NCAA DII qualifiers, nine All-CIAA track & field members and five All-CIAA cross country performers. Academics have also been a priority, as the Lions' men's and women's indoor track & field programs registered the highest GPA among CIAA schools in 2018, while men's cross country's team GPA topped the CIAA in 2017.

Ford acted as the program's chief marketing and fundraising coordinator while additionally managing the budget and team travel logistics. She added leadership responsibilities as the vice president of the CIAA Track & Field Coaches' Association, and she is a current member of ESU's Track & Field Scholarship Campaign Committee.

"We're very pleased that Coach Ford has accepted our offer to become the next women's track & field coach at ESU," said Dr. Gary Gray, ESU Director of Athletics. "Her years of experience as both a head and assistant coach, as well as her Warrior Hall of Fame stature, will serve her well in leading our current and future student-athletes."

In addition to her responsibilities as head coach, Ford served as an adjunct professor and advisor at Lincoln. Previous work experience includes a three-year stretch as a program director and performance coach at Excel Physical Therapy & Fitness/Parisi Speed School in Glen Mills, Pa.

Ford holds USA Track & Field Level I coaching certification, and she worked as the event manager at the DII Outdoor Track & Field Championships this past spring. She also is a current member of the NCAA Women's Coaches Academy, the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and Minority Opportunities Athletic Administrators (MOAA).

Ford graduated from ESU in 2001 with bachelor's degrees in sociology and criminal justice. She added a master's degree in sport management from Wilmington University in 2017.