EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. – Justin Germani has been named the head coach of the East Stroudsburg University men's track and field program, as announced by ESU Director of Athletics Dr. Gary R. Gray on Monday.

The appointment comes after Germani served as the interim head coach for the Warriors men's and women's cross country and track & field programs this season.  

Germani becomes the third head coach in program history since 1969 as Dick DeSchriver served in the role from 1970 through 1989 before Joe Koch took over from 1990 to 2020.

"We're excited to have Coach Germani on board as our new head men's track and field coach," said Gray. "He brings a rich history to the program and one upon which we are confident he can build into the future. I know Justin will work hard to make the most of the team's recent second place finish in the PSAC."

"It is a great honor to officially take over as the men's track and field coach,", said Germani. "I'm extremely excited to build off the foundation the previous coaches established for ESU's men's track and field.  I would like to thank all of our alumni for their support throughout my time serving as interim coach, our assistant coaches Karen Gaita and Jim Morrison, and Dr. Gary R. Gray for the opportunity to continue to serve our Warriors."

Under Germani's direction this season, both the men' and women's cross country and track & field teams were extremely successful. In men's cross country, Casey Ellis finished as the runner-up and Teddy Mostellar earned All-PSAC honors to lead the team to seventh place finish at the PSAC Championships. Ellis became the third runner in program history to finish second at the conference meet and the first since 2012.

On the women's side, Mandy Fine, Brittany Carratura and Keely Ardnt garnered All-PSAC honors while Lauren Reightneour was named the champion scholar. Ardnt became the first freshman since 1995 to earn all-conference accolades and Reightneour was the second student-athlete to receive the award in program history.

On the track, the Warriors experienced similar achievement with the men's team finishing as the runner-up at the PSAC Outdoor Championships for the first time since 2014.

ESU had event wins from Dan Amari in the pole vault, Raul Esteves in the 100m, Carlos Pepin in the high jump and Dominic Walton in the shot put while Sean Roberts was awarded with champion scholar honors for the second consecutive year.

For the women's squad, Carly Danoski broke a 25-year-old school record in the 800m, and Elizabeth Makar shattered a 42-year-old program mark in the shot put. Makar also finished the season with the freshman records in the shot put, discus and hammer throw.

Serving as an assistant coach since 2016, Germani has also helped lead the men's track & field team to top-three finishes at the PSAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships in each season since his arrival. The Warriors placed runner-up at the 2019 and 2020 Indoor Championships, which matched the program's best-ever finish at the meet. Germani also helped guide the women's team to a third-place finish at the 2018 Indoor Championships, marking the team's best placing since 2014.

Germani, a 2011 Kutztown University graduate, was a two-time NCAA Division II national qualifier, and earned All-America honors with a seventh-place finish at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

After graduating from Kutztown, Germani began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant coach at Alvernia University in Reading, Pennsylvania. During his two seasons with the Golden Wolves, he coached a four-time NCAA qualifier and All-American in the pole vault, as well as four Middle Atlantic Conference Champions. His pole vaulters set school records on both the men's and women's sides.

Germani moved on to Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts as an assistant coach from 2013-16. In three seasons at Williams, he worked with four NCAA Division III qualifiers, including two All-Americans and two NESCAC Champions. His vertical jumpers helped Williams capture a pair of conference championships and three top-10 NCAA team finishes.

Germani has extensive experience as a camp clinician, working at East Stroudsburg, Princeton, Williams, Shippensburg, West Chester and Kutztown. He also has a USTFCCCA jumping event specialist certification and a strength and conditioning specialist certification.

Germani earned a bachelor's degree in sport management from Kutztown in 2011, and went on to earn a master's in sport management from California (Pa.) in 2013.