Since becoming the SUNY Cobleskill program's seventh head track & field in 2002 coach Brad Fichthorn has established himself as one of the top coaches in program history. While competing at the NJCAA level Fichthorn guided the program to the upper echelons in the nation as the Cobleskill women placed second at the NJCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships in 2005, 2007 and 2008 while the Fighting Tiger men placed third in 2005 and second in 2008 at the NJCAA Outdoor Championships. During this time the program also captured a Mountain Valley Conference women’s outdoor championship in 2005 and took home the 2008 NJCAA Region III Women’s Indoor Track & Field Championship with the men’s team winning both the 2008 Mountain Valley Conference and NJCAA Region III Division III Outdoor Track & Field titles.
For his efforts the Fighting Tiger mentor was been honored as: the Mountain Valley Conference (MVC) Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Coach-of-the-Year in 2005 and the MVC men’s Outdoor Track & Field Coach-of-the-Year in 2008. In 2008 Fichthorn was also named the NJCAA Region III Women’s Indoor Coach-of-the-Year and the 2008 NJCAA Region III Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Coach-of-the-Year. Additionally the Cobleskill mentor was named the 2005 NJCAA Division III Men’s National Outdoor Track & Field Coach-of-the-Year.
During his tenure as head coach at the junior college level the program produced: 41 NJCAA Division III Outdoor All-Americans, including 15 NJCAA National Champions, and 10 NJCAA Academic All-Americans. Additionally the program produced 50 MVC outdoor champions, 22 Region III Division III outdoor champions and 14 Region III indoor champions under his tutelage.
Since the program’s move to the NCAA Division III level in 2008; Coach Fichthorn’ s Fighting Tiger athletes have made their mark individually competing in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and the New York State College Track Conference (NYSCTC). Since 2008, 24 team members have earned All-ECAC Division III Individual Championships in indoor and outdoor including five individual champions while two team members have captured NYSCTC individual indoor event championships to earn all-league honors.
Team success has also come to Cobleskill during this time the women’s indoor team also became the first Fighting Tiger team to earn an NCAA Division III National Ranking when they spent the final two weeks in January of 2009 in the top-30 in the nation.
The Reading, PA native was a three-sport performer in football, basketball and track & field for Governor Mifflin High School. He then attended and competed at NCAA Division II powerhouse Kutztown University of Pennsylvania where he earned his degree in Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education/Social Studies. Fichthorn also earned All-ECAC honors in Indoor Track & Field competing in the 35-wieght. Upon the completion of his college career he joined the Golden Bear staff as an assistant coach in 2000.
During 2001 he served as an assistant coach at NCAA Division I Georgia Southern University where he earned his Masters Degree in Sports Management and coached three throwers to All-Southern Conference honors. He returned to Kutztown University in 2002 to work with the program’s throwers and to aid in the Golden Bears’ recruiting efforts.
In addition to his coaching duties coach Fichthorn is also a tenured Associate Professor in the SUNY Cobleskill Department of Sport & Exercise.
