Will Feldman, a fixture in the Suffolk University cross country record books, returned to his alma mater in a new role as the first-ever Head Coach of Track & Field/Cross Country for the Rams in the Spring of 2017. Feldman will enter his fourth season in 2020-21.  

Feldman oversees both the men’s and women’s cross country and track & field teams. The programs were a part of a Fall 2016 announcement of six new varsity sports hitting the Suffolk varsity lineup. 

In the University’s first-ever women’s outdoor track and field season, individuals competed across six outdoor events including the inaugural GNAC Championships, where the Rams finished sixth in the field of eight. Freshman sprinter Mariama Kamara headlined the performances as she finished second overall and first against conference counterparts in the 100 M Dash to earn all-league accolades. Two weekends later, Kamara and Emma Weisse represented the Rams at New Englands.  

Suffolk’s success was record-setting in its second season. At the 2019 GNAC Championships, where the squad finished fifth, multiple Rams had stand-out performances including three GNAC Champions: Emily Manfra in the 800, Allison Rodrigues in the javelin and Emma Weisse in the 3000. The threesome each took home all-league honors as well with Manfra and Rodrigues earning additional honors as the 2019 GNAC Track Athlete of the Year and 2019 GNAC Field Rookie of the Year, respectively.

At New Englands, Manfra and Weisse each garnered all-region accolades in the 1500 and 10K to earn a place in the 2019 NCAA Division III Championship field. At nationals, Manfra qualified for the finals, but came up just shy of All-American status, finishing ninth in the 1500.

Feldman has not only jump started a regional recognized program athletically, but also academically. His team has been awarded for its effort in the classroom with back-to-back USTFCCCA honors. Individually two Rams garnered three individual accolades from the USTFCCCA under his leadership.

More recognition for work inside the classroom came from CoSIDA. Manfra became the program’s first-ever Academic All-American in 2018-19 and repeated that distinction a year later as the University’s first-ever first-team Academic All-American.  

Feldman holds the honor of coaching Suffolk’s first-ever GNAC Women of the Year as Emily Manfra collected the honor in 2019-20.  

During his time donning the blue-and-gold for the men’s cross country team, the four-year letterwinner, three-year captain earned MVP status in three straight seasons. Feldman still holds the Rams’ records in the 5k and 8k to this day. 

Feldman returns to his Boston roots with eight years of coaching experience on his resume. The Suffolk graduate, who received a Bachelor’s of Arts in European history in 2010, began his coaching career across town at GNAC rival Emmanuel in 2008. As an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Saints, Feldman was instrumental in the growth and development of the then-newly developed program. He implemented a national recruiting effort, which doubled the size of the squad and culminated in the successful recruitment of the program’s first All-American.

After four seasons with the Saints, Feldman then took his coaching talents to MIT where he spent two years on the coaching staff working with middle distance and distance student-athletes, utilizing performance software such as Dartfish to analyze the gait of MIT’s runners and maximize runner’s efficiency. During the 2012 cross country season, he helped guide the men and women to NEWMAC team titles with the women going on to finish sixth at the NCAA Championships. On the track, Feldman worked with the hurdlers, middle distance and distance athletes. He was a crucial ingredient in back-to-back NEWMAC Outdoor team titles for both the men and women teams. During his time with the Engineers, Feldman assisted six All-Americans, 19 NCAA Qualifiers and 15 conference champions. 

Feldman then joined Duke’s cross country and track & field coaching staff in August 2013. Throughout the 2013 cross country season and 2014 track & field campaign, he assisted in the success of the Blue Devil’s women’s middle distance and distance program. Feldman played a key developmental role in his first season. He worked with ACC Outdoor 1500m champion freshman Haley Meier and standout Juliet Bottorff, who won three ACC titles (Cross Country, Indoor 5k and Outdoor 10k). Overall, he helped Duke produce four All-Americans, five ACC Champions and an additional five All-ACC performers.

In 2014-15, Feldman helped Duke’s men’s distance-medley relay team earn All-American honors, while the team also grabbed All-ACC accolades. Additionally, he guided five members to All-ACC honors, including Shaun Thompson, who qualified for the NCAA National Championships in the 5,000-meter distance.

Feldman returns to Suffolk after two years on Chad Pearson’s staff at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro as assistant coach. At UNCG, Feldman worked with Southern Conference Cross Country Freshman of the Year Kathleen Mansure, as well as four all-conference performers and Katy Link, a NCAA first-round qualifier in the 10k.

He has abetted in conducting cross country workouts, while directing all the aspects of training for sprinters, hurdlers, middle distance and endurance athletes. Off the competition course, he identified and recruited endurance athletes, planned and executed official visits and managed operations and administrative responsibilities including travel logistics, compliance and the program’s budget.

On the runner’s circuit, Feldman has competed nine marathons. His best time on a 26.2-mile course came in Chicago in 2013, crossing the tape in 2:36.37. Feldman will take Boston’s historic course for the third time in the 121st marathon with his wife and fellow Suffolk alumni, Kyle, Monday, April 17. 

Feldman received his USA Track and Field (USATF) Level 1 Coaching Certification in 2008. In 2010 he earned his USATF Level II certification in Endurance events and Sprints, Hurdles, and Relays in 2014.