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 fifth season in 2021-22.  

Feldman will oversee 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 track and field season, individuals competed across four outdoor events including the inaugural GNAC Championships.

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: Matyas Csiki-Fejer in the 800 and 1500, Robert Solari in the high jump and Michael Balestra in the hammer throw. The threesome each took home all-league honors as well. Csiki-Fejer and Balestra were recognized by the conference as the 2019 GNAC Rookie s of the Year in track and field, respectively. The pair went on to compete at outdoor regionals, the first-ever Suffolk male student-athletes to compete there. Balestra made more history with an eighth-place showing in the hammer throw to take home All-New England honors. Csiki-Fejer clocked a personal-best time (3:58.69) in the 1500.

After the 2020 campaign was cancelled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Suffolk set its sight on 2021, however, the GNAC cancelled its championship due to safety concerns. Indivudally the Rams still competed and saw two individuals produce four all-region performances. Matyas Csiki-Fejer was responsibile for a trio. First the long distance runner won the 10,000 at the NEICAAA Championships, the second-oldest track meet in the nation, which features opponents from all NCAA fields. After garnering All-NEICAAA accolades, Csiki-Fejer became the first Suffolk athlete, male or female, to pick up a pair of All-New Englands nods in the same season from the USTFCCCA for his top five region finishes in the 5,000 and 10,000. Michael Balestra etched his name in the Rams' record book as well as the first Rams' fielder, male or female, to earn all-region twice in their career with his second USTFCCCA All-New England acknowledgement in the hammer throw. 

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.

More recognition for work inside the classroom came from CoSIDA. Csiki-Fejer became the program’s first Academic All-American 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.