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Brenton Emanuel worked with the Nebraska track and field staff from July 2021 until August 2024 and worked with the Huskers' sprints, hurdles and relays.
Emanuel, named the 2023 Midwest Region Indoor Men's Assistant Coach of the Year and 2024 Midwest Region Outdoor Men's Assistant Coach of the Year, has developed successful sprinters, hurdlers and relays over his first three years. Over the seasons, he's coached Darius Luff to three Big Ten titles and a 4x400m relay conference title, six total All-Americans and 23 all-time top-10 runs.
In 2024, Emanuel coached his athletes to 42 combined points at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships and guided Luff and Garrett Kaalund to record-breaking performances throughout the season. At the NCAA Outdoor Championships, Luff became the first NCAA Champion in the 110m hurdles in school history with a 13.19 in the final. Emanuel also coached Kaalund to his first NCAA Championship appearance in an individual event, where he finished with Second-Team All-America honors in the 200m. With a time of 20.38, Kaalund finished 13th to be named NU's first All-American in the 200m since 2007. At regionals, Kaalund clocked a 20.25 to break his own school record. Luff and Brithton Senior finished third and fourth in the 60m hurdles at the Big Ten Indoor Championships for the top finishes among NU's sprinters/hurdlers. Throughout the season, 11 individual runs and two relays cracked NU's all-time list. With Luff and Kaalund leading the men, Johanna Ilves is now fifth in school history in the 60m hurdles and fourth in the 100m hurdles for the women.
Luff headlined the hurdles in 2023, claiming the indoor and outdoor Big Ten titles (60mH, 110mH) and earning two First-Team All-America honors. Brithton Senior took runner-up honors at Indoor Big Tens (60m) and finished third at outdoor Big Tens (110mH), while moving to No. 5 and No. 8 on the all-time list in his respective events. In the indoor 600m, Nick Bryant covered the track in 1:15.37 to take the Big Ten title. Garrett Kaalund ran the fourth-fastest indoor 200m (20.96) as a freshman. Kaalund and Senior teamed with Kavian Kerr and Lorenzo Paissan to shatter the 4x100m relay school record this past season. The group went on to garner Second-Team All-America honors. Adding to top times, Paissan clocked the ninth-fastest 60m time (6.72) and Bryant ran the ninth-fastest 400m time (46.18).
In his first season in 2022, Emanuel helped coach the men's 4x400-meter relay team to a stunning upset win at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships. The Huskers entered the meet with the ninth-fastest seed time and came away with the gold medal after a time of 3:09.51. Emanuel also aided in Darius Luff capturing first-team All-America honors in the 60-meter hurdles.
Prior to Nebraska, Emanuel served as the Director of Track and Field for three seasons at Eastern Illinois. He helped the Panthers win the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Championships in 2020 and the Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Championships in 2019 and 2021. Emanuel was named the OVC Indoor Track Coach of the Year in 2020 and OVC Outdoor Track Coach of the Year in 2019 and 2021. In the three seasons under Emanuel, EIU had 51 All-Ohio Valley Conference honorees, two OVC Male Track Athlete of the Year recipients and an honorable mention All-American.
Before becoming the Director of Track and Field, Emanuel was an assistant coach from 2009 to 2014 at Eastern Illinois. He helped the Panthers to nine Ohio Valley Conference Championships and 44 OVC individual event champions. Emanuel coached 55 All-OVC honorees and had athletes set a total of eight school records.
Emanuel was an assistant coach at Illinois State for two years (2015-16), before being elevated to associate head coach for two seasons (2017-18). While at ISU, Emanuel was named the USTFCCCA Midwest Regional Assistant Coach of the Year in 2018 and coached seven national qualifiers. He coached five All-Americans, 25 Missouri Valley Conference champions and 80 All-MVC honorees at Illinois State. Emanuel had three USTAF junior qualifiers and his athletes set nine school records.
Emanuel is a 2008 graduate of Eastern Illinois, where he competed for the men’s track team for four seasons. He served as a team captain and earned second-team All-OVC honors.
A native of Plainfield, Ill., Emanuel and his wife, Jessica, have three daughters, Brooklyn, Kamryn and Laila, and reside in Lincoln.
Emanuel, named the 2023 Midwest Region Indoor Men's Assistant Coach of the Year and 2024 Midwest Region Outdoor Men's Assistant Coach of the Year, has developed successful sprinters, hurdlers and relays over his first three years. Over the seasons, he's coached Darius Luff to three Big Ten titles and a 4x400m relay conference title, six total All-Americans and 23 all-time top-10 runs.
In 2024, Emanuel coached his athletes to 42 combined points at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships and guided Luff and Garrett Kaalund to record-breaking performances throughout the season. At the NCAA Outdoor Championships, Luff became the first NCAA Champion in the 110m hurdles in school history with a 13.19 in the final. Emanuel also coached Kaalund to his first NCAA Championship appearance in an individual event, where he finished with Second-Team All-America honors in the 200m. With a time of 20.38, Kaalund finished 13th to be named NU's first All-American in the 200m since 2007. At regionals, Kaalund clocked a 20.25 to break his own school record. Luff and Brithton Senior finished third and fourth in the 60m hurdles at the Big Ten Indoor Championships for the top finishes among NU's sprinters/hurdlers. Throughout the season, 11 individual runs and two relays cracked NU's all-time list. With Luff and Kaalund leading the men, Johanna Ilves is now fifth in school history in the 60m hurdles and fourth in the 100m hurdles for the women.
Luff headlined the hurdles in 2023, claiming the indoor and outdoor Big Ten titles (60mH, 110mH) and earning two First-Team All-America honors. Brithton Senior took runner-up honors at Indoor Big Tens (60m) and finished third at outdoor Big Tens (110mH), while moving to No. 5 and No. 8 on the all-time list in his respective events. In the indoor 600m, Nick Bryant covered the track in 1:15.37 to take the Big Ten title. Garrett Kaalund ran the fourth-fastest indoor 200m (20.96) as a freshman. Kaalund and Senior teamed with Kavian Kerr and Lorenzo Paissan to shatter the 4x100m relay school record this past season. The group went on to garner Second-Team All-America honors. Adding to top times, Paissan clocked the ninth-fastest 60m time (6.72) and Bryant ran the ninth-fastest 400m time (46.18).
In his first season in 2022, Emanuel helped coach the men's 4x400-meter relay team to a stunning upset win at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships. The Huskers entered the meet with the ninth-fastest seed time and came away with the gold medal after a time of 3:09.51. Emanuel also aided in Darius Luff capturing first-team All-America honors in the 60-meter hurdles.
Prior to Nebraska, Emanuel served as the Director of Track and Field for three seasons at Eastern Illinois. He helped the Panthers win the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Championships in 2020 and the Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Championships in 2019 and 2021. Emanuel was named the OVC Indoor Track Coach of the Year in 2020 and OVC Outdoor Track Coach of the Year in 2019 and 2021. In the three seasons under Emanuel, EIU had 51 All-Ohio Valley Conference honorees, two OVC Male Track Athlete of the Year recipients and an honorable mention All-American.
Before becoming the Director of Track and Field, Emanuel was an assistant coach from 2009 to 2014 at Eastern Illinois. He helped the Panthers to nine Ohio Valley Conference Championships and 44 OVC individual event champions. Emanuel coached 55 All-OVC honorees and had athletes set a total of eight school records.
Emanuel was an assistant coach at Illinois State for two years (2015-16), before being elevated to associate head coach for two seasons (2017-18). While at ISU, Emanuel was named the USTFCCCA Midwest Regional Assistant Coach of the Year in 2018 and coached seven national qualifiers. He coached five All-Americans, 25 Missouri Valley Conference champions and 80 All-MVC honorees at Illinois State. Emanuel had three USTAF junior qualifiers and his athletes set nine school records.
Emanuel is a 2008 graduate of Eastern Illinois, where he competed for the men’s track team for four seasons. He served as a team captain and earned second-team All-OVC honors.
A native of Plainfield, Ill., Emanuel and his wife, Jessica, have three daughters, Brooklyn, Kamryn and Laila, and reside in Lincoln.
Emanuel's Coaching Accomplishments
- 4 Big Ten Champions
- 6 All-Americans
- 23 Nebraska Top-10 Marks
- 4 Big Ten Champions
- 6 All-Americans
- 23 Nebraska Top-10 Marks