Story Courtesy of EMU Sports Information
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — After nearly 20 seasons on the coaching staff at Eastern Michigan University, Head Men's Cross Country and Track and Field Coach John Goodridge has announced his retirement. Goodridge had served as the head coach of the men's cross country program since 2001, while guiding the track & field teams since 2010.
"I'd like to thank all the student-athletes that I've had the privilege to coach," said Goodridge. "I will terribly miss continuing this journey with them. Our legacy and tradition of winning throughout my tenure will always be something that I will be extremely proud of."
Goodridge was just the fifth EMU men's head track and field coach in the past 100 years. Lloyd W. Olds began the tradition of men's track success, serving as the head coach from 1921-41. George Marshall followed from 1942-66, Bob Parks from 1967-2000, Brad Fairchild from 2001-10, and Goodridge from 2010-20.
"John has been a devoted staff member of this department for a long time, and I cannot thank him enough for everything he has done for EMU Athletics," said EMU Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee. "He continued Eastern's long-standing tradition of success and made lasting impacts on countless people associated with our cross country and track & field programs. We wish John all the very best in his coaching retirement."
The veteran coach enjoyed an outstanding coaching career, acting as an integral part of the track and field staffs that led EMU to Mid-American Conference championships in 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. Moving to the helm of the Eagles' track and field squad in 2010, Goodridge directed the Green and White squads that earned conference titles in 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2018. As the head of EMU's cross country program since 2001, he was a part of 14 of the Eagles' record 23 MAC Championships during his time in Ypsilanti.
His most recent accomplishment in his tenure at Eastern Michigan includes coaching the Eagles to the 2018 triple crown (MAC Championships in indoor and outdoor track, along with cross country). Goodridge has also coached conference cross country championship teams in the Mid-American, Big Ten, and Atlantic Coast Conferences.
Goodridge solidified himself as the winningest coach in EMU and MAC cross country history. He coached two NCAA National Championship top-three individuals, including 2001 National Champion Boaz Cheboiywo, seven cross country All-Americans, four NCAA Great Lakes Regional Individual Champions, 11 Mid-American Conference Individual Champions, and 67 All-MAC harriers. Additionally, his 2016 team posted a MAC record with a perfect 15-point score as Eastern recorded the championship's top-five scorers.
For his efforts, Goodridge was named the MAC's Cross Country Coach of the Year 13 times.
On the track & field side, Goodridge has coached 22 All-Americans including two NCAA National Track and Field Champions (Cheboiywo in the 10,000 meters and Jordan Desilets in the 3,000-meter steeplechase) as well as numerous individual MAC champions.
In his time at Eastern Michigan, he has been a significant part of the coaching staffs that led the Eagles to three triple crown seasons (2001-02, 2006-07, and 2017-18). During his tenure, 16 EMU school records have been established.
Five EMU tracksters have broken the magical sub-4:00 mile mark of which Goodridge has coached three (Cheboiywo, Desilets and Gavin Thompson) along with Paul McMullen and Ben Reese coached by EMU Athletic Hall of Fame member Coach Bob Parks.
Prior to his arrival at EMU, Goodridge was the Head Track & Field/Cross Country Coach at Wake Forest University for 15 years (1984-1999), where he coached the Demon Deacons to unparalleled success in the school's history. Goodridge coached Wake Forest to its highest ever ACC finishes in cross country (first) and track & field (second) and its highest ever national finishes in cross country (third) and track & field (eighth).
At Wake Forest, he coached 14 individual ACC Champions and seven All-Americans. He coached Wake Forest to its first ever ACC cross country championship, first-ever individual champion, first All-Americans in track and field and cross country, first team NCAA cross country appearance and highest ever finish in school history (third). His Wake Forest cross country teams finished first or second in the ACC for 10 consecutive years, winning four titles and making seven NCAA appearances.
Goodridge also spent three years (1979-82) as the Head Women's Cross Country Coach and Assistant Track Coach at Michigan State University. He also served as the head United States National Coach at the 1985 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Lisbon, Portugal, where they won the team championship. Additionally, in 1986 he was the Head United States Coach at the World University Cross Country Championship in Graz, Austria.
During his long and distinguished coaching career, Goodridge coached 20 athletes, including five EMU athletes (Desilets, DuBois, Naughton, Nowitzke, Perrin) who have represented the United States in international competition including the Olympics, World Track and Field Championships, World Cross Country Championships, and Pan American Games.
He also coached three EMU athletes (Cheboiywo, Karanja, Thompson) who have represented Canada, Kenya, and Great Britain in international competition including the World Championships, Commonwealth Games, European Championships and Francophone Games.
Goodridge was one of just three active men's coaches that coached two podium NCAA Cross Country Championship teams at two different schools, having accomplished the feat at both Wake Forest and EMU.
A native of New York City, Goodridge graduated from Long Island University in 1972 and earned his master's degree from the University of Michigan in 1975. During his many years of involvement in coaching cross country and track and field, he has been an officer of national organizations, including serving as the vice president of the U.S. Men's Collegiate Cross Country Coaches Association.
