NEW YORK, NY – Todd Witzleben, a distinguished coach with a proven track record as a recruiter and developer of talent, has been appointed as the Head Coach for the Manhattan University's Men's and Women's Cross Country, Track and Field teams. Witzleben most recently coached at the University at Buffalo and previously coached at Temple and La Salle Universities. The announcement was made by Irma Garcia, Manhattan's Director of Athletics on Wednesday afternoon.
Witzleben spent 15 years with the University of Buffalo where he was named Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator. He coached Buffalo's men's cross country, middle-distance and distance squads that saw standout performances and school records during his tenure.
"Todd's authenticity, energy, enthusiasm, and vision stand out. So does his proven record of molding raw talent into champions and transforming potential into podiums," said Garcia. "Additionally, Todd's cross country, distance and middle-distance expertise perfectly meshes as we look to enhance the Jaspers' already strong throwing, jumping and sprinting groups,"
Todd said, "It is an absolute honor to be chosen by Director of Athletics Irma Garcia, Anthony Kurtin, and Jorden Scott to be the next leader of this program which has such a rich history of success. This opportunity is a perfect fit for my career aspirations as I look to develop current student-athletes and future Jaspers in both athletic and academic pursuits. My wife, Megan, our children, and I look forward to integrating ourselves into the Manhattan community. I have high expectations for myself and this program to bring pride to the Jaspers."
In his 15 seasons with the UB Bulls, 22 of his runners achieved All-MAC (Mid-American Conference) honors. Witzleben also earned a reputation as a keen developer of middle and distance running talent. Witzleben was honored as the MAC Assistant Coach of the Year in 2024. Recruiting mostly New York State runners, his cross country program has placed inside the top eight in the NCAA Northeast Region three times. His Distance Medley Relay (9:35) and 4x800m (7:23) squads have both placed in the top 10 of the Penn Relays Championship of America. He has coached five runners to break 1:50 in the 800m, including Leon Atkins, who earned All-America honors at the NCAA Championship.
A Western New York native, the new Jasper head coach won numerous honors as a cross country and track runner, including being a two-time Academic All American as a LaSalle Explorer, capturing six individual Atlantic 10 Conference Championships, and was named the Atlantic 10 Scholar Athlete of the Year. Witzleben graduated from LaSalle where he also earned his MBA.
