Nov. 1, 2005

GREENVILLE, N.C. - Joe Blaney has been named East Carolina University assistant women's track and field coach, according to an announcement from head coach Curt Kraft Tuesday.

The appointment will complete Kraft's staff for the 2005-06 season and reunite both men after the pair served together at the University of Nevada from 1996 until 2005.

"It is extremely exciting to have Coach Blaney be a part of the ECU track & field coaching staff," said Kraft. "With all of his years of coaching experience and knowledge, he will be a tremendous asset to myself and the athletes involved."

Blaney recently completed his 10th season with the Wolf Pack track and field team coaching the multi-event athletes, as well as the long, triple, and high jumpers.

Under Blaney's guidance, Nevada's Maranda Brownson won the gold medal at the Western Athletic Conference Indoor Championships in the pentathlon event and went on to finish 14th at the 2005 NCAA Indoor Championships.

Blaney joined the Nevada track and field program after leaving a very successful coaching career at Mineral County High School in Hawthorne, Nev. As head coach at MCHS, Blaney built his team into one of the most dominant track and field programs in the West.

He coached his squad to eight state championships and numerous regional titles. On several occasions, Mineral County earned more points in the state championship meet than the second-and third-place teams combined.

A multiple winner of the Nevada High School Track and Field Coach-of-the-Year Award, Blaney also was nominated for the title of National Track and Field Coach-of-the-Year while in Hawthorne.

Blaney graduated from Ottawa (Kan.) University in 1965 with a degree in biology. He earned his master's in educational administration in 1974 from Wichita State (Kan.) University.