The interim tag is now off Wesley Arthur, who was named Wednesday the head coach of the men’s and women’s cross country and track and field programs at Mary Baldwin University.
Arthur had served as the interim head men’s and women’s cross country coach this fall.
“Wesley did an excellent job under an interim role this past fall season,” MBU Director of Athletics Tom Byrnes said. “We as a department are excited to bring him on in a permanent setting with both cross country and track and field, and look forward to his continued success.”
Arthur was hired by MBU in August to serve as a cross country and track and field assistant coach before being elevated to interim head coach of the cross country programs.
The women’s team placed eighth at the USA South championship meet in a field of 18 teams and placed a runner on the all-conference honorable mention list with a top-30 finish in the race. He also led the men’s team in its first season of varsity competition.
“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to be a member of the MBU family,” Arthur said. “I hope to build and develop a program here at MBU that will push forward the values and goals of this university.”
Prior to his time in Staunton, Arthur was an assistant track and field coach at NCAA Division II Virginia Union University in Richmond. As an assistant with the Panthers, Arthur worked with the jumpers and coached three individual Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) conference champions, including a United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) all-region performer and an NCAA provisional qualifier.
Arthur assisted with academic progress monitoring with the student-athletes, which led to the men’s track and field teams earning honors with the highest GPA in the CIAA. The men’s and women’s track and field teams also claimed USTFCCCA all-academic team honors under his leadership.
In addition to coaching at Virginia Union, Arthur was a secondary history teacher and head coach of the boys’ and girls’ track and field and cross country teams at Huguenot High School in Richmond.
During his four years at the helm, he coached 14 VHSL AAAA individual regional champions and seven state qualifiers in the high jump and long jump.
Arthur spent one season as the co-head coach of the Elite Speed Track Club in Henrico, where he facilitated all administrative management including athlete registration, clearance, and compliance. He also oversaw the budget and handled team fundraising. On the track, Arthur coached a 4×100 meter relay team to the 2018 USATF Junior Olympic national meet in the boys’ 13–14 age group.
As a student-athlete, Arthur was a four-year member of the track and field and cross country teams at Virginia Union. He was a four-time qualifier for the indoor and outdoor CIAA championship meets as well as a four-time runner in the conference’s cross country championship race.
The men’s and women’s indoor track and field program will begin their seasons Dec. 6 at the Bast-Cregger Invitational hosted by Roanoke College.
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