Lananna Adds Rousseau to Track & Field Coaching Staff
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Virginia’s director of track & field and cross country, Vin Lananna, announced Tuesday (Sept. 2) that he has appointed Derek Rousseau to work with the Virginia sprinters and jumpers as the newest member of the track and field coaching staff.
“Derek Rousseau emerged as the leading candidate for the opportunity to work as an assistant track and field coach with our talented Virginia coaches,” Lananna said. “He will be an excellent teacher/coach for our jumpers. His experience as a speed developer for all events will be an asset for our broad-based track and field program.”
Rousseau arrives in Charlottesville following a notable eight seasons as an assistant coach at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In his first season with the Engineers, Rousseau garnered USTFCCCA East Region Men’s Indoor Track & Field Assistant Coach of the year.
“I want to thank Coach Lananna and Coach Dunbar for the opportunity to join an incredible coaching staff at UVA,” Rousseau said. “From my first conversation with Coach Dunbar, I was struck by his passion and enthusiasm for the program. The high-performance culture Coach Lananna has built, along with the close-knit community within the team, makes Virginia a dynamic place to develop highly talented student-athletes and win ACC titles. I am excited to be part of the track and field family.”
In 2023, Rousseau was named the NCAA Division III Men’s Outdoor Track & Field National Assistant Coach of the Year after leading the Engineers to the first outdoor title in program history scoring a total of 28.5 points. Star athlete in Kenneth Wei accumulated a total of 14 points with a runner-up finish in the long jump and third place finish in the 110-meter hurdles, just behind his teammate and champion, Enoch Ellis. Rousseau led MIT to win the NEWMAC Outdoor Championships and the New England DIII Outdoor Championships.
Under Rousseau’s direction, Yorai Shaoul won both the NCAA indoor and outdoor triple jump national titles (2018-19) while Wei captured both the NCAA indoor and outdoor long jump titles (2021-22). He also coached the NCAA DIII outdoor high jump champion, Kimmy McPherson in 2021-22.
“Derek is one of the best hands-on jumps coaches and teachers in the country,” said former LSU track & field strength and conditioning coach, Boo Schexnayder. “He is a great developer of talent, and his personality will be a tremendous asset in recruiting.” Schexnayder is a renowned mentor of jumps and speed developers and is regarded as one of the leading authorities in training design.
In addition to his coaching resume within the NCAA, Rousseau was also a member of the MIT Sports Performance staff where he worked with student-athletes from across the Institute’s 33 intercollegiate programs. He holds multiple coaching certifications including both USATF Level III and IAAF Level 5 certifications in jumping events and is a USTFCCCA Sprint/Hurdle/Relay specialist. He also holds a USTFCCCA Strength and Conditioning license, NSCA CSCS certification and is a NASM Certified Performance Enhancement Specialist.