Olympic Medalist Innocent Egbunike Named PCC Track and Field/Cross Country Head Coach

Innocent Egbunike, who was associated with eight Olympic Games as an athlete and coach, is Pasadena City College's new full-time head coach for the Lancers men's and women's track and field and men's and women's cross country teams. The hiring will be made official at next month's PACCD Board of Trustees meeting. 

Egbunike, 54, is a former world-class sprinter who won a bronze medal as a member of Nigeria's 4x400 meter relay team at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. He was captain of Nigeria's 1992 Olympics team and later a head coach of his home country's track and field team at the 2008 Beijing Games and 2012 London Games. In 2008, he also served as personal coach to U.S. Olympic gold medalist Angelo Taylor (400-meter hurdles). 

Egbunike (pronounced Eg-boo-nee-kay) was honored by the United States Olympic Committee with the Order of Ikkos medallion for excellence in coaching in 2008. At the 2000 Sydney Games, he was part of Nigeria's coaching staff that produced originally the silver medal in the 4x400 relay that was changed to a gold in 2008 when the U.S. was stripped of the medal due to evidence of doping. 

Egbunike's college coaching experience extends to both university and community college. From 1991-1995, he was an assistant coach for sprints/hurdles/jumps at Mt. San Antonio College. He later was an assistant on Boise State University's track and field coaching staff from 2000-2003.

A member of Azusa Pacific University's Hall of Fame (1996), he earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees at the college. He set numerous school records at APU in 1983-84, including a still-standing mark in the 400 meters. He was a silver medalist in the 400 at the 1987 World Championships. In 1991, he was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame.

Ebunike now is in charge of four PCC sports teams as he will begin coaching meets with the Lancers cross country season in September.