UPDATE: Erin Tucker named head coach at Eastern Washington...

Eastern Washington University's search for a new head coach to replace Stan Kerr and Marcia Mecklenburg has come to an end, as the school announced Wednesday that Erin Tucker (photo courtesy Penn State University), most recently the associate head coach at Penn State, will be the new coach and director of the Eagle men's and women's programs.

Tucker, who has a background in the sprints and hurdles, coached for seven seasons at Penn State, following a four year stint at his alma mater, the University of Florida.

At Penn State, he coached a dozen Big Ten champions, with the latest being Yasmin Brooks, who won the conference title in the 100 hurdles in a wind-aided time of 12.99. Brooks also won the Big 10 indoor 60 hurdles title last season. 

In addition to coaching at Penn State, he coached at the University of Illinois from 2000-03; the University of Kentucky from 2003-2011; and at Florida from 2011-2015.

"I want to thank the great Lynn Hickey, Catherine Walker and Augie Hernandez for giving me this amazing opportunity in our great sport of track and field. It is an honor and a blessing to be named the next Director of Track and Field and head track and field coach at Eastern Washington University," said Tucker.

"I have been told many, many, times that I am ambitious. You have to think big to be big, and we will fight every day to be better than we were yesterday. I look forward to leading a special group of young minds at this amazing institution. I will do everything in my power to make sure our why becomes the best student 'hyphen' athletes they can be. We will think big so we can be big. Go Eags!"

Tucker has had a hand working at the international level, as Luis Luna of Venezuela (400m, Athens), Rondel Sorrillo of Trinidad (200m, Beijing), Jose Acevedo of Venezuela (200m, Beijing & London), Mikel Thomas of Trinidad (110HH, Beijing & London), and Eddie Lovett of the US Virgin Islands (110 hurdles, Rio) were athletes coached by him that competed at the Olympics.

Lovett also competed at the world indoors in Portland, making the finals in the 60 hurdles, as well as the 2017 world outdoor championships in London.

As a student athlete at Florida,  Tucker won the SEC 400 hurdles title, and also earned a runner-up finish. During his time with the Gators, they won the SEC 4 x 400 title four times. He received his undergraduate degree in 1998, and his master's degree in Education two years later.

This will be Tucker's first head coaching position.

Eastern Washington's release is available here.

NOTE: The sports information office at Penn State University and Eastern Washington University contributed to this report.

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