STONY BROOK, N.Y. — Stony Brook head coach Andy Ronan has officially announced the hiring of John Boisette and Erica Esper as new assistant coaches for the Stony Brook cross country and track & field programs. Boisette and Esper bring to the Island eight plus years of coaching experience in cross country and track & field at the collegiate level.
Boisette comes to Stony Brook following a two-year stint as head coach of the track & field and cross country programs at West Virginia State, helping field several competitive teams in cross and track & field. He founded both the track & field and cross country programs, building the Yellow Jackets into championship contenders in just two years.
During the 2024-25 indoor track season, Boisette's teams recorded 14 top-three finishes at the Mountain East Indoor Championships, setting five conference championship records in the process, which led to 12 All-MEC indoor track & field selections, with six coming from the men's team and six from the women's team. This success continued in the 2025 outdoor season as his teams broke 24 school records.
While at West Virginia State, Boisette guided his athletes to unprecedented achievements, including producing the Yellow Jacket program's first All-American and Academic All-American selection for the 2024-25 indoor season, and coaching athletes into the fastest 60m final time in NCAA Division II history.
Before his tenure at West Virginia State, Boisette spent a year as the head coach of the cross country and track & field programs at Post University in 2022. Prior to his stint at Post, he served as associate head coach of the track & field programs at Lees-McRae College, helping coach an indoor All-American and six national qualifiers.
Boisette also spent two years as an assistant coach at both Utica and Regis. Helping manage the day-to-day activities of the track & field and cross country programs, and helping to recruit 100 male and female student-athletes. At Regis, Boisette helped coach the men's and women's track & field teams to Great Northeast Athletic Conference championships.
"I've always admired people with exceptional intellect and drive," said Boisette. "I believe Stony Brook will bring out the best in me, and I'm excited to contribute to the continued growth of this program alongside a coaching staff that truly believes in me."
He earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education with a minor in health sciences from Eastern Connecticut State University in 2017. As a student athlete at Eastern Connecticut State, Boisette earned All-ECAC, All-LEC, and All-New England honors in track & field. Following the completion of his bachelor's degree, Boisette earned his master's degree in health administration from Regis College in 2019, while serving as an assistant coach for the cross country and track & field programs.
"Very excited to add John to our program. He brings a lot of experience and energy to our Sprints, Hurdles, and Jumps program," said Ronan. "I am confident that over the next few years, we are going to be very competitive in these events, not only at the conference(CAA) level but also at the regional level and beyond."
Esper joins Stony Brook following a year stint as a volunteer coach of the cross country and track & field programs at John Caroll University. In this role, she assisted the coaching staff in day-to-day duties, such as recruiting, training, and creating supplemental strength routines.
As a student athlete at John Caroll, for both the cross country and track & field programs, she racked up several accolades and honors in both sports. In cross country, she was a two-time Great Lakes All-Region selection, a two-time First Team All-OAC honoree, a two-time USTFCCCA Academic All-American, and a two-time Academic All-OAC selection. In track & field, she is a 2021 Indoor Track Ohio Athletic Conference champion in the 3,000m, having won the event in her first-ever attempt. A year later, she became an outdoor champion, winning the 10,000m at the 2022 Ohio Athletic Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships.
"I'm incredibly thankful for the opportunity to join this outstanding institution and the Stony Brook XC/TF family," said Esper. "I look forward to learning, growing, and building a culture of excellence."
She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science in 2023 from John Carroll, graduating with Summa Cum Laude honors. Esper then earned her Master's of Science from John Carroll in 2025 in Exercise Physiology, and a 4.0 GPA.
"The addition of Erica to our Cross Country & Distance group is a big boost for the whole program," said Ronan. "She will be a big asset in the recruiting area and as an additional coach. It will certainly make us stronger and keep us competitive in the Fall at the CAA and regional levels. Her experience with the middle-distance and Distance events on the track will also be a plus."
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