JAMAICA, NY --- (www.YORKATHLETICS.com) York College announced Friday the appointment of James Wilkerson to lead the cross country program as head men's and women's coach. 

"This is a challenge that I am going to enjoy. I love working with young athletes. If everybody works hard, I hope that one day they are able to compete at the NCAA Championship level."- said Wilkerson  

Wilkerson medaled as a high jumper at North Carolina Central University, where he competed for three years (1965-68).

The 2019 recipient of the USA Track & Field (USTAF) NY Coaching Lifetime Award, Wilkerson founded the Metro Eagles Track Club in 1990. Serving as head coach since its inception, Wilkerson's Metro Eagles have won four Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Silver National Championships. The Metro Eagles have broken several national records, in which his program has been a mainstay at the AAU Junior Olympic Games. Wilkerson's motivation in starting Metro Eagles was to keep kids busy, physically active and out of trouble as well as preparing them to earn athletic scholarships to college.

Over the years, 85 percent of his past athletes have gone to college on academic or athletic scholarships, as hundreds of his athletes have received track & field scholarships.

From 2000-23, Wilkerson was the head coach for the boys track & field team at Holy Cross High School. 

Wilkerson, a graduate of Port Jervis High School, is married to Mary, and are proud parents to a son, Jamal (York College head men's and women's track & field coach), and three stepchildren. 


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